The effect of school location on retention of knowledge learned from an educational hearing conservation program

Lipscomb listed several formats of educational hearing conservation program (HCP) in his book and had compared their advantages and disadvantages (Lipscomb 1994). These formats included lecture series, movies, videos, and slide presentations, programmed learning booklets, computer assisted instruction (CAI), distribution of printed materials, individual conferences. Research indicates that all these formats of educational HCP not only achieve certain degree of success in terms of its effectiveness but also in various educational levels (Blair et al. 1996; Brookhouser et al. 1992; Chermak et al. 1996, 1998; Chermak & Peters-McCarthy 1991; Griest et al. 2007; Lass et al. 1987a, b; Lewis 1989). Schools do not provide enough information in educational HCP (Frager & Kahn 1998). Teachers’ knowledge in educational HCP needs to be improved as well (Lass et al. 1985). It is imperative to provide educational HCP in different levels of schools. However, it is unknown how would children retain the knowledge learned from the educational HCP and how would school location affect it. Do we need different approaches in administering the program according to different school location? The purposes of the study were to investigate (1) the effectiveness of an comprehensive educational HCP on elementary school children, and (2) the effect of school location on children’s retention of knowledge learned from an educational HCP.