T312 Victor Porter Memorial Session—Climbing out of the Fishbowl: Hands-On Public Engagement in the Geosciences

Wednesday, 25 October 2017
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Room 2B

PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE DISASTER OF A LIFETIME: AN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING ACTIVITY ON BUILDING RESILIENCE TO A CASCADIA SUBDUCTION ZONE MEGAQUAKE

Paper number: T312-9
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM

Authors

  • Monica Gowan Presenting Author
    Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

Abstract

In June 2016 a megaquake and tsunami preparedness exercise in the US-Canada Pacific Northwest, called Cascadia Rising, focused public attention on government coordination and response for a catastrophic disaster related to a Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) M9.0 earthquake. Cascadia Rising provided a teachable moment for introductory geoscience students to integrate their newly-acquired geohazards knowledge into risk awareness, and to boost their sense of personal agency and capacity to engage in self-protective actions.

Therefore, in early June 2016 a small-group classroom activity for introductory geoscience students was developed in the Department of Geological Sciences at Central Washington University. The activity focused on two open-ended questions: “What are your 3 greatest concerns in a CSZ megaquake?” and “What are 3 things you can do to alleviate these concerns?” This action research approach was developed further into an on-line Canvas Instructure Platform assignment for the 2016-2017 academic year in the Department of Geology at Western Washington University.

The assignment (How to Navigate Cascadia Geohazard Risks and Stay Resilient!) begins with open-ended questions where students self-report their geohazard and risk literacy, greatest concern, and preparedness actions taken. Students next complete web-based research and skill development activities for 8 learning targets: locating known faults and recent earthquakes; accessing and interpreting tsunami warning statements; determining the extent of tsunami hazard zones; discerning tsunami evacuation routes; finding a designated assembly area; learning emergency management broadcast radio frequencies; developing communications planning capacity using social media apps; and identifying recommended protective actions for pre-, peri-, and post-disaster phases. Forced-choice questions for each activity further assess skills in distinguishing between earthquake scales, understanding recurrence intervals for different earthquake types, and other knowledge domains. Last, students answer open-ended questions on the most salient and meaningful takeaways from the on-line assignment, and what action steps they intend to take next. A random paired-discussion activity and whole class discussion concludes the assignment.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 49, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2017AM-307580

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