Towards an Inclusive Disaster Education: The State of Online Disaster Education from the Learner’s Perspective

Abstract

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) education endorses educational initiatives that advocate for reducing existing disaster risks. The COVID-19 pandemic challenged the social order around the world, including the education sector. The rise of the pandemic paved the way to significantly convert the education sector towards online/distant learning via digital platforms. Online distance learning was a challenging emergency shift for many who had to change their teaching and learning strategies. This study is an investigation of the significant challenges associated with online learning in DRR education. The objectives of the study were to consider the online learning strategies used in formal DRR education at the tertiary level and to identify the associated challenges faced by the learners. This study presents the findings of an online survey conducted as part of a research collaboration titled INCLUsive Disaster Education (INCLUDE). INCLUDE is a collaborative research project co-funded by the EU Erasmus+ program aimed to reimagine online distance learning education. The survey was conducted in the country contexts of the research partners, which include Lithuania, Japan, Sweden, and the UK, with DRR learners who are engaged in online learning. The findings suggest that Learning Management Systems, synchronous learning, and flipped classrooms are the dominant learning strategies that engage learners. The findings further suggest that challenges in online DRR education lie in inadequate ICT infrastructure and digital literacy, health-related disturbances, and professional and personal commitments that lead into learning discontinuity. Hence, the study concludes that in order to enhance the inclusivity of online DRR education, the overall social and vulnerability contexts of the learners should be considered.

Challenges for Post-Pandemic Virtual Education in Latin America: A Comparative Analysis of the Emergency Remote Higher Education Process in Chile, Mexico, and Ecuador

“…Attention should also be focused on the instructor-student bond, including aspects like containment, visibility, and dyadic relationship, as it has a significant impact on learning, particularly during emergencies. Additionally, it is crucial to ensure clarity in instructions and to consider the needs of the learner, as discussed in the article by [14].…”

“…Consequences for Higher Education (HE) institutions were devastating at a broad range of levels, from a human and also an economic perspective [5]. Up to this date, we find reports from all continents and a huge diversity of countries from East to West and North to South (e.g., Pakistan [6]; Turkey [7]; United States of America [8], Russia [9], South Africa [10], New Zealand [11], India [12], and United Arab Emirates [13] among many others, even multinational comparisons [14]. Both large-scale, even global [1,[15][16][17] and small-scale, qualitative studies [18] have been undertaken.…”

Development of the SiAlong Platform to Improve Digital Literacy on Landslide Disasters among Generation Z in Semarang City

“…Disasters significantly threaten humanity, affecting countries and regions globally, regardless of their development status [1,2]. Indonesia, with its abundant natural resources, is particularly vulnerable to major disasters that can endanger its population [3,4].…”

Volunteers Experiences for the Future of Disaster Education: Empowering Communities, Addressing Challenges, and Charting a Resilient Future

“…There are many studies about disaster education for the different stakeholders of the communities (Daewoong, 2019; Global Alliance for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in the Education Sector (GADRRRES), 2022; Harada, Shoji, Takafuji, 2023;Kaya, 2022;Başıbüyük, Pala, 2023); Mulianingsih, Hardati, 2022;Nakano, Yamori, 2021;Önal, 2019;Rahma, Mardiatno, Hizbaron, 2023;Torani, Majd, Maroufi, Dowlati, Sheikhi, 2019). There can be found many different applications about disaster education and their results in the literature (Li et al, 2022;Gong, Duan, Guo, 2021;Shaw, Sakurai, Oikawa, 2021;Senanayake et al, 2023).…”