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

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.