THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM FOR A LONG TERM TRAINING ON SEISMIC AND VOLCANIC RISK

Abstract

One of the tasks of the European Project UPStrat-MAFA (Urban Prevention Strategies using MAcroseimic Fields and FAult Sources) is to develop an educational system aimed at long-term training, mainly on seismic hazard and risk. This task will be carried out by sharing the expertise of partners of the project to set different actions, encompassing programs and educational material for students, teachers and general public, and to design an interactive travelling educational path. Starting from the Icelandic educational program tested on schools in the last decade by EERC (Earthquake Engineering Research Centre), the task will develop educational tools especially designed for children, and also new tools using the most spread information channels, in order to outreach information on seismic risk and how to cope with earthquakes. The interactive travelling educational path on earthquakes and volcanoes, aimed at risk-reduction by increasing awareness, is an interactive experience using a multimedia approach, in order to have a very flexible, easy-to-share and appealing set of educational tools (video, simulations, games…) also developed for “edutainment”. The educational path, which is also a travelling exhibition, has to deal with issues related to seismic and volcanoes hazard and risks, especially in urban areas. The whole education-information system developed in the framework of UPStrat-MAFA project is structured to represent both a way to convey project results to the scientific community and to strengthen people’s risk awareness and their training to face up to seismic and/or volcanic events.