Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Linking Theory with Practice in Ghana’s Basic Schools
Abstract
:1. Introduction
Techniques | Description |
---|---|
Interactive | Engages students in brainstorming and discussion on a given topic |
Surrogate experiential | Uses proxies of real life events e.g., film making, role play |
Field experiential | Undertaking practical activities outside the classroom e.g., hazard mapping |
Affective | Students share their feelings and experiences of disaster events |
Inquiry | Obtaining information from outside the classroom e.g., internet enquiries |
Action | Active involvement of students in practical sessions |
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Study Area Information
Basic School System in Ghana
Community | Gender | Kpalgun | Yoggu | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name of School | Kpalgun Primary & JHS | Yoggu D/A Primary & JHS | |||||
Lower Primary | Upper Primary | JHS | Lower Primary | Upper Primary | JHS | ||
No. of students | Male | 81 | 95 | 89 | 80 | 44 | 86 |
female | 41 | 66 | 47 | 51 | 32 | 38 | |
Total | 122 | 161 | 136 | 131 | 76 | 124 | |
No. of teachers | Male | 4 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
Female | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | |
Total | 4 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
2.2. Data Collection and Field Work
2.2.1. Questionnaires
2.2.2. Focus Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews
2.3. Data Analysis
2.3.1. Content Analysis Process
- (1)
- Core words within the DRR discourse, such as hazard, disaster, vulnerability, risk, and resilience, were obtained from literature and web-based resources from various institutions, such as United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR terminologies) [41] and Department of Community Safety, State of Queensland [42].
- (2)
- Five words found within the scope of the DRR, which are: cause, effects, prevention, recovery, and management of disasters which are found in UNISDR terminologies and other literature.
- (3)
- Common disaster events in Ghana, particularly in the study communities. Examples include floods, droughts, windstorm, and fires.
No. | Upper Primary Subjects | Title of Syllabus | Year of Publication | Total No. of Pages |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Citizenship Education | Teaching syllabus for Citizenship Education (Primary 4–6) | September, 2007 | 44 |
2 | Integrated Science | Teaching syllabus for Integrated Science (Primary 4–6) | September, 2012 | 35 |
3 | English Language | Teaching syllabus for English Language (Primary 4–6) | September, 2012 | 80 |
4 | Creative Arts | Teaching syllabus for Creative Arts (Primary 4–6) | September, 2007 | 93 |
5 | Information and Communications Technology | Teaching syllabus for Information and Communications Technology (Primary 1–6) | September, 2007 | 37 |
6 | Ghanaian Language and Culture | Teaching syllabus for Ghanaian Language and Culture (Primary 4–6) | September, 2012 | 93 |
7 | Religious and Moral Education | Teaching syllabus for Religious and Moral Education (Primary 1–6) | September, 2008 | 76 |
8 | Mathematics | Teaching syllabus for Mathematics (Primary 1–6) | September, 2012 | 160 |
9 | Physical Education | Teaching syllabus for Physical Education (Primary 1–6) | September, 2007 | 91 |
No. | Junior High School Subjects | Title of Syllabus | Year of publication | Total No. of Pages |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Integrated Science | Teaching syllabus for Integrated Science (JHS 1–3) | September, 2012 | 65 |
2 | Social Studies | Teaching syllabus for Social Studies (JHS 1–3) | September, 2007 | 51 |
3 | Music and Dance | Teaching syllabus for Music and Dance (JHS 1–3) | September, 2008 | 29 |
4 | Building Design and Technology | Teaching syllabus for Building Design and Technology (JHS 1–3) | September, 2007 | 132 |
5 | English Language | Teaching syllabus for English Language (JHS 1–3) | September, 2012 | 118 |
6 | Information and Communications Technology | Teaching syllabus for Information and Communications Technology (JHS 1–3) | September, 2007 | 50 |
7 | Religious and Moral Education | Teaching syllabus for Religious and Moral Education (JHS 1–3) | September, 2008 | 56 |
8 | Mathematics | Teaching syllabus for Mathematics (JHS 1–3) | September, 2012 | 84 |
9 | Physical Education | Teaching syllabus for Physical Education (JHS 1–3) | September, 2007 | 73 |
10 | French | Teaching syllabus for French (JHS 1–3) | September, 2007 | 88 |
11 | Ghanaian Language and Culture | Teaching syllabus for Ghanaian Language and Culture (JHS 1–3) | September, 2007 | 57 |
Key Words | Synonyms | Key Words | Synonyms |
---|---|---|---|
Hazard | Menace , threat | Recover(y) | Recuperate, get well |
Disaster | Calamity, tragedy | Response | React, handle |
Risk | Danger, exposure | Manage(ment) | Control, cope |
Vulnerability | Prone to, predisposed to | Capacity | Ability, aptitude |
Climate change | - | Flood | Inundation, overflow |
Resilience | Overcome | Drought | Lack of water |
Causes | Sources, reasons | Fire | - |
Effects | Consequence, result of | Earthquake | Earth tremor, vibration in the earth |
Prevent | Avoid, stop | Pests | Vermin, parasite |
Protect | Safeguard, keep | Diseases | Ailment, infection |
Safety | Secure, welfare | Epidemics | - |
Adapt | Adjust, cope | Windstorm | Rainstorm, whirlwind |
2.3.2. Questionnaire and Interview Data Analysis
- (1)
- Scope and content of disaster themes and topics taught in the classroom
- (2)
- Teaching, learning, and evaluation activities employed in the classroom
- (3)
- Competencies developed and challenges faced through classroom DRR education
2.3.3. Strengths and Limitations of Research Approach
3. Results
3.1. Comparing and Contrasting Subject Syllabus Contents and Classroom Application of DRR
3.1.1. Presence of DRR in Upper Primary and JHS Subjects
3.1.2. Scope and Content of DRR in Upper Primary and JHS Subjects
3.1.3. Teaching and Learning Activities for DRR
Teaching and Learning Techniques | Frequency of Use of the Various Types of Teaching and Learning Techniques | |
---|---|---|
Upper Primary | Junior High School | |
Interactive (e.g., Brainstorming) | 54 | 60 |
Surrogate experiential | 5 | 6 |
Action (experiments, demonstrations) | 5 | 8 |
Field experiential (fieldtrips) | 11 | 5 |
Lecture | 4 | 6 |
Inquiry | 4 | 3 |
Affective | 1 | 0 |
3.1.4. Evaluation Techniques for DRR Lessons
3.2. Skills and Competencies Developed from DRR Education
3.3. Challenges Identified
“When teaching, we have pictures of past disasters that we show to the students in order to help them better understand and perceive what is being taught, but there are no lights in most of the schools and thus our inability to make use of the internet and videos to teach students about disasters.”[44]
“We sometimes organize practical sessions when teaching, especially when the materials needed to carry out the experiments are available but if they are not, we have to teach them in an abstract way.”[45]
“The cost involved in undertaking practical sessions sometimes makes it difficult since some students cannot afford the materials needed for the work.”[46]
4. Discussion
4.1. Curriculum Development to Nurture Relevant Skills and Competencies
4.2. Teachers as Transmitters of Disaster Knowledge
4.3. Basic Infrastructure for Effective DRR Education
4.4. Evaluation for Effective DRR Lessons
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Apronti, P.T.; Osamu, S.; Otsuki, K.; Kranjac-Berisavljevic, G. Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Linking Theory with Practice in Ghana’s Basic Schools. Sustainability 2015, 7, 9160-9186. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079160
Apronti PT, Osamu S, Otsuki K, Kranjac-Berisavljevic G. Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Linking Theory with Practice in Ghana’s Basic Schools. Sustainability. 2015; 7(7):9160-9186. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079160
Chicago/Turabian StyleApronti, Priscilla T., Saito Osamu, Kei Otsuki, and Gordana Kranjac-Berisavljevic. 2015. "Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Linking Theory with Practice in Ghana’s Basic Schools" Sustainability 7, no. 7: 9160-9186. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079160
APA StyleApronti, P. T., Osamu, S., Otsuki, K., & Kranjac-Berisavljevic, G. (2015). Education for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): Linking Theory with Practice in Ghana’s Basic Schools. Sustainability, 7(7), 9160-9186. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7079160