Strategies for teaching natural hazards to children in rural communities

Abstract

This research focuses on teaching strategies for natural hazards in rural educational communities, centring on El Abanico, a seismic region in Argentina with a history of destructive earthquakes. Geomorphological, tectonic, and climatic processes amplify hazards, while socio-economic factors, including a predominantly agricultural economy, informal housing, reliance on irrigation, and limited services, increase community vulnerability. The Tierra del Fuego School serves students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, and its structure was severely affected by seismic and flood events in 2021. An assessment revealed deficiencies in disaster risk management within the community. In response, an intervention was implemented at the school using educational strategies focused on natural hazards, distinct from formal classroom learning and adapted to the rural context. This intervention engaged children aged 9 to 11 over a year. The objective was to explore children’s understanding of hazards in their territory, develop knowledge through interaction with the physical environment, encourage children’s expression and experiential knowledge, formulate disaster response strategies, foster resilience and preparedness, and analyse the potential for replicating these initiatives in other rural communities. The findings revealed a significant increase in knowledge of natural hazards and risk prevention among both students and teachers. The project culminated in the creation of a book that amplified the children’s voices and disseminated the seismic history of the region, fostering improved seismic risk management. The educational strategies are replicable in other rural schools and can positively influence disaster risk reduction strategies while enhancing community resilience.