Playing games for risk prevention: design, implementation and testing of serious games in recent European projects UPStrat-MAFA and KnowRISK

Stefano Solarino,Gemma Musacchio,Elena Eva,Monica Amaral Ferreira

doi:10.4401/ag-8436

Abstract

In the last decade, bottom-up strategies of risk education have raised importance, making serious games to become an alternative or complementary teaching tool for enhancing skills for a collaborative and adaptive response to social-ecological challenges. This study describes issues and challenges of serious games implemented within the framework of two European projects, namely UPStrat-MAFA (Urban Disaster Prevention Strategies using Macroseismic Fields and FAult sources) and KnowRISK (Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements); the goal is to instil in young people a proactive attitude towards the mitigation of seismic risk . The games were tested in some dissemination events focussed on fostering seismic risk preparedness in students and improving good practices. We discuss the performance of our games even against more standard approaches to risk education. Our experience shows a rise of students’ engagement compared to standard learning activities. The games were effective as students were able to grasp the most relevant actions to reduce risk.

Highlights

Despite the recent scientific and technological advances in disaster research studies and the potential improvement in the Disaster Risk Management (DRM hereinafter), the devastating impact of hazards shows that both concept and practice on preparedness are not adequately conveyed to society
In this paper we describe how we designed serious games within two European Community funded projects, namely the UPStrat-MAFA [Urban Disaster Prevention Strategies using Macroseismic Fields and FAult Sources, 2012] and KnowRISK [Know your city, Reduce seISmic risK through non-structural elements, 2017]
Serious games are a clever way to convey scientific concepts and to teach best practices [Musacchio et al, 2015c] to the public. They rely on a participatory approach where students often interact with scenarios that are not common in everyday life like a big earthquake, a tsunami or an unsustainable increase of the temperature at a worldwide scale. These games can be included in the edutainment activities that are both educational and enjoyable, this definition mainly applies to tv programs or software

Summary

Introduction

Despite the recent scientific and technological advances in disaster research studies and the potential improvement in the Disaster Risk Management (DRM hereinafter), the devastating impact of hazards shows that both concept and practice on preparedness are not adequately conveyed to society. The risk communication strategy stood upon the concept of empower the different stakeholders, to increase information on a specific topic and to raise public awareness In this framework, practical and easy to implement solutions to reduce vulnerability on NSE were provided and disseminated through several media. A Portfolio of solutions [Ferreira et al, 2018 a, b] for professionals and business groups, a Practical Guide [O’Neill et al, 2019] for citizens and the Students Short Guide were designed [Solarino et al, this issue] They aim at raising awareness on risky situations concerning contents in business buildings, homes and schools respectively. Once they have found the right solutions for the game, they may transfer their acquired knowledge to their own environment and get, at least, a more expert view on the vulnerability of it

Description and rules of the games

Treme-Treme serious game

Do it right: be safer!

Findings

Discussion and conclusions