Identification of Knowledge Gaps to Inform a Serious Game for Tsunami Risk Communication

Abstract

Natural hazard risk is an increasingly important topic in education. This initial study developed a survey instrument to identify knowledge gaps in Moroccan high school children related to tsunami risk. Morocco is located in a seismically active region of North Africa and has a history of tsunami impacts. Gamification of risk communication and particularly decisions related to natural hazards is thought to be an effective way to communicate the issues in an effective way which motivates learners. This study formed the initial stage of requirements elicitation for the development of a serious game (SG) designed to communicate tsunami risk to school children. The survey comprised 17 Likert items, and was distributed online to Moroccan high school students who were asked the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the statements. The analysis of the frequency of survey responses showed a lack of recognition related to the natural warning signs of tsunami, and significant uncertainty about degree of tsunami risk in Morocco. The study has informed the development of a set of initial user requirements for an SG which are presented in this paper.