Sunday, 20 January 2008
Floods and the Built Environment
Exhibit Hall B (Ernest N. Morial Convention Center)
Many people are not aware that features of the natural and built environment could impact the severity of floods in their neighborhoods. To better educate the public on these matters, an interactive learning module was created to inform broadcast meteorologists how the built environment can impact floods, in a way that they can explain these impacts to their viewers. The module was created using the instructional design process ADDIE. ADDIE stands for Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. In the analysis phase the instructional problem was made clear; in the design phase the learning goals were identified; and in the development phase the content resources were collected and produced. The implementation phase, which consists of instructing the facilitators and the learners, and the evaluation phase, which includes formative and summative evaluations, are still in progress. The module provides broadcast meteorologists with instruction on seven subjects (chosen during design phase): 1) where and what a floodplain is, 2) how to read a flood map, 3) how the bathymetry of a coastal city could affect a storm surges, 4) how wetlands and natural land cover can mitigate flood impacts, 5) how the percent impervious surface affects the percent runoff, 6) how ice jam produce floods, and 7) if one is susceptible to dam and levee failure. This project shows the processes used to create an interactive learning module as well as addresses the importance of informing broadcast meteorologists how the built environment can affect floods.
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