Use of WebEOC® to Create an Authentic Learning Environment

Dr. Tom Johnson

Western Carolina University

Emergency and Disaster Management Program

Background

• NCEM Spring Conference – Professor Merritt works with WebEOC staff

• May 2011 - Dr. Johnson and Dr. Berry receive training from WebEOC®

• Summer 2011 through Spring 2012o Exercises using WebEOC® offered in 11

classes 7 online classes (159 students) 4 residential classes (76 students) 92 students participated in study (39%)

Classes

• EDM250 (Intro to EDM)• EDM324 (Emergency Planning)• EDM332 (Disaster Response

Operations and Management)• EDM360 (Asset Protection and Critical

Infrastructure)• EDM435 (Homeland Security)• EDM457 (Terrorism)• EDM493 (Incident Command Systems)

Objectives

• Make the learning “real”• Expose students to technology that is

used in the profession• Require students to make decisions

under pressure

Authentic Learning Environment

• Authentic contexts• Authentic activities• Expert

performances and process modeling

• Multiple roles and perspectives

• Collaborative construction of knowledge

• Reflection of material to enable abstractions

• Articulation of tacit knowledge

• Coaching by professor

• Authentic, integrated assessment of learning

Authentic Contexts

Authentic Content

A Little AuthenticSomewhat AuthenticReasonably AuthenticVery Authentic

28.6%

54.9%

15.4%

15.4%

1.1%

Authentic Contexts

I felt like the utilization of WebEOC provided an element of stress that is likely to occur in a real world event. It was both exciting and

educational to have unknown issues develop and have to respond to them with team members that I did not know well. It demonstrated how different organizations can work together if we are operating from

similar frameworks.

Overall, I feel the WebEOC exercise was as realistic as any good training exercise can

be. I have seen ICS in table top exercises in the past where issues were merely

discussed. This exercise actually puts you in the event and seemed more informative

and realistic.

Authentic Activities

Very AuthenticReasonably AuthenticSomewhat AuthenticA Little Authentic31.5%

14.1%

52.2%

2.2%

Authentic Activities

Having the different boards and the class being separated and then the manager of that board reporting to IC showed us the

basic structure of command.Consistent interaction with the IC created a sense of immediacy of both instruction and

response. This allows a true appreciation of the responsibility of the IC to manage all

divisions yet keep a focus on the objective.

Interacting with my classmates during the exercise made me think about issues that can arise when dealing with disasters and opening shelters that I had not considered

before.(I)t placed me in a position where it was

necessary to communicate with team members and outside entities and assign a

leader to relay information to Ops as we would in a real event.

Expert Performances

Very AuthenticReasonably AuthenticSomewhat AuthenticA Little Authentic

20.9%

35.2%38.5%

5.5%

Expert Performances

I found myself thinking through problems that other shelters had in addition to the issues our group was tasked to resolve. We then found ourselves planning to deal

with those problems if they were to arise at our shelter. All seemed to be realistic, likely

issues that could arise.

Decisions were made from not only what we have learned by reading but also from life

experiences to help in making precise management decisions under pressure

while remaining flexible under the guidance of the ICS infrastructure.

Multiple Roles

Very RealisticReasonably AuthenticSomewhat AuthenticA Little AuthenticNot Authentic At All43.5%

10.9%

42.4%

2.2%

1.1%

Multiple Roles

The roles provided allowed each group to designate roles within, as we would in a real

world event.

Assigned roles had a strong element of realism.

I think all the roles were realistic for this drill. There were several organizations from all levels of government that were included,

which forced a collaborative effort of information sharing and resources to

accomplish the objective.

Based upon the incident we had, I think the roles we had were great

Collaborative Knowledge Construction

A Great DealA Reasonable AmountSomewhatVery LittleNot At All

31.1%

2.2%

23.3%

42.2%

1.1%

Collaborative Knowledge Construction

It help me feel that I have learned something throughout this class because

what you may have forgotten, your classmate might have caught during the

exercise.

This exercise provided an opportunity to see those interpretations at work and view the course material from someone else’s

perspective.

Reflection on Material

A Great DealA Reasonable AmountSomewhatVery LittleNot At All

28.3%

4.3%25%

41.3%

1.1%

Reflection on Material

There are many concepts that books just can’t represent fully. This includes the

incident command system. While books do an adequate job of providing the

background and terminology, until you are a part of it, you can’ fully understand it.

I had a general grasp on the concepts of the ICS, however, the exercise assembled

them for me in a clear sight-picture.

The one part I believe that was brought into perspective for me was the interaction

between local, state and federal agencies as one entity or as ICS would refer to it as

a unified command system.

This introduction to how ICS works was easier than trying to visualize the concept

from a book page.

Knowledge Articulation

Very Much SoA Reasonable AmountSomewhatVery LittleNot At All

30.0%

3.3%

41.1%

24.4% 1.1%

Knowledge Articulation

By learning the key terminology, I could articulate and apply the components,

functions, and concepts of Emergency Incident Management Systems directly as a

response to the WebEOC exercise.

This real world exercise allowed me to begin to practice what I have learned. The exercise took the words from a book and

made them come to life in a way that I may not have been exposed to had I not been a part of the exercise. The exercise provided

a greater understanding of what I have studied and will allow me the ability to

articulate not only what I have read but how it is applied in the field.

Coaching

Very Much SoA Reasonable AmountSomewhatA Little

47.3%

14.3%

34.1%

4.4%

Coaching

The tutorial provided several days prior to the exercise was essential to my

understanding of how the exercise would play out. Without the tutorial I would have been lost. It still took a little time for me to warm up to the process but I think this is a positive aspect because it represents the stress which would be felt in a real world

emergency event.

It's one thing to read a manual describing, for example, how to input a new message

into a software system, and it's another thing to hear an explanation while actually

seeing a video of it occurring.

Learning Assessment

Greatly HelpedReasonably HelpedSomewhat HelpedHelped A LittleDid Not Help

4.3%

46.7%33.7%

14.1%1.1%

Learning Assessment

In this exercise I found myself responsible for the safety of nearly 1500 visitors to the park which included 1200 children. Having that in the back of my mind, as well as working to

integrate not only into ICS but also integrating into an ICS structure that contained several different agencies and levels of government, proved to be a challenge. However, I believe that overall, I completed the tasks necessary to ensure the safety of the visitors as well as

protecting the assets of the park.

Being able to watch the interaction between the roles, as well as the good debriefing from all participants, assisted with my knowledge and training on both the

WebEOC program and the overall ICS.

Findings

• Better comprehension of the course material

• Another dimension of interactivity between online students

• Fuller appreciation of the dynamics of an emergency situation

• Greater self-confidence

Recommendations

• Continue to use software programs such as WebEOC® and ArcGIS®

• Design exercises that match course objectives

• Partner with EM professionals to address diversity in student experience

• Explore program development for others

Use of WebEOC® to Create an Authentic Learning Environment

Dr. Tom Johnson

Western Carolina University

Emergency and Disaster Management Program

tjohnson@wcu.edu

828.227.2563

This presentation available at:

http://paws.wcu.edu/tjohnson