A Learning Station from ITU CEE for Disaster Awareness and Preparedness

Face-to-face sessions of the Learning Station titled “Basics of Disaster Awareness” developed within the ITU Center of Excellence in Education (CEE) were successfully delivered on Saturday, April 12, 2025.

The Learning Station model designed by Res. Asst. Sinem Yağmur from Disaster Management Institute, aimed to explain basic disaster concepts, define the disaster management cycle, apply the phases of the disaster management cycle and fulfill the risk and crisis management responsibilities in the disaster management wheel before, after, and during the disaster. 

Within the scope of the Learning Station, which was delivered in three different modules, the basic concepts such as disaster, emergency, risk, and hazard were explained. Participants were informed about ensuring their safety in the first 72 hours. In addition to the in-class training supported by various modes of delivery such as videos, photographs, presentations, and discussion environments, a game designed by the Res. Asst. Eren Mert Kaş from the Department of Emergency and Disaster Management and expert trainer Özgür Özaltun from AFAD Disaster and Emergency Training Center were also involved in the learning experience. 

The first module explained definitions of disaster and emergency, process management, and decision mechanisms before, during, and after the disaster. In the second session, participants could apply the post-disaster crisis management knowledge they acquired in the first module with the game developed for the Learning Station. In the third session, Özgür Özaltun, an expert trainer from AFAD Disaster and Emergency Training Center, explained what individuals should do before, during, and after a disaster and drew attention to the critical importance of disaster preparedness.

The Learning Station will continue with online scenario work. Undergraduate and graduate students who successfully complete the Learning Station will be entitled to have 1 ECTS worth of extracurricular activities (microcredential) added to their diploma supplements.