Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Disasters leave unprepared families vulnerable, particularly those with pets and other animals. Engaging diverse rural and urban families through interactive, fun activities will fill preparedness gaps. This project will transform existing programs through gamification and leverage Extension educators as trainers to create an innovative approach to disaster preparedness. Implementing the educational tools will revolutionize family preparedness activities, ultimately benefiting whole communities. The resulting impact will increase the reach of vital information to traditionally underserved communities, amplify the ability of families to respond to disasters, and enhance community preparedness.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Goals:Adapt an existing gamification tool to engage urban and rural families in preparedness activities to include pets, livestock, and Family and Consumer Sciences-related topicsDevelop training program for Extension educators to make gamified preparedness tools more accessible and engage a wider audience in their local programming;Identify gaps in existing disaster preparedness Extension materials and inform future curriculum improvement.Objectives:Develop a comprehensive and engaging train-the-trainer program for Extension agents across program areas and community managers, with interactive learning activities and practical exercises.Equip trainers with knowledge and skills to effectively facilitate urban and rural family disaster preparedness activities using gamification.Expand dissemination and reach of disaster preparedness tools to a diverse audience.Increase awareness and accessibility of existing curricula.Utilize data and user feedback to identify areas where existing materials lack clarity, accessibility, or effectiveness.Develop a sustainability plan to ensure the game's continued use and impact beyond the grant period.Track changes in disaster preparedness behaviors and knowledge retention with the target population.
Project Methods
The Research Phase includes initial and mid-term planning conferences to gather input from the Core Planning Team (Senior/Key and Other Personnel) and pilot hosts/facilitators (local emergency managers and Extension educators) to identify best approaches to adapting existing materials into a game format suitable for urban and rural families. Target project expansion using our demonstrated gamification approach includes a scaling-up effort for the In the Face of Disaster materials, as well as print and digital resource development for pet preparedness during natural disasters.The Program Development Phase includes conducting design/development meetings, developing new content, ensuring accessibility and inclusion for diverse audiences, and formatting the final products. The Project Performance Assessment Lead will develop an assessment tool to evaluate effectiveness. Pilot tests will be conducted to assess the new content, using local Extension educators as hosts and facilitators. Feedback from the pilots will be analyzed and exercise content revised as needed.The Outreach Phase includes development and distribution of instructional/marketing materials at professional meetings, via press releases, and listserv announcements. Website content will be finalized. Project materials will be made publicly available on the University of Kentucky Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment website and submitted for inclusion in the EDEN Resource Dashboard.The Evaluation Phase includes analysis of content by the Project Performance Assessment Lead and development and submission of a final report. Analysis can continue past the project performance period through the online gap analysis tool that will automatically send data to the project team when users access content. Process evaluation will be overseen by the Project Performance Assessment Lead throughout all phases of the project. Participants will complete a participant feedback form and follow-up surveys at about 3-month and 6-month intervals post-workshop. Results of the surveys will be shared with the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) as a model for other states to implement the program.Using a train-the-trainer model, Extension personnel will be empowered to collaborate with other CES personnel to further expand dissemination of the workshops. The program provides a framework for sustainable collaboration between UK, CES, and EDEN to leverage each other's strengths to improve local disaster preparedness plans.