AWARENESS LEVELS OF SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ABOUT DISASTERS

Abstract

The phenomenon of disaster is one of the issues on the main agenda of our country and our country
is called the "Country of Disasters" in the relevant literature. An all-out fight is required against this
disaster phenomenon, which is on the agenda of our lives. While this struggle may occur through
cooperation between institutions, the starting point has been accepted as educational institutions.
Disaster education is provided at all levels of educational institutions with a formal education
approach, and the aim is to raise disaster awareness in students. Starting from this point, the aim of
the study is to reveal the knowledge and awareness levels of students studying at secondary school
level about disasters and to determine the situation of disaster awareness in our country, specifically
in Bilecik province. For this purpose, the data of this research were collected from 206 students
studying in the 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grades of secondary schools in Bilecik city center and districts
during the 2022-2023 academic year. The research was carried out using the phenomenology
method, one of the qualitative research designs, and no sample selection was made. The data of the
study was collected using a semi-structured interview form developed by the researchers. The data
was obtained through one-time, face-to-face interviews with the participants of the study. The data
obtained were categorized by content analysis under the research questions and transformed into
findings. Accordingly, it was concluded that students studying in secondary schools could not
define the phenomenon of disaster as a concept, that they created definitions by giving examples of
known disaster situations when making definitions and explanations about disasters, that they did
not have knowledge about human disasters, and that they did not know which disasters fell into the
human disaster category. On the other hand, students studying in secondary schools know the
disasters that may occur and have an impact in their immediate surroundings and within the borders
of our country. However, knowledge about which precautions should be taken for which disaster is
limited to earthquakes. It has been observed that the most important source from which students
studying in secondary schools obtain accurate information about disasters is schools. The school
source was followed by media tools. In addition, students studying in secondary schools find the
disaster training provided in our country and specifically in Bilecik insufficient. Subsequently, their
information about the institutions that can be applied in case of disaster is incomplete or
insufficient. Based on the results of the research, developing disaster consciousness and awareness trainings,
secondary school course curricula related to disasters in terms of content, activities and materials,
introducing applications with disaster education content at a level that will meet the pedagogical
needs of students studying in secondary schools, developing disaster-related applications, digital
tools, interactive activities and It may be recommended to increase the drills.