9:45 AM - 10:00 AM
[G03-04] Development and Practice of Volcano Disaster Prevention Teaching Materials Aimed at Understanding GNSS
Keywords:GNSS Observation, Volcano Observation Equipment, Elementary and Middle School Collaboration, Science Education, Disaster Prevention Education
On September 27, 2014, Mt. Ontake erupted at Eruption Alert Level 1, causing 57 fatalities, 6 missing persons, and 69 injuries (Fire and Disaster Management Agency, 2015). Predicting eruptions remains challenging, and volcanic alert levels often involve uncertainty (Fujii, 2016). Therefore, it is essential for residents and climbers near active volcanoes to develop the ability to interpret volcanic information correctly. To achieve this, comprehensive volcanic disaster education must be incorporated into school curricula. Specifically, students need to learn how to observe volcanic activities, analyze data derived from such observations, and understand information provided by the Japan Meteorological Agency and other organizations.
One observation method is GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), widely used for monitoring crustal movements due to its long-term stability and cost efficiency (Aoki, 2024). In Izu Oshima, Tokyo, GNSS observation data and volcanic activity updates are published in the public relations magazine "Koho Oshima" (Oshima Town, 2023), helping residents understand the current volcanic activity of Mt. Mihara.
Sato (2024) conducted a program in October 2023 for sixth-grade students in Izu Oshima to enhance understanding of volcano observation systems. The program demonstrated that students could link knowledge of eruption characteristics with observation methods like seismographs, thermal cameras, and long-range observation cameras. Sato emphasized the need for integrated volcano disaster education spanning elementary and junior high schools.
This study proposes a program to deepen students' understanding of volcano observation systems, focusing on GNSS. Teaching materials were developed for first-grade junior high school lessons titled "Blessings of Nature and Volcanic and Earthquake Disasters." The materials use urethane foam as a magma simulation under cat litter, with GNSS-like buttons placed on top. As the foam rises and the ground expands, the distance between the buttons is measured and graphed using an iPad, based on Chiba and Ariyasu (2018).
Two approaches analyzed the activity. First, speech protocols from four groups (15 students) were recorded and analyzed during the experiment. Second, pre- and post-class questions asked students to interpret a GNSS graph showing distance changes between two observation points in Izu Oshima (data published in "Koho Oshima"). Results indicated that the materials effectively helped students understand the relationship between GNSS-measured distances and magma movement. Furthermore, students were able to connect magma rising with evacuation behaviors and improve their ability to interpret GNSS data graphs.
Literature
(1) Aoki, Y. (2016), "Recent Development of Crustal Deformation Research in Volcanoes," Volcanoes, Vol. 61, No. 2, 311-344.
(2) Fujii, Toshitsugu (2016), "Current status and issues of volcanic eruption prediction in Japan," Volcanoes, Vol. 61, No. 1, 211-223.
(3) Oshima Town Hall Policy Promotion Division (2023), "Koho Oshima 2024 March issue," 1-30.
(4) Sato, Shintaro (2024), "Development of Programming Teaching Materials for Volcano Disaster Prevention Education: Development of STEAM Teaching Materials Aimed at Understanding Volcano Observation Equipment and Examination of Educational Effects through Practice," Journal of Science Education, Vol. 65, No. 2, 359-369.
(5) Fire and Disaster Management Agency (2015), "Damage situation etc. related to volcanic eruption of Mt. Ontake (40th report)," https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/assets/post760.pdf (accessed 2025.1.22).
(6) Chiba, Tatsuro and Emiko Ariyasu (2018), "Urethane foam eruption experiment - Reproduction of eruption phenomena by analog model experiment," For the Future 2018, 76-77.
One observation method is GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System), widely used for monitoring crustal movements due to its long-term stability and cost efficiency (Aoki, 2024). In Izu Oshima, Tokyo, GNSS observation data and volcanic activity updates are published in the public relations magazine "Koho Oshima" (Oshima Town, 2023), helping residents understand the current volcanic activity of Mt. Mihara.
Sato (2024) conducted a program in October 2023 for sixth-grade students in Izu Oshima to enhance understanding of volcano observation systems. The program demonstrated that students could link knowledge of eruption characteristics with observation methods like seismographs, thermal cameras, and long-range observation cameras. Sato emphasized the need for integrated volcano disaster education spanning elementary and junior high schools.
This study proposes a program to deepen students' understanding of volcano observation systems, focusing on GNSS. Teaching materials were developed for first-grade junior high school lessons titled "Blessings of Nature and Volcanic and Earthquake Disasters." The materials use urethane foam as a magma simulation under cat litter, with GNSS-like buttons placed on top. As the foam rises and the ground expands, the distance between the buttons is measured and graphed using an iPad, based on Chiba and Ariyasu (2018).
Two approaches analyzed the activity. First, speech protocols from four groups (15 students) were recorded and analyzed during the experiment. Second, pre- and post-class questions asked students to interpret a GNSS graph showing distance changes between two observation points in Izu Oshima (data published in "Koho Oshima"). Results indicated that the materials effectively helped students understand the relationship between GNSS-measured distances and magma movement. Furthermore, students were able to connect magma rising with evacuation behaviors and improve their ability to interpret GNSS data graphs.
Literature
(1) Aoki, Y. (2016), "Recent Development of Crustal Deformation Research in Volcanoes," Volcanoes, Vol. 61, No. 2, 311-344.
(2) Fujii, Toshitsugu (2016), "Current status and issues of volcanic eruption prediction in Japan," Volcanoes, Vol. 61, No. 1, 211-223.
(3) Oshima Town Hall Policy Promotion Division (2023), "Koho Oshima 2024 March issue," 1-30.
(4) Sato, Shintaro (2024), "Development of Programming Teaching Materials for Volcano Disaster Prevention Education: Development of STEAM Teaching Materials Aimed at Understanding Volcano Observation Equipment and Examination of Educational Effects through Practice," Journal of Science Education, Vol. 65, No. 2, 359-369.
(5) Fire and Disaster Management Agency (2015), "Damage situation etc. related to volcanic eruption of Mt. Ontake (40th report)," https://www.fdma.go.jp/disaster/info/assets/post760.pdf (accessed 2025.1.22).
(6) Chiba, Tatsuro and Emiko Ariyasu (2018), "Urethane foam eruption experiment - Reproduction of eruption phenomena by analog model experiment," For the Future 2018, 76-77.