A Case Study of a Drowning Prevention Lesson for School Children Using a Risk Prediction Training Method

Abstract

This study used a risk prediction training method as part of a drowning prevention lesson for elementary school students. In the risk prediction training class, illustrations of rivers and oceans were used. At the beginning of the class, students were told to find any risky issues in the illustrations, and then were asked to think about how to address these issues. Words that students used in their worksheets during the class were analyzed using the KJ (Kawakita, Jiro) method. In addition, a questionnaire survey about risk awareness and action-taking awareness was administered. Results demonstrated that while students were aware of other persons’ behaviors as depicted in the illustrations, they did not pay adequate attention to the surrounding environment. This study suggests that using risk prediction training may have potential to impact students’ risk awareness in a positive way.