Teaching Introduction to Disaster Management: A Comparison of Classroom and Virtual Environments *

Abstract

In this paper I show that one can teach Introduction to Disaster Management effectively using either traditional or web-based instruction. To create the foundation for comparison, I discuss course structure, learning objectives, Bloom's taxonomy and teaching techniques. My analysis focuses upon issues of course development, the learning process, the degree of material presented and the amount of labour and time expended by the faculty member. Two key points emerge from this analysis. First, the instructor must realize that although the end results should and can be similar for both teaching methods, the paths taken to achieve those results are much different. Second, even after a class is developed and established, web-based distance learning is much more labour-intensive than traditional classroom methods.