Study: Local knowledge in school lessons boosts disaster resilience

A study led by Monash University and published in Review of Education argues that school-based disaster resilience education is most effective when it incorporates local culture, empathy and active community participation. The research examined initiatives in Japan, Indonesia and the United States, drawing on the expertise of leading educators in disaster resilience and environmental education.

The researchers found that traditional methods such as textbook-based learning and standardized safety drills fail to engage students or build lasting resilience. Programs became meaningful when they addressed local contexts and the human impacts of disasters, and when learning extended beyond the classroom into the community.

Examples from the study illustrate this approach. After the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, community mapping helped students connect with real-world impacts and identify rebuilding opportunities. On Nias Island, Indonesia, integrating safety messages into traditional Maena dance lyrics overcame cultural taboos about discussing disasters and enabled intergenerational learning between children and parents.

Monash researcher Belinda Davis said disasters reflect human society, and education must foster empathy, collective agency and social participation rather than just individual survival skills. Co-author Alan Reid noted that successful initiatives involved collaboration between schools, local groups and experts, allowing programs to adapt dynamically to community needs.

The study calls for transformative education that empowers students and schools to help shape disaster resilience goals, not just implement them. The findings come as international climate negotiators prepare for COP31 in Turkey, where community adaptation and disaster resilience will be a key topic.