Developing a Course Developing a Course and Textbook on and Textbook on

Catastrophic Catastrophic Planning and Planning and

ResponseResponseClifford Oliver, CEM CBCP, Clifford Oliver, CEM CBCP, Adjunct Associate Professor Adjunct Associate Professor Developer and Course Chair Developer and Course Chair

EMGT 404 EMGT 404 Planning and Planning and Responding to Catastrophic Responding to Catastrophic

DisastersDisastersUniversity of Maryland University University of Maryland University

CollegeCollege

Developing an Developing an Undergraduate Upper-Undergraduate Upper-

Division CourseDivision Course• In May 2009, contracted with UMUC to In May 2009, contracted with UMUC to develop and deliver an distance learning develop and deliver an distance learning version of Emergency Management (EMGT) version of Emergency Management (EMGT) 404: Planning and Responding to Catastrophic 404: Planning and Responding to Catastrophic DisasterDisaster

• The compressed course development schedule The compressed course development schedule called for the course to be deliver in the Fall called for the course to be deliver in the Fall 2009.2009.

• This was accomplished by having access to This was accomplished by having access to draft course modules from EMI’s Higher draft course modules from EMI’s Higher Education course on Catastrophic Readiness Education course on Catastrophic Readiness and Responseand Response

Developing an Developing an Undergraduate Upper-Undergraduate Upper-

Division CourseDivision Course• Working with UMUC’s very talented Working with UMUC’s very talented course development team that has course development team that has extensive experience in developing extensive experience in developing web-based course content, the web-based course content, the course content was completed on course content was completed on time and I taught the course for the time and I taught the course for the first time in the Fall 2009.first time in the Fall 2009.

Challenges in Developing Challenges in Developing the Coursethe Course

• Using draft sessions materialsUsing draft sessions materials• Converting from 15 week to 13 week Converting from 15 week to 13 week

formatformat• Converting from Instructor’s Notes Converting from Instructor’s Notes

and PowerPoint presentations to a and PowerPoint presentations to a Web-Based distance learning courseWeb-Based distance learning course

• No primary textbookNo primary textbook

Using Draft Session Using Draft Session MaterialsMaterials

• Working with the EMI’s draft course Working with the EMI’s draft course materials didn’t represent a materials didn’t represent a significant challenge.significant challenge.

• With Dr. Blanchard’s approval, Dr. With Dr. Blanchard’s approval, Dr. Rick Bissell, the lead course Rick Bissell, the lead course developer, generously shared developer, generously shared working drafts of the sessions with working drafts of the sessions with me as the sessions developers me as the sessions developers submitted them to him.submitted them to him.

Converting to 13 week Converting to 13 week formatformat

• The EMI course contained 17 sessions The EMI course contained 17 sessions (including sessions 7, 7a and 7b) to fit a (including sessions 7, 7a and 7b) to fit a 15-16 week traditional semester15-16 week traditional semester

• The course developed for UMUC was a 13 The course developed for UMUC was a 13 week long on-line course. With time week long on-line course. With time allocated for the midterm and final exams, allocated for the midterm and final exams, the course provided for 11 weeks of the course provided for 11 weeks of instructioninstruction

• An additional challenge was to also include An additional challenge was to also include a module I developed on catastrophic a module I developed on catastrophic leadership.leadership.

Converting to 13 week Converting to 13 week formatformat

• The UMUC course contains five modules The UMUC course contains five modules that are covered over the 13 week that are covered over the 13 week semester:semester:– Module 1Module 1: Introduction to Catastrophic : Introduction to Catastrophic

Planning and ResponsePlanning and Response– Module 2Module 2: Ethical, Political, and Legal Issues: Ethical, Political, and Legal Issues– Module 3Module 3: Logistics, Critical Infrastructure, : Logistics, Critical Infrastructure,

and Mass Careand Mass Care– Module 4Module 4: Planning Strategies and Skills: : Planning Strategies and Skills:

Response, Recovery, and ReconstructionResponse, Recovery, and Reconstruction– Module 5Module 5: Essential Leadership Skills for : Essential Leadership Skills for

Successful Catastrophe ManagementSuccessful Catastrophe Management

Converting to 13 Week Converting to 13 Week FormatFormat

UMUC CourseUMUC Course• Week 1 – Course Introduction• Week 2 – Defining Catastrophe And The

History Of Catastrophes• Week 3 – How Catastrophes Differ From

Disasters And Emergencies And The Political And Societal Implications

• Week 4 – Political And Legal Considerations In Catastrophes

• Week 5 – Ethical Consideration In Catastrophes• Week 6 – Logistical And Critical Infrastructure

Considerations In Catastrophes• Week 7 – Mass Care Considerations In

Catastrophes • Week 8 – Midterms/Catch Up Week• Week 9 – Planning Strategies And Skills For

Response In A Catastrophe• Week 10 – Planning Strategies And Skills For

Recovery And Reconstruction In A Catastrophe• Week 11 –Essential Leadership Skills For

Preparing For Leading During Catastrophe• Week 12 – Essential Leadership Skills For The

Post-catastrophe• Week 13 – Final Exam Week

EMI Course Modules

•Session 1 – Course Introduction – Definitions, Background, and Differences Between Disasters and Catastrophes•Session 2 – Comparison of Disaster and Catastrophe Response Planning•Session 3 – Variables and Relationships•Session 4 – Ethics•Session 5 – Political and Legal Issues•Session 6 – Social and Economic Issues•Session 7 – Section 2 Public Health•Session 7a – Logistics•Session 7b – Critical Infrastructure•Session 8 – Mass Relocation•Session 9 – Planning Strategies and Skills: Response•Session 10 – Recovery and Reconstruction•Session 11 – Emergent Organizations and Networks in Catastrophe Environments•Session 12 – New Methods of Planning for Catastrophe Disasters•Session 13 – Pandemic Scenario•Session 14 – Tabletop Exercise Design•Session 15 – Course Summary – Major concepts and their integration, plus final exam

Conversion to a Web-Conversion to a Web-Based CourseBased Course

Instructor’s Notes

PowerPoint

Web-Based Training

Converting to a Web-Based Converting to a Web-Based CourseCourse

• With no primary textbook, from the With no primary textbook, from the Instructor’s Notes and PowerPoint Instructor’s Notes and PowerPoint presentations, approximately the presentations, approximately the equivalent of 500 pages of written material equivalent of 500 pages of written material was developed and converted into web-was developed and converted into web-based content by UMUC’s Course based content by UMUC’s Course Development TeamDevelopment Team

• Many additional graphics were needed to Many additional graphics were needed to create visually rich web contentcreate visually rich web content– ““Fair Use” copyright provisions for education Fair Use” copyright provisions for education

use was critical to securing imagesuse was critical to securing images

Student Evaluation of Student Evaluation of EMGT 404EMGT 404

UMUC EMGT 404 Student Evaluations Fall 2009

SubjectCourse Evaluation Overall ProgramMean STD Mean STD

Instructor Overall 4.68 0.35 4.15 0.77

Course Overall 4.46 0.36 4.02 0.65

Course Design 4.56 0.62 4.09 0.65

Pedagogy 4.72 0.41 4.18 0.72

Interaction 4.53 0.51 4.07 0.75

Course Objectives 4.42 0.25 3.92 0.71

Not Having a Primary Not Having a Primary TextbookTextbook

• Not having a primary textbook created Not having a primary textbook created significant challenges in both significant challenges in both developing and delivering EMGT 404.developing and delivering EMGT 404.

• The approximately 500 pages of course The approximately 500 pages of course content material is equivalent to a content material is equivalent to a medium-sized collegiate textbookmedium-sized collegiate textbook

• In December 2009, contracted with In December 2009, contracted with CRC Press to produce manuscript for a CRC Press to produce manuscript for a text book on catastrophic planning and text book on catastrophic planning and responseresponse

Developing a TextbookDeveloping a Textbook

• Book manuscript was Book manuscript was completed in February completed in February 20102010

• Instructor’s Guide and Instructor’s Guide and Test Bank also Test Bank also completedcompleted

• Book in pre-press Book in pre-press productionproduction

• Should be available in Should be available in July 2010July 2010

Future ChallengesFuture Challenges• The UMUC Emergency Management, Fire The UMUC Emergency Management, Fire

Science, and Homeland Security Programs Science, and Homeland Security Programs are currently in the middle of a complete are currently in the middle of a complete program and course evaluation that has program and course evaluation that has established new program outcomes that established new program outcomes that will be linked to the course objectives.  will be linked to the course objectives. 

• The final step will be a move to eight-The final step will be a move to eight-online- week semesters primarily online- week semesters primarily maintaining the course objectives but maintaining the course objectives but modifying the learning objects and process.modifying the learning objects and process.

• This will necessitate significant revisions to This will necessitate significant revisions to the existing EMGT 404 syllabusthe existing EMGT 404 syllabus

AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements

• Dr. Rick BissellDr. Rick Bissell• Dr. Wayne BlanchardDr. Wayne Blanchard• All contributors of course materialAll contributors of course material• Stephen Carter: Academic Director Stephen Carter: Academic Director

Emergency Management, Fire Emergency Management, Fire Science, and Homeland Security, Science, and Homeland Security, UMUC UMUC

• UMUC Course Development TeamUMUC Course Development Team

The EndThe End

Questions?Questions?