Learning risk management of geohazards in practice with free and open-source web-GIS based platform: RISKGIS

Abstract. How do environmental risk systems function? is the main underlying question to be answered by students learning environmental risk. Under the framework of the Innovative Teaching project, an open-source, interactive and collaborative web-GIS application (RISKGIS) is developed for students in learning and understanding of environmental risk systems with a focus on geohazards and risk. The aim is for students to better understand and become familiarized with approaches used by experts as well as for teachers to better evaluate and monitor student learning, through a practical application with real case studies and hand-on exercises. To identify the possibility and applicability of the developed learning platform, a series of practical exercises is carried out with undergraduate and postgraduate students during the spring and autumn semesters of the environmental risk, and advanced risk and vulnerability courses of the University of Lausanne. A total of three exercises are conducted starting from the rapid risk calculation (individual) exercise to more complex risk management (individual and group) exercise with different case studies and functionalities of the learning platform. Depending on the exercises, students are asked to answer the test quiz, feedback questionnaires and group reports (if requested) through the Moodle platform to evaluate the performance of the students, exercises and the RISKGIS platform. Average feedback results from three different exercises revealed that students found the exercises useful and interesting, while a user satisfaction score of 7/10 and a system usability scale (SUS) of 64/100 is achieved, showing that several aspects of the RISKGIS learning platform could be further improved with suggestions and feedback of the students.