Strengthening disaster preparedness in young children through a STEAM-D–based education: program development and implementation

In order to enhance the resilience of young children to disasters, there is a necessity to develop innovative educational methods that are scientifically based. This study is aimed to develop and pilot a Child Disaster Resilience Education Program (A STEAM-D - based, arts-integrated disaster resilience education program) in young children. The study was conducted in accordance with the Research and Development approach, which included the development of a programme, the collection of expert opinions, and the pilot implementation. The content validity and applicability of the program were evaluated using the opinions of 10 experts, followed by a pilot application with 14 five-year-old children in Bartın, Türkiye. Subsequent to the pilot application, a qualitative analysis was conducted on the children's perceptions of disasters and learning outcomes using the Draw-Tell technique. It has been demonstrated by experts in the field that the developed program generally supports the cognitive, affective and social developmental characteristics of young children. The content was satisfactory in terms of adequacy, age appropriateness, variety of methods and techniques, and applicability. Following the pilot implementation, the children's drawings and narratives reflected themes of disaster awareness, protective behaviours, first aid knowledge and emotional responses. The results indicated that children perceived disasters from the perspectives of both cognitive and emotional dimensions, and that art-based activities were conducive to the cultivation of positive emotions. The study demonstrated that the education program is a scientifically based, applicable education program that supports young children development characteristics.