Rip Currents Within the Canadian Curriculum
Type of Proposal
Visual Presentation (Poster, Installation, Demonstration)
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Dr. Houser
Proposal
With 32 recorded drownings related to rip currents in the Great Lakes in 2017, rip currents are a public health hazard to North American beach users. The purpose of this study is to examine the Canadian curriculum through the Curriculum Documents provided by the Ministry of Education, to observe if and how beach hazards are taught to students 18 and under. This study will also analyze a survey directed to Ontario teachers, about whether they believe there is a need for beach hazards to be incorporated into the curriculum. The primary focus will be the Ontario curriculum, as Ontario citizens are more at risk of drowning in the Great Lakes due to their proximity. Initial evidence from surveys done in 2016 by the University of Windsor suggests that beach users have limited knowledge of rip currents, partially due to the lack of education surrounding beach hazards. Results suggested that the national Canadian curriculum does not incorporate rip current knowledge and many other beach hazards into their lesson plans. However, two programs on water safety are offered to Ontario schools sponsored by the National Lifesaving Society. These program’s primary objective is to teach children in grades three and seven how to roll, tread, and swim in deep water. These programs do not incorporate beach hazards in classroom discussions and are not mandatory for students. The goal of this paper is to draw attention to the need for beach hazards to be taught in the classroom to reduce the number of future drownings. Key words: Rip current, Canadian Curriculum, Great Lakes, drownings
Start Date
22-3-2018 2:30 PM
End Date
22-3-2018 4:30 PM
Location
Atrium
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
Rip Currents Within the Canadian Curriculum
Atrium
With 32 recorded drownings related to rip currents in the Great Lakes in 2017, rip currents are a public health hazard to North American beach users. The purpose of this study is to examine the Canadian curriculum through the Curriculum Documents provided by the Ministry of Education, to observe if and how beach hazards are taught to students 18 and under. This study will also analyze a survey directed to Ontario teachers, about whether they believe there is a need for beach hazards to be incorporated into the curriculum. The primary focus will be the Ontario curriculum, as Ontario citizens are more at risk of drowning in the Great Lakes due to their proximity. Initial evidence from surveys done in 2016 by the University of Windsor suggests that beach users have limited knowledge of rip currents, partially due to the lack of education surrounding beach hazards. Results suggested that the national Canadian curriculum does not incorporate rip current knowledge and many other beach hazards into their lesson plans. However, two programs on water safety are offered to Ontario schools sponsored by the National Lifesaving Society. These program’s primary objective is to teach children in grades three and seven how to roll, tread, and swim in deep water. These programs do not incorporate beach hazards in classroom discussions and are not mandatory for students. The goal of this paper is to draw attention to the need for beach hazards to be taught in the classroom to reduce the number of future drownings. Key words: Rip current, Canadian Curriculum, Great Lakes, drownings