Making Cities Resilient Assessment: A Proactive Experiential-Based Learning Activity for Graduate Students to Enhance Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction Awareness

Abstract:

Introduction: As climate change and disaster risks increasingly threaten urban areas, education must evolve to equip future engineers with practical tools for resilience assessment and planning. The Graduate Seminar on Disaster Risk Reduction and Infrastructure Development (DRRID) at De La Salle University (DLSU), Manila, integrates proactive, experience-based strategies to foster student engagement with real-world challenges in disaster risk reduction. Methods: A core component of the course is the Making Cities Resilient group project, grounded in Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. Using the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR)’s Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient and the Disaster Resilience Scorecard for Cities, student groups select a city or municipality in the Philippines for evaluation. The assessment process involves internet-based research, field surveys, and interviews with local government officials and community stakeholders. Findings are synthesized into a comprehensive scorecard analysis, along with tailored recommendations for enhancing urban resilience. Results: The activity enabled students to critically evaluate urban resilience capacities, identify systemic gaps, and suggest actionable improvements. Students demonstrated increased comprehension of the Sendai Framework’s principles and the multifaceted nature of resilience-building. Written reports and presentations—delivered either onsite or online—showcased their ability to bridge theory and practice in disaster risk reduction. Discussion: This hands-on approach fostered student engagement, critical thinking, and interdisciplinary collaboration. It highlighted the importance of participatory governance, data-driven assessments, and local knowledge in building resilient cities. The project also underscored the educational value of experiential learning in preparing students for complex, real-world challenges. Conclusion: Integrating the Making Cities Resilient assessment into the DRRID seminar significantly enhanced students’ awareness and competencies in climate and disaster risk reduction. The experiential format provided a meaningful platform for applying academic concepts to tangible community-based problems, thus strengthening the educational foundation for future civil engineers committed to urban resilience.

Keywords:

Making Cities Resilient, Experiential Learning, Civil Engineering, Graduate Seminar, Disaster Risk Reduction Disabilities, Numbered Heads Together (NHT), Science Education, Teaching Strategies.

Citation: Andres Winston C. Oreta (2025). Making Cities Resilient Assessment: A Proactive Experiential-Based Learning Activity for Graduate Students to Enhance Climate and Disaster Risk Reduction Awareness. Horizon J. Hum. Soc. Sci. Res. 7 (S), 20–30. https://doi.org/10.37534/bp.jhssr.2025.v7.nS.id1290.p20-30