Heroes of Disaster: a semi-cooperative board game for training pre-service primary teachers in disaster risk reduction

Abstract. Disaster risk reduction (DRR) education is increasingly recognised as a core competence for schools, yet initial teacher education often offers limited opportunities to rehearse actionable preparedness decisions. This study presents the design and educational rationale of Heroes of Disaster, a serious semi-cooperative board game developed to support scenario-based DRR learning, and reports on its classroom implementation and exploratory evaluation with pre-service primary teachers. Using a pre-test and delayed post-test design, with the post-test administered two weeks after gameplay, we collected data through structured questionnaires partly adapted from prior serious game instruments and framed around future teachers’ role as mediators of school–community preparedness. The instruments were designed to capture DRR-related judgements in typical risk situations, self-perceived skills and self-awareness, and post-intervention appraisals of the game (e.g. clarity, motivation, realism, cooperation, and classroom usefulness). In the matched sample, composite pre-test/post-test analyses showed a significant improvement in protective-action judgements and preparedness-oriented behaviours, whereas general DRR self-awareness and risk awareness showed only a small non-significant descriptive increase. Participants also reported a positive appraisal of the learning experience, particularly regarding the game’s perceived contribution to DRR learning, real-life applicability, cooperative dynamics, and motivational value. Overall, these findings support the educational potential of Heroes of Disaster as a teaching resource for moving from fragmented, hazard-centred instruction towards community-oriented DRR literacy through interactive and participatory learning dynamics.