Distance learning and heuristics in the education of civil defence emergency personnel

Abstract

The paper presents learning and the heuristic method in educating  Civil Defense staff with a view to making appropriate decisions in emergency situations and a state of emergency with special reference to the use of heuristic models in the education of emergency teams and the command of the Army of Serbia. It is designed for command and teaching staff, as well as for the personnel of civil defense, the protection and rescue system (Department for Emergency Situations) and local governments (district chief executives, mayors and mayors-commanders and commanding officers of the Army of Serbia that can be employed in emergency situations during the protection and rescue of people and materiel.

The heuristic approach to problem solving and learning should provide the training of command personnel from the local to the national levels in  making adequate decisions after the proclamation of emergency and a state of emergency in parts of the territory, or across the territory of the Republic of Serbia.

Introduction

The modern world (post-industrial, technological, informational, global) needs people who are trained, ready and able to use new complex tools, who quickly and efficiently acquire, construct and apply a variety of skills, who actively and responsibly take part in complex social and economic relationships and processes in everyday life and make adequate, rational and best decisions, especially in emergency situations.

In a rapidly changing world, where knowledge expands in complexity and quantity on a daily basis, and where sources of information in the field of emergency proliferate at a speed of light, data, information and facts can become irrelevant and obsolete even before they are used. The heuristic approach to problem solving (Kvaščev, 1978) implemented into the method of distance learning and the design of the future system of civil defense in the function of emergency seek to overcome these problems (Beres 2014) in a new way (teaching topics and units are designed as a heuristic algorithm (Amaldi et al., 2003), which allows learners to choose unknown subject matter and skip the known one, so that the maximum individuality is achieved in their work. Such a renewed model of distance learning with the heuristic concept allows the audience to get involved in the education process at any point in time (in their leisure time, during working hours via the Internet and from any computer available).

Concept, mission and purpose of distance learning at the Ministry of Defence

Learning involves much more than simple transmission of information and cannot be defined as "the traditional view" (Figure 1) with the use of new technologies. It is a completely different process, using other methods, and provides a wealth of other features. It sets out the requirements before both learners (in this case – members of emergency teams  and officers of the Serbian Army within these teams) and teachers and requires sharing responsibility. The style, method and approach applied in distance learning are significantly different from the traditional approach to learning which most learners are accustomed to. The learning environment is very interactive and communicative, but the key difference is that learners have great responsibility in relation to their progress in the learning process.

Heuristics in emergency situations and distance learning

The heuristic modeling involves the creation of such a model that it has heuristic significance and represents several originals in one same model, i.e. this model enables the discovery of new knowledge and the development of creativity by requiring from learners to be independent taking into account the previous  knowledge of each learner in their domain separately (e.g frequent emergencies (Beres et al., 2014, p. 155-159) The heuristic model very little determines activities in the course of solving problems so that it leaves to learners-team members (Staff for Emergencies) a possibility of finding one or all possible solutions, depending on learners’ prior knowledge, level of independence, and their creative abilities. Such an approach to problem solving allows each learner-team member (Staff for Emergencies) to reach their maximum, for weak, average, and above average, i.e. talented listeners alike. Setting  a problem using the heuristic strategy means that a team member is placed in a position to  apply old experiences to new situations in order to discover new ways of creative problem solving (Beres et al., 2013, p. 46-57). Implementing such a model into the method of distance learning brings a new quality in the training of the mentioned staff. For example, multi media teaching with the teaching topics and units is designed as a heuristic algorithm (Figure 3), which allows learners a choice of unknown subject matter and skipping the known one, so that the maximum individuality is achieved in their work. Thus this innovated model of distance learning with the heuristic concept allows the audience to get involved in the education process at any point in time (in their free time, during working hours, on the Internet and computers).

Conclusion

The advantages of the method of distance learning and the implemented heuristic model of education are as follows.

The advantages of distance learning are flexibility in terms of time, place and pace of learning, much lower price than in the traditional way, and significantly increased availability of information (e-books, articles, simulations, virtual labs or classrooms). All  the learner needs is a computer and the Internet access. Distance learning offers a number of advantages both to institutions and teachers. The number of listeners is not limited by the number of available teachers and classrooms. In addition, the price of organizing teaching is lower.

Teamwork in solving problems in emergency situations; more people bring different skills to the team, which helps to improve efficiency; more knowledge and information; heuristic prediction problem; greater understanding and commitment to problems in emergency situations; focus on the problem; decision-making process in stages with appropriate activities. The phase of decision making is a process of decision making and includes the following activities: problem analysis and definition of objectives, risk analysis, development of strategies, development of models and simulation of behavior as well as decision making and its transfer to learners; and the application of heuristic techniques to solve combinatorial problems in emergency situations. The use of heuristic methods is focused in two directions: (a) to solve complex problems that can be presented in quantitative terms but are so complex that their solution cannot be found using rigorous analytical techniques and (b) problems that cannot be represented by a mathematical model because the variables in the model are of quantitative nature. The goal of the heuristic method is to allow finding acceptable solutions to complex problems that cannot be solved by classical methods. Solving heuristically conceived problems (the term means: the art of using relative knowledge in achieving the set goals, the transformation of the resulting situation into the desired or predetermined one by understanding the problem and by implementing appropriate management actions). The notion of solving problems means understanding the events and the transformation of knowledge into appropriate actions. Developing models and methods that would improve the quality of decision making by quantitative means (software support) for a more rational use of resources (energy, money, time, labor, food, etc.) in all emergency situations.

Proposing original solutions and being competitive with leading research in the field of emergency.