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Communicating Cascadia's Earthquake Risk


American Geosciences Institute
  1. Course Number

    AGI002
  2. Classes Start

  3. Estimated Effort

    2.5 hours
  4. Classes End

About This Course

Geoscience research is at the forefront of characterizing the earthquake risks associated with the Cascadia subduction zone in the Pacific Northwest. This course covers the science and its implications for policy decisions and resiliency efforts. The speakers will provide an overview of what we know about the Cascadia subduction zone and the associated earthquake risk, how this information is used to guide policy decisions, how the science should be communicated, what state and local governments are doing to address the risks, and what more could be done to better protect the Pacific Northwest.

This course is based on the AGI Critical Issues webinar "Communicating Cascadia's Earthquake Risk" that was co-sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Western States Seismic Policy Council, and the Oregon Seismic Safety Policy Advisory Commission.

Course Objectives

Students are expected to learn the following when they take this course:

  • Awareness of the risks and challenges posed by the Cascadia subduction zone to state and local decision makers.
  • Actions that can be taken at the state and local level to prepare for earthquakes, including strategies for effectively communicating the risk to the public.
  • Strategies that state and local agencies can employ to respond to large-scale earthquakes.

Course Format

This is an asynchronous short-course that contains videos, resources for learning more, and a set of questions in each section to help facilitate learning. An asynchronous course is a course that can be done on your own time. Feel free to pause, take a break, and come back to your saved progress to continue with the course. There is no deadline for completion of this course.

Note: For tips on taking this course via the edX mobile app, please visit the edX Learner’s Guide, and read the section on using the edX mobile app for the most up-to-date information.

Obtaining Continuing Education Units

If your course grade is at least 70%, you may apply for 0.25 CEU credit. There is an administrative fee for the issuance of the CEU, and you can view the fee structure here. You can check your final grade by clicking on the Progress menu item in the course navigation menu at the top of the page.

Requirements

There are no pre-requisites for this course.

Course Staff

American Geosciences Institute staff serve as the facilitators for this course. If you have questions at any time during this course, you can email your questions to learning@americangeosciences.org.

Frequently Asked Questions

What web browser should I use?

The Open edX platform works best with current versions of Chrome, Firefox or Safari, or with Internet Explorer version 9 and above.

See our list of supported browsers for the most up-to-date information.

How do I take the course using the edX mobile app?

For tips on taking the course via the edX mobile app, please visit the edX Learner’s Guide, and read the section on using the edX mobile app for the most up-to-date information.

Do I have to take this course all at one time to pass it?

No, in fact that's the advantage of offering asynchronous online courses. You can go through the course at your own pace, pause when you wish, save your progress, and resume the course when it’s convenient for you to do so.

Do I have to pay a registration fee for the course?

There is no registration fee for the course. You may view the entire course, and complete all the assessments, assignments, and exams at no cost.

Are Continuing Education Units available for this course?

If you would like to receive credit for the course and obtain CEUs, you will need to pass the course with a minimum of a 70%, fill out a form to register for the CEUs, and pay an administrative fee. The administrative fee for CEUs varies for each course. Please see details in the “How to Obtain CEUs” section at the end of each course.

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