Hawaiʻi Ocean Safety for Visitors

Hawaiʻi is famous for its stunning beaches, clear waters, and diverse ocean life, making it one of the world's top tourist destinations. While Hawaii's beaches are easily accessible, they also come with risks due to the ocean's unpredictable nature, including sudden waves, rip currents, and the presence of dangerous ocean animals. On average, about 50 people lose their lives to drowning each year, with nearly half of those fatalities being visitors to Hawai'i. Unfortunately, many visitors are unaware of these potential dangers.

To address this issue, the project developed and evaluated an online course designed to provide visitors with the knowledge necessary to ensure their safety while enjoying Hawaii's beaches. The instruction employed micro-learning and scenario-based learning strategies. It was evaluated for usability and learning effectiveness by 15 participants (n=15). The results of the usability test showed that over 80% of participants' comments were positive about the content, navigation, and visual design. In terms of learning, scores indicated a 30% increase from the pretest to the post-test. Additionally, participants’ confidence in ocean safety increased by 39%. Together these findings suggest participants were able to attain necessary knowledge about Hawaiʻi ocean safety. Further research is needed to explore various target audiences, including international visitors, local residents, and seniors.

Link to the instruction: https://go.hawaii.edu/npW