#14 – Use interdisciplinary material as a means to teach traffic safety and mobility education
Traffic safety and mobility education should not only be taught via dedicated materials, but should also be integrated in the teaching materials of other subjects (such as maths and physics), especially in secondary schools.
BEST PRACTICE EXAMPLES
Austria – Risi & Ko: A Modular Approach for Secondary Schools
Although road safety education is not an obligatory part of the Austrian curriculum for secondary schools, it should (where possible) be integrated into other subjects. To support teachers in this task, the Austrian Road Safety Board (KFV) developed the mobility education concept “Risi & Ko”.
With a flexible, modular approach and corresponding teaching materials, Risi & Ko provides lesson descriptions for different subjects and can be easily adapted to the needs of individual schools and teachers. The suggested lessons allow students to reflect on their own and others’ attitudes, motivations and behaviours. The lessons currently cover the topics “risk and peer pressure”, “social competence in traffic”, “distraction in traffic” and “traffic modes and their potential”.
A key element of the concept are five archetypal comic figures, of which each acts according to its given character. They illustrate different ways of adjusting and reacting to traffic situations and allow an active and critical examination of different mobility topics.
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Scotland – Traffic Safety as part of Physics and Media Studies
Working with curriculum specialists, Road Safety Scotland investigated opportunities to embed road safety within traditional subjects in the curriculum. Science lessons were developed which focussed on speed and provided reaction timers to local road safety teams for use in schools.
Road Safety Scotland also developed a physics experiment kit, also speed-related, with schools able to borrow the necessary equipment directly from the Scottish authority. Both are referenced in “Road Safety Within Curriculum for Excellence” Guide (see Principle #8).
A module for the Media Studies Higher Qualification (for 16-18 year olds) was furthermore also developed by Road Safety Scotland.
Portugal – Traffic Safety and Mobility Education as part of Geography and Physics
In Portugal, traffic safety and mobility education is included in the lessons of other subjects as well. As part of lessons on citizenship and development, pupils in the first and second grade learn to apply road safety norms, such as how to walk and cross roads safely, as well as the meaning of signs.
Networks and modes of transport are addressed in geography lessons during the eighth year, while movements and forces are taught during physics and chemistry lessons in the ninth year.
Finland – The Annual Clock
The Finnish Road Safety Council (Liikenneturva) offers traffic safety materials and action models (plans for teachers that include goals, instructions and lists of materials) that have been integrated into various subjects.
An “annual clock” tool has been developed as a planning aid for schools, teachers and students to plan traffic safety education while keeping local conditions in mind. The annual clock is based on the idea that there are 4 hours of traffic safety education in every grade of basic education with attention paid to seasons and current issues. The planning tool thereby makes traffic safety education long-term and systematic.
More Information
Interdisciplenary material offered by the Finnish Road Safety Council can be found on this website.
Liikennaturva, Liikennekasvatuksen vuosikello. (Annual Clock)
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