This is a study of a joint snow avalanche collaboration exercise involving university students and search and rescue (SAR) responders from public and non-governmental organizations. The aim was to evaluate the participant`s perceived levels of collaboration, learning and utility.
The study applied a digital version of the collaboration learning and utility (CLU) survey instrument.
Findings highlighted collaboration’s role in enhancing learning outcomes and perceived utility. However, the unexplained variance in learning and utility indicated the impact of other factors, such as individual characteristics and exercise facilitation quality.
This study has several limitations. It relies on self-reported data, which may introduce bias, and was conducted within a specific national and organizational context, limiting generalizability. The relatively small sample size, along with high mean scores and low standard deviations – particularly in collaboration and utility – suggests positive skewness, which may have masked more nuanced variations between participants. Additionally, the presence of unexplained variance points to the influence of individual characteristics and facilitation quality, underscoring the need for further research. Despite these limitations, the study offers important insights into how collaborative exercises can support learning and perceived utility, especially among younger and less experienced participants. It contributes to the growing evidence base on experiential training and highlights key areas for future development in emergency preparedness programs.
The study demonstrate that collaborative avalanche exercises significantly enhance learning outcomes and perceived utility, particularly among younger and less experienced participants. For practice, this underscores the importance of tailoring emergency response training to the backgrounds of participants, with a focus on high-quality facilitation, realistic scenarios and clearly defined roles and collaboration frameworks. Strengthening inter-organizational collaboration – especially between students and professional responders – can improve communication, mutual understanding and overall emergency preparedness. These exercises also promote experiential learning, which may enhance community safety and resilience in the face of natural hazards. For future research, there is a clear need to further investigate how individual characteristics, facilitation quality and group dynamics influence learning and utility outcomes. In particular, the observed differences between students and professional participants warrant more in-depth exploration. Understanding how these groups differ in their perceptions, learning styles and practical takeaways can help optimize the design and impact of interprofessional training exercises. Longitudinal studies may also shed light on whether perceived learning leads to improved performance in actual crisis situations.
The study’s social implications include fostering stronger inter-organizational relationships and improving teamwork between students and first responders, which can lead to more effective and cohesive emergency responses. It highlights the value of experiential learning and collaboration in preparing individuals for real-world crises, potentially enhancing community safety and resilience in the face of natural disasters like avalanches.
The study underscores the effectiveness of collaborative exercises while emphasizing the importance of considering various influencing factors for well-designed and facilitated exercises.
