STATE FIRE INSTRUCTOR STUDY GUIDE

FIRE AND EMERGENCY SERVICES INSTRUCTOR NINTH EDITION

Terms to Know
Lesson Plans
  • Pages 282, 354, 363.
  • Prescriptive (Pretest): Given at the beginning of instruction to establish a student's current level of knowledge.
  • Formative (Progress): Quizzes, pop tests, or question/answer periods in class are given throughout the course or unit of instruction. Typically measure improvement and offer feedback on learning progress.
  • Summative (Comprehensive): Measures student achievement in an entire area on numerous topics covered over a long period.

    The main distinction is that formative evaluations gather information to help improve the program while ongoing, whereas summative evaluations assess achievements and outcomes of the program after all components have been implemented.
Reliability and Validity
  • Reliability (Page 285): Test provides consistent, accurate measurements of student achievement. Characteristics of a reliable test include:
      - Clear instructions
      - Well-written test items
      - Specific scoring criteria
  • Validity: Refers to the extent to which a test measures what it is supposed to measure. It is essential that a test validly measures whether students have achieved the desired learning objectives.
Cognitive Domain Objectives
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Education (Page 268)
  1. Remember (Knowledge): Students recall and recognize previously learned facts and theories (e.g., describe, define, label, list, match terms).
  2. Understand (Comprehension): Students compare and contrast information, provide examples, explanations, and summarize information.
  3. Apply (Application): Students use learned information in new situations (e.g., compute, demonstrate abilities, solve problems).
  4. Analyze (Analysis): Students break down information into components to understand their relationship with the whole.
  5. Evaluate (Evaluation): Students make judgments based on criteria, compare, conclude, and justify decisions.
  6. Create (Synthesis): Students combine elements to form a new whole (e.g., categorize, design, organize).
Donald Kirkpatrick's Four Levels of Evaluation (Page 266)
  1. Level 1 - Reaction: Measures student satisfaction at the end of the course, correlating satisfaction with the learning experienced.
  2. Level 2 - Learning: Measures whether learning occurred, typically via testing.
  3. Level 3 - Behavior: Assesses if the training improved job performance, generally requiring comprehensive appraisals from supervisors and peers.
  4. Level 4 - Results: Evaluates overall success of a program or training in relation to organizational growth or individual promotion.
Characteristics of a Well-Designed Test
  • The two critical characteristics are Validity and Reliability.
Learning Objectives Levels
  • Learning objectives can be derived from the following psychomotor levels:
      - Observation: Witnessing demonstrations by the instructor.
      - Imitation: Step-by-step emulation of what was observed.
      - Adaptation: Modifying and personalizing motor activity.
      - Performance: Practicing until steps are habitual.
      - Perfection: Achieving error-free performance.
Domains of Learning (Pages 220-223, Page 29)
  1. Cognitive (Knowledge): What information students should learn.
  2. Psychomotor (Skills): How students should apply knowledge.
  3. Affective (Attitude): Why the information is useful.
Types of Test Questions (Page 269)
  • True/False: Quick identification, 15 seconds for true answers; 30-45 seconds for corrections.
  • Matching: 60-90 seconds for 7 items maximum.
  • Multiple Choice: Four possible responses, 30-60 seconds to answer.
  • Problem-Solving: Analyze, create, or evaluate level questions, 30-60 seconds allowed.
  • Short Answer: 30-60 seconds to respond.
  • Essay: 60 seconds or more, subject to evaluators’ judgment.
Measurement Types
Written Tests
  • Measure a student's understanding and retention of technical information aimed at cognitive objectives.
Oral Tests
  • Assess cognitive or communicative ability.
Performance Tests
  • Measure psychomotor skill ability.
Objective vs. Subjective Testing
  • Objective: Only one correct answer (e.g., multiple choice, T/F, matching).
  • Subjective: No single correct answer (e.g., short answer, essay).
Laws of Learning Applicable to Lesson Plan Development
  1. Readiness: Ensures learners are emotionally, mentally, and physically prepared to learn.
  2. Exercise: Students learn best with practice; greater exercise leads to better learning.
  3. Effect: Recognizing the positive impact of learning reinforces its usefulness.
  4. Recency: Most recently learned skills are best remembered.
  5. Primacy: Early learned concepts usually retain better.
  6. Intensity: Vivid experiences impact behavior more effectively.
Ethical and Practical Considerations
  1. Privacy Act of 1974: Protects students' educational records.
  2. FERPA: Federal law safeguarding student education records from unauthorized access and requires institutional disclosure protocols.
Instructor Roles and Responsibilities
  1. Resolution of Conflict: One of the primary roles of an instructor is to effectively mediate disputes in the classroom.

Questions to Remember

  • Determining sources of funding is the first step of budgeting (Page 308).
  • NFPA 1401 governs training records as per the guidelines set (Page 310).
  • Understanding the operational budget versus the capital budget is essential for fiscal planning (Pages 304, 308).
Curriculum Development Aspects
  1. Lesson Plan Process: Identify expected learning outcomes, analyze jobs, divide tasks, develop assessments, research, develop activities, write summary.
  2. Creating Schedules: Assess necessary factors affecting training round the clock; cycle flexibility.
Evaluation Mechanisms
  • Hand out evaluations at class end for optimal feedback context (Page 321).
Safety Regulations for Live Fire Training
  • Instructor to student ratio is critical and must comply with safety protocols (5:1, Pg 168).
Final Notes on Teaching Methodologies

  1. Coaching vs. Mentoring: Coaching focuses on performance improvement, while mentoring guides professional development focusing on long-term growth.

  2. Virtual Reality: Utilizes simulated environments for skill demonstration in psychomotor learning.

  3. Role Playing: Effective for addressing real-life training scenarios, such as dealing with harassment (Page 376).

Additional Regulations and References
  • NFPA 1403: Standard on Live Fire Training Evolutions.
  • Live Fire Training Requirements: Documentation logistics and instructor qualifications set by both the NFPA and local regulations.