Challenges in Fire and Emergency Services Education: Responsibilities and Roles of Instructors

1. Chapter 1 Challenges of Fire and Emergency Services Instruction

2. Education and Training • Function • Ensures that all personnel conduct emergency and nonemergency operations in a safe, effective, efficient and consistent manner

3. Education and Training • Terminology • Education and training are often used interchangeably • Education • Generally accepted as the acquisition of knowledge, usually through academic means • Training • Primarily the transfer of knowledge regarding vocational or technical skills

4. Education and Training • Responsibilities of the training division • Evaluate training requirements • Develop a training program • Determine funding resources • Determine alternative training resources • Evaluate training program results

5. Education and Training • Responsibilities of training officers • Curriculum and lesson plan development • Course content delivery • Must meet the JPR’s established in NFPA 1041 • Standard for Fire Service Instructor Professional Qualifications

6. Instructor Obligations • Instructors are professionals in two areas • 1) Teachers for students in both internal and external classes • Adult education • Public education • 2) Members of the fire and emergency service profession • Must be able to apply knowledge and skills

7. Instructor Obligations • Instructors • Carry twice the burden • Teacher • Practitioner • Increases their base knowledge • Meet a standard based on a high level of personal performance

8. Instructor Obligations • Instructor profession • Requires specialized knowledge • Long, intense preparation • 1) Learn scientific, historical or scholarly principles • 2) Maintain high standards of personal achievement and conduct • 3)Commit to continued study and educational advancement

9. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to students • Instructor’s primary obligation is to the student • Focus on the needs and abilities of students at all times • Must provide information that is current, accurate, and specific to students’ needs • Must plan, develop and deliver training that is appropriate for the students

10. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to students • Must measure the student’s knowledge and skills • Based on valid criteria • Maintain consistency

11. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to students • Provide student feedback • Grades • Assessments • Performance evaluations • Important for transferring learning to job performance

12. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to students • Meet the expectations of students • Be an effective communicator • Be a good listener • Present new knowledge in a positive manner • Be a role model, mentor, and counselor

13. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to students • Safety of the student • Most important obligation • Provide a safe training environment • Teach safe operational practices • Teach safety-related topics • Fulfill the duties of incident safety officer during evolutions • Be a good role model

14. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to the organization • Emergency services is a constantly changing profession • Must monitor changes and apply them to the needs of the organization • Revisions in standards and laws • Improvements in equipment • Updates in protocols and procedures

15. Instructor Obligations • Obligation to the organization • Plan inter-organizational training programs • Broaden knowledge and skills • Enhance cooperation • Ensure that current professional standards are adopted and applied • Teach to meet organizational goals

16. Instructor Obligations • To the profession • Sustain the positive image of a firefighter • Use sound judgment and logic in making decisions • Apply ethical and moral principles • Adhere to all laws, standards, protocols, and rules

17. Instructor Obligations • To themselves • Continue professional development • Look for opportunities to learn and improve • Continuing education

18. Instructor Obligations • To themselves • Maintain instructor skills • Teach classes and seminars • Facilitate discussion groups and workshops • Belong to professional organizations

19. Instructor Obligations • To themselves • Maintain a network with other instructors • Earn professional certification • Maintain management skills • Maintain technical skills

20. Instructor as a Role Model • Instructors have opportunities to influence actions and ideas • Must be a positive influence • Begins with new recruits • Continues through the ranks

21. Instructor as a Role Model • Instructors are typically the first official representative • Role model for new students • Influences their learning experiences • Highly visible to students • Observed by students

22. Instructor as a Role Model • Instructors communicate the performance expectations • Training situations • Learning experiences • Training must meet mission statement

23. Instructor as a Role Model • Instructors must be effective communicators • Application of knowledge • Interpersonal skills • Interaction with people on an individual or small group basis • Must be a good listener

24. Instructor as a Role Model • Instructors must be effective communicators • Application of knowledge • Oral communication • Involves more then speaking in the classroom • Develop a central idea • Prepare • Practice • Deliver • Create dialogue with class

25. Instructor as a Role Model • Instructors must be effective communicators • Application of knowledge • Written communication • Writing letters and memos • Emails • Reports • Lesson plans

26. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Ability to inspire people to follow your examples • Leadership abilities • Strong interpersonal skills • Subject and teaching competencies • Desire to teach • Enthusiasm • Motivation

27. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Ability to inspire people to follow your examples • Preparation and organization • Ingenuity, creativity and flexibility • Empathy • Conflict-resolution skills • Fairness • Personal integrity

28. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Leadership abilities • Effective instructors must be effective leaders • Provide appropriate • Learning opportunities • Examples • Ideas • Enables students to take the lead

29. Effective Instructor Characteristics What is the best style to use? • Leadership styles

30. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Additional leadership qualities • Self-confidence • Trustworthiness • Consistency • Responsibility • Acceptance • Expertise

31. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Strong interpersonal skills • Clarity • The ability to precisely and clearly explain concepts and processes • Sensitivity • The ability to view the learning environment from the student perspective and recognize barriers • Fair and impartial • To all students

32. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Subject and teaching competencies • Instructors must have background knowledge and experience • Instructors must continually learn • Responsible instructor

33. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Desire to teach • Instructors can only improve teaching skills through • Experience • Study • Professional development • Desire effects performance and motivation

34. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Enthusiasm • Its contagious • Created through the following • Lively and varied vocal delivery • High energy levels • Obvious love of teaching • Obvious love of the subject matter

35. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Motivation • Required to achieve goals • Clearly communicate what must be performed and how • Show students the importance of the information • Make the knowledge and skills easy to understand • Allow for mistakes as students practice and improve • Encourage students • Reward successful attempts • Correct unsuccessful attempts

36. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Ingenuity, creativity, and flexibility • Effective instructors understands that not everybody learns the same • Use various training aids • Supplemental material • Be flexible to make rapid changes

37. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Empathy • The ability to understand the feelings and attitudes of another person • Empathic instructors have a strong desire to help individuals learn • Not condescending or punitive • Do not act superior or threatening

38. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Conflict-resolution skills • May have to resolve disputes • Between individuals and / or the organization • In the class • On evaluations and tests • With many types of personalities and responsibilities

39. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Fairness • Treating all students equally • Provide the same learning opportunities • Evaluate against objective standards

40. Effective Instructor Characteristics • Personal integrity • Based on the values and morals of the individual • Personal code of ethics • Maintain student respect

41. Teaching Traits to Emphasize • Honesty versus bluffing • Instructors must always truthful and honest • Students prefer instructors who are willing to admit that they do not know • But willing to find out the correct information

42. Teaching Traits to Emphasize • Sincerity versus sarcasm • Sincerity • Personal quality of being open and truthful • Sarcasm • Language that may be insulting, demeaning, or scornful

43. Teaching Traits to Emphasize • Solutions versus complaints • Few instructors work under ideal conditions • Complaining accomplishes nothing • Creates negative impression • Actions used to minimize problems • Prepare lesson plans in advance • Inspect equipment before class • Arrange for appropriate assistance • Have alternate backup plans prepared

44. Teaching Traits to Emphasize • Inspiration versus intimidation • Inspiration will get best results • Intimidation does not stimulate the student to learn • Intimidating tactics • Fear • Stress • Bullying • Insecurity

45. Teaching Traits to Emphasize • Positive humor versus offensive humor • Humor can add emphasis to and create interest • Makes learning enjoyable and memorable • Students should be allowed to express their personality • Ensure that they do not offend others • Constant humor can make learning ineffective

46. Instructor Challenges

47. Instructor Challenges • Multiple priorities • Having to do more with fewer personnel • Duties beyond teaching and course development • Administrative duties • Logistics duties • Health and safety officer duties

48. Instructor Challenges • Diverse students • Instructors must recognize, appreciate, and respect the differences in their students • Broaden their knowledge through diversity training • Students are products of their ethnic, racial, family, and cultural backgrounds • Students respond and learn based on this heritage

49. Instructor Challenges • Organizational apathy • Organization may not always be supportive of training • Lack of interest or concern • May be thought that funds could be better used somewhere else • Instructors may have to overcome apathy and replace it with respect

50. Instructor Challenges • Multiple changes • “The only thing constant is change” • Responsibility of instructors to accept change • Advocate to promote change • Part of teaching is to bring organizational change • Be careful consumers of information • Education • Research • Development