Online Class: Florida Firefighter Course Design

Yes, this is a course about how to design courses.

While the language may sound redundant, the course materials are anything but. As a firefighter, communication is a crucial skill. You must be able to communicate with your colleagues and civilians alike. Lives depend on it.

And in this case, firefighter courses are a structured and efficient way to disseminate vital information and skills to other firefighters. This is how we make sure our fellow crew members and colleagues throughout the Florida fire system understand what to do and how to do it. We teach and we learn.

And for firefighters seeking to further their career, achieve new ranks, and expand their employment opportunities by earning the role of Fire Officer II in the Florida firefighter system, Course Design is a required continuing education course credit as well as a keystone professional quality.

What is the Purpose of the Course Design Requirement?

In the Fire Service, job requirements aren’t just about checking boxes. They can be the difference between life and death.

Effective Course Design ultimately achieves two important directives:

• To make sure that Florida firefighters are all on the same page.
• To make sure that Florida firefighters all have as much information as there is about performing their duties, and can perform those duties at the highest possible level.

We achieve these directives through effective and consistent instructional techniques. That is, through courses that teach the right information in the right ways.

Course Design is where you learn how to do that.

You may know your stuff as a firefighter. Course Design is where you learn how you can pass along that knowledge.

What are the Qualities of Effective Fire Service Course Design?

Adult Learning Techniques: Not just how to teach, but how to teach adults. Adult learning techniques are different from the ones used to teach children. In Course Design, you will learn adult learning techniques guiding how we organize and present information, and how we get our students to engage with this information.

All of these factors influence how well that information will be understood, retained, and applied in the right scenarios in the future.

Evaluation Strategies: How you assess your students’ retention of the information, and thus the effectiveness of the course itself.

What Subjects Will be Covered in the Couch Courses Course Design Class?

To impart adult learning techniques, evaluation strategies, and other aspects of effective firefighter course design, the Couch Courses Course Design module covers:

• Adult learning principles: A broad spectrum of adult learning techniques.
• Case-specific approaches: Techniques that work well for specific situations, training areas and course materials.
• The use of media, visual aids, and other engaging teaching elements.
• Materials organization and preparation.
• Developing an effective and comprehensive course overview and course goals.
• Organizing a step-by-step course plan, outlining course content.
• Selecting appropriate teaching techniques for particular course elements.
• Incorporating appropriate evaluation strategies.
• Conducting a needs assessment to cater to particular departments.

Course Design Class Practical Details

Couch Courses Course Design for the Florida Fire Service is a 45-hour blended learning course. This means that there are in-class attendance requirements in addition to online learning elements.

Before enrolling, please review our calendar to see upcoming in-person final presentation dates scheduled for Course Design. You will be required to attend one of these dates in order to give your final presentation.

The required textbook is Fire and Emergency Services Instructor, 9th Edition (ISBN:  978-0-87939-696-1).

Upon successful completion of this Couch Courses course, you will automatically have earned 45 hours of continuing education unites (CEUs) toward Firesafety Inspector and Fire Service Instructor. You will also be eligible for three hours of program electives toward your degree at Columbia Southern University.

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