A FREE online delivery of a Pilot National Fire Academy course. Some very specific pre-requisites so read the entire posting. The U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy (NFA) is recruiting students to pilot-test the online instructor mediated course, Fire Protection Case Studies (C0592). The course will be delivered through an online discussion board and self-study. Course Description: The Fire Protection Systems Case Studies (C0592) online instructor mediated course uses the case study research method, references nationally recognized codes and standards, and a given scenario. Students can evaluate their own jurisdiction’s fire protection requirements and develop sound remediation strategies to correct identified shortcomings. As a final project, students will identify a property, facility or building in their jurisdiction where they suspect one or more of the fire protection systems or features is improperly designed or installed, impaired, or otherwise in a condition that it is likely unable to perform as intended. At the end of this course, students will be able to: • Explain the purpose and framework of the case study research method. • Develop a framework for case study research to evaluate the condition and potential performance of various fire protection systems or features within their jurisdiction. • Identify problems and failures in fire protection features and systems described in existing case studies that resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant loss events. • In a group, research contemporary or recent events to identify problems and failures in fire protection features and systems that resulted in deaths, injuries, or significant loss events. • Use nationally recognized codes and standards, as well as other research, to propose a sound remediation strategy to correct shortcomings found during the contemporary case study. • Apply the case study method to evaluate the condition and potential performance of a fire protection feature or system within their jurisdictions. • Use their case study to propose a sound remediation strategy to correct possible shortcomings discovered in the analysis of a fire protection feature or system within their jurisdiction. Student Selection Criteria: Students must be familiar with the identification of fire protection problems, experienced in code enforcement, familiar with fire protection systems and features to the extent they can recognize deficiencies or deviations from codes and standards, and have experience correcting them through education or enforcement. Student applications should include supporting documentation that the student is capable of performing at this level. Course Delivery: An online instructor mediated course balances self-study components with interactions and discussions among the students and the instructor. This course is done in an asynchronous fashion. Students and the instructor will likely be online at different times and will post and respond to discussions on their own schedule. Please familiarize yourself with the course requirements and review the Sample Module Lesson Assignment (shown below). Please Note: This is a college-level, writing intensive course. You will be expected to adhere to the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Guidelines for all written assignments. A tutorial for this format can be found at: apastyle.org/ Important Message from the Instructor: This course likely will require you to work at least ten (10) hours per week so you should be prepared for that commitment. If you register for the course and decide in the first two weeks you cannot continue, please notify the instructor as soon as possible so we can place another student in the class. You will be issued a W grade (Withdrawal) without consequence. If you register for the class and do not participate at all, you will be issued an F grade (Failure) and you will not be able to attend an online mediated or resident/on-campus National Fire Academy classes for a one-year period from the date of this course. If you start the course, cannot finish, and do not notify the instructor, you will be issued an I grade (Incomplete) that automatically becomes an F grade and the same one-year prohibition will apply. However, on a case-by-case basis, when there are extenuating circumstances, the instructor may grant an extension. Instructor: Rob Neale, Deputy Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction,National Fire Academy Important Dates: Please Note: This is a 15 week course. • Application Period: Applications accepted now until March 21, 2014. • First Day of Class: April 28, 2014 • End of Class: August 11, 2014 Class Size: 32 students Course Requirements: The course includes six modules; one module will be released online about every two weeks. For each module, participants will be required to: • complete the required textbook and assigned readings, • view the assigned online videos, • complete the online content, which includes participation in two discussion forums per module to interact with instructor and other student participants, and, • submit an individual written paper for each module, and a group and final paper. A sample module lesson assignment is included below (all module lesson assignments have similar requirements). Costs and Fees: This course is offered free-of-charge. Students will be required to have access to one textbook and their legally adopted building and fire codes and standards. How to Apply: Students must complete the General Admission Application ( FEMA Form 119-25-1) available on the NFA website at: usfa.dhs.gov/nfa/about/attend/apply.shtm Completed applications should be submitted by March 21, 2014 to: NETC Admissions Office 16825 S. Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727 Completed applications can also be faxed to the NETC Admissions Office at 301-447-1441 Sample Module Lesson Assignment Module 1 – Discussion Forums Discussion Forum 1 The Case Study Research author Robert Yin describes case studies as an “empirical inquiry of a contemporary phenomenon in a real world context”. Why do we do case studies? What are the benefits and limitations of them? How can they improve your performance at work? Of the four types of case studies described in the Case Study Primer explain which one is the most suitable option for a study pertaining to suspected fire protection features and hazards. Why do you think that? Discussion Forum 2 Would Yin recommend a case study approach to evaluate the historic or potential performance of various fire protection systems or features? Why or why not? Would this be an explanatory, exploratory, or descriptive case study? How did you arrive at that conclusion? Your discussion forums should include a response to the each of scenarios described above, plus two additional responses to the other students’ posts. Generally, the initial post should be about 175-300 words, and the follow-up posts about 100 -200 words. Module 2 – Written Assignment (Approximately 1,000-1,250 words) Based on your readings of these three USFA technical reports (TR034 “Twelve Fatality Nursing Home Fire”, TR050 “Ten Elderly Victims from Intermediate Care Facility Fire”, and TR080 “Hospital Fire Kills Four Patients”) identify and describe the similarities and differences in fire protection systems and features that influenced incident outcomes. What are the variables between and among the cases? Your module written assignments should be about 1,000 to 1,250 words in length. Your final paper should not exceed 3,000 words. There also will be a group paper of about 2,200 to 2,800 words. The essays should have a formal introduction, a statement of purpose on the first page, a body, and a conclusion. Be sure to credit all sources. Please Note: Students must follow APA Style Guidelines: apastyle.org/ General Instructions for Written Assignments Your written assignment is intended to measure your understanding of important concepts and sharpen your intellectual skills of analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and application. The intent of the written assignment is to provide an opportunity for you to demonstrate the knowledge you are gaining on the topics in this course. Written assignments are to be submitted to the instructor at nfadepsupt@gmail . Material Requirements: The following textbook will be used in this course: Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research: Design and Methods (Applied Social Research Methods). Publication Date: May 10, 2013 | ISBN-10: 1452242569 | ISBN-13: 978-1452242569 | Edition: Fifth Edition (Approximately $45.00 from online booksellers). NOTE: Do not purchase the textbook until you have been notified by the NETC Admissions Office of your acceptance into this Pilot offering. Technical Requirements: The system requirements listed below are required for the course to work properly: • • Internet Explorer 8 recommended • • Adobe Acrobat Reader 10 or higher • • Microsoft Word 2003 or higher • • Pop-up Blockers Turned OFF • • Optimal screen resolution 1024 x 768 • • Students must have a legitimate email address
Posted on: Mon, 10 Mar 2014 18:03:29 +0000
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