Which type of evaluation may be conducted by external parties, such as state boards?

The type of evaluation that may be conducted by external parties, such as state boards, is organizational evaluation. This type of evaluation focuses on assessing the overall performance, effectiveness, and efficiency of an organization or program. External parties typically conduct organizational evaluations to ensure compliance with standards, to assess the quality of programs, or to verify that organizational goals are being met.

In the context of fire instruction, an organizational evaluation can provide a comprehensive review that includes various aspects such as curriculum effectiveness, instructor performance, and the alignment of practices with industry standards or regulations. External entities may have the authority to provide unbiased assessments that help in identifying areas for improvement and enhancing accountability.

Other types of evaluations, while important in their own right, have specific focuses that do not necessarily align with external evaluation scenarios. For example, formative evaluations primarily aim to improve instructional processes during the educational experience and are usually conducted by instructors for immediate feedback. Goal-based evaluations assess the attainment of specific objectives rather than broader organizational effectiveness. Summative evaluations typically occur at the end of an instructional period to measure overall learning outcomes and effectiveness without the in-depth organizational focus that external evaluations have.