NCJ Number
82842
Journal
PFA Schriftenreihe der Polizei - Fuehrungsakademie Issue: 4 Dated: (1980) Pages: 294-306
Date Published
1980
Length
13 pages
Annotation
Derived from the pedagogical ideas of Dewey, Kilpatrick, and Thayer, the project study approach should be adopted in the education programs of police officers because it furthers independent thinking and problem solving abilities oriented to the realities of practical police work.
Abstract
Project learning focuses on problem situations of everyday life and requires practical application of theory and decisionmaking skills in bringing a planned project through its implementation and evaluation. Student work on projects eliminates the subordinate relationship to teachers resented by police officers and the obstacles to translating theory into practice when only the former is provided. Projects should be socially oriented, problem focused, and require the practical application of multiple interdisciplinary methods. In project selection, instructors should carefully weigh a proposed project's pertinence, feasibility, and educational value. Project work should follow formal classroom instruction in the subjects required for law enforcement education (e.g., leadership skills, criminology, psychology, etc.). Project phases are goal setting, problem definition, objective identification, methods specification, implementation, and evaluation. Group work in these phases should be guided by a teaching team whose members perform the roles of subject specialist/consultant, team leader, class instructor, and tutor. Suggested projects include organizational and deployment strategies in everyday police work, techniques of combatting drug-related crime, tactical responses to kidnapping or hostage taking, etc. A chart and nine references are supplied.