Software. The reality of today s policing environment demands police services

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1 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 In this Issue PSC Launches HR Management Software... 1 The Leading Edge SMEs and IDs Working Collaboratively to Build Educational Programs New and Upcoming Releases. 5 Information Security at CPKN... 6 The Stanhope Conference.. 11 What is CPKN?.. 12 PSC Launches HR Management Software The Police Sector Council has launched i SkillSuite Police Edition, a free webbased application that will provide Canadian police HR managers with access to multi functional, nationally validated competency based tools, templates, and guides. This software will be a highly valuable support tool for the new competency based HR planning and management framework and leadership model. As part of an ongoing partnership, this new platform is hosted and administered by CPKN. The reality of today s policing environment demands police services to be increasingly strategic and effective in the development of frontline skills and leadership talent, says Geoff Gruson, Executive Director of the Police Sector Council. Competency based management not only helps organizations effectively manage frontline proficiencies, succession planning, and HR associated risks, but also provides employees with a clear path for training requirements and career advancement. The reality of today s policing environment demands police services to be increasingly strategic and effective in the development of frontline skills and leadership talent Con d on Pg. 3

2 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 2 THE LEADING EDGE Message from CPKN s President Every now and then, you need to take a step back and take a good hard look at yourself. Am I where I thought I d be at this stage of the game? Am I living up to expectations? What can I do better? These types of questions work on all kind of levels, personal and professional, individual and organizational. As CPKN approaches its seventh anniversary, we ve been spending a lot of time taking stock of who we are, what we do, and what we want to accomplish in the coming years. CPKN is a unique entity in the policing world. We are a notfor profit organization wholly immersed in the police community the result of academic, governmental, and sector collaboration to address the need for more time and cost efficient police training. We push the boundaries of existing police training models, often beyond the comfort zone of our audience. We adapt and extend our technologies to demonstrate the capacity of online solutions and to align with the evolving needs of client organizations. CPKN is more than a service provider we are a partner in police learning. So seven years later, are we where I thought we d be? Yes and no. Yes, CPKN is recognized as the leading provider of e learning in the Canadian police community. Yes, CPKN has proven that its training courses and delivery platforms are effective and cost effective. Yes, CPKN has established a solid network of people, services, and organizations within the sector. But on the other hand, e learning is far from reaching its full potential for police training and CPKN still has much work to do in order to achieve its mandate to be an integral part of police training in Canada. The single largest challenge in CPKN s operational vision is in our national approach to learning the creation and delivery of relevant training to any police officer, regardless of location or jurisdiction. While this approach has been highly successful for peripheral training in areas such as Preventing Officerinvolved Collisions or Recognizing Emotionally Disturbed Persons, the adoption of e learning for mandatory training remains largely untapped. We ve always understood that every police service is different and, as such, every training model is different. e Learning will be incorporated in various ways and to various degrees. Even so, we believe there is enormous potential in building an online, community based component into foundation training that, in terms of efficiencies, can yield greater benefits to officers, services, and the sector. No matter what industry you might be in, the idea of creating a collective, nationwide solution to any problem is, at best, daunting. However, the Police Sector Council s work around competency based HR management has provided the Canadian community with a head start on identifying the fundamental skills associated with the various aspects of policing. Working with the sector, CPKN will put greater emphasis on developing online training modules that align to these competencies. e Learning will not be the whole solution for the delivery of police training, but it will certainly be part of the solution. The challenges facing the Canadian police community a decade ago have not changed. In fact, new global economic realities have only exacerbated the issues at hand. More than ever, effective, cost efficient training is not a recommendation but a necessity. The use of e learning and blended learning for training initiatives can go a long way towards easing some of those challenges. But to make it work requires the cooperation and collaboration of the police community as a whole. In the end, we re not far off the mark as to where I thought CPKN would be. Since Day 1, we ve collaborated with the sector to break new ground in police learning. It s slow and steady work that presents as many challenges as it does rewards. It s not easy, but it s worth every ounce the effort. Sandy Sweet President and CEO

3 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 3 PSC HR Management Software, Con d from Pg. 1 i SkillSuite Police Edition is the culmination of several years of research at PSC. Since 2008, PSC has collaborated extensively with police mangers and subject matter experts across the country to document a common language and standard structure around the skills development and competency requirements associated with general duty policing for all ranks. That work has enabled a full competency framework and a range of guides and tools to support integrated HR management and planning. i SkillSuite Police Edition is an easily accessible online repository for all that information a one stop centre for job profiles, task lists, learning plans, interview guides, reference material, and other HR resources. Built around the existing architecture of the Human Resource System Group s (HRSG) i SkillSuite, this software has proven organizationally effective in many other sectors and industries. This is important software that will provide a comprehensive HR solution for police services, says Portia Dewhirst, PSC s Director of Programs. It s designed to support all service points along the HR continuum, from recruitment to retirement. For more information or to register for a free account, visit PSC s website at Competency Library Provides a Competency Dictionary as well as profiles and associated task lists for all ranks Constable to Chief. Assessment Perform self assessments or review self or multi rater assessments for any profile. Learning Create or review learning plans based on assessment results or developed from scratch or search for additional learning resources (publications, on the job activities, courses, etc.) that aid in career development. Interview Builder Create, view, print or share interview guides for specific job profiles. Manuals Access research and tools to enhance HR management.

4 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 4 Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designers Working Collaboratively to Build Educational Programs By Betty Froese Betty Froese is a Curriculum Designer for the Edmonton Police Service. She is also a Ph.D. student in the Faculty of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta. The material published in this article is strictly for informational purposes. Any opinions or viewpoints that are published herein are directly from the contributing author and do not represent the philosophy or viewpoints of the Edmonton Police Service. The design and development of training within law enforcement agencies requires a team with a diverse range of skills and knowledge in order to successfully complete the training. Subject matter experts (who may or may not be working within a particular organization), instructional designers, course facilitators, online development staff (dependent on whether the training will be conducted in a blended or online format) and legal expertise are but a few of the members required at different points of the development of a training. In order to prevent a bottleneck of information, collaboration and an understanding of the different roles is required to achieve success in the development of law enforcement training. Subject matter experts for the most part, are not experts in adult education, curriculum development, instructional design or evaluation because they ARE usually experts in content. An instructional designer on the other hand, can extract all necessary information S.M.E. Content Knowledge (provide description and explanation) Clarify and verify content May or may not instruct / facilitate Instructional Designer A.D.D.I.E. Course Training Standards Evaluation Report The design and development of training within law enforcement agencies requires a team with a diverse range of skills and knowledge from the subject matter expert, e.g., a canine handler, and develop a learning program to train members in a way that is meaningful for them. Instructional designers may or may not have content expertise (in the community of practice) but they do have a set of representations based on a design model that guides the instructional design process. The design model includes general experience, educational background and instructional experience (Keppell, 2004). Therefore, it is important to build educational programs in specialized areas collaboratively while always considering environmental factors and operational requirements. Instructional design as a process is the systematic development of instructional specifications using learning and instructional theory to ensure the quality of instruction. It is the entire process of analysis of learning needs and goals and the development of a delivery system to meet those needs. (Brown; Green, 2011, p.6). Con d on Pg. 7

5 The The leading edge edge of of online police training. Vol. Vol. 5 No. 5 No. 3 1 Summer Winter Pg. Pg. 5 4 New Release! Mandatory training for individuals seeking approved verifier status. Instruction on identifying firearms to the Canadian standard and facilitate the registration of a firearm. After completing this course, you will be able to distinguish each of the characteristics of Make, Model, Manufacturer, Type, Action, Class, Calibre, and Barrel length and derive a Firearm Reference Table database match in support of verification duties and Canadian legislation. A verifier number will only be assigned on successful completion of this course. Content for this course is provided by the RCMP Canadian Firearms Program. Coming Soon! Personal Protection Strategy for Infection Prevention and Control is designed to familiarize police officers with the use of the Personal Protection Strategy as a means to reduce the risk of contracting an infectious disease. In addition to reviewing the risks associated with infectious disease, this course examines the key principles of the PPS and how to apply those principles to prevent the spread of infectious disease. On release, this course will be offered as a FREE Learning & Evaluation Event. Content for this course is provided by the Peel Regional Police Service. Development funded by the Government of Canada s Sector Council Program. For more information see: Visit to learn more about these and other training opportunities!

6 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 6 Protecting the Medium and the Message: Information Security at CPKN By Brian Fleming, CPKN Manager of IT Systems The nature of CPKN operations demands information security to be a top priority. CPKN protocols address information security on two levels: the confidentiality, integrity and accessibility of the technology infrastructure through which data is stored, manipulated, and transferred (the medium); and the various data associated with day to day business such as learner details, training records, passwords, credit card numbers, course content, etc. (the message). CPKN has adopted a series of best practices for planning, assessing, and managing information security. These are based on: 1. SEI s Operationally Critical Threat, Asset, and Vulnerability Evaluation SM (OCTAVE ) which defines a risk based strategic assessment and planning technique for security; and 2. ISO/IEC 27002:2005 (Information technology Security techniques Code of practice for information security management) which establishes guidelines and general principles for initiating, implementing, maintaining, and improving information security management in an organization. CPKN is committed to providing the highest possible levels of security. As part of continuing efforts in this area, recent activities have included: An independent IT security audit conducted by CISSP/CISA certified professionals; Development of general INFOSEC and information classification policies; Ongoing development of data ownership/ stewardship policies; Research regarding the feasibility of adopting COBIT; Implementation of an IT inventory system; Developing data transfer encryption standards; and The investigation of TLS (transport layer security) for portal access. CPKN takes information security very seriously and will continue to review and enhance policies, procedures, guidelines, and practices as part of an ongoing improvement process. Brian Fleming has 18 years of experience in IT management in both the private and public sectors. He is an Information Systems Professional of Canada and Applied Science Technologist in Industrial Management, and holds a Master of Science degree in Information Systems from Athabasca University.

7 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 7 Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designers, con d from Pg. 4 As a result instructional design is not just a matter of determining what to teach, but it involves the preparation, design, and production of learning materials. The instructional design process results in several key instructional components including: learning goals and objectives methods of instrument for assessing learning progress content or information needed to accomplish the learning objectives messages to be presented student activities and learning interactions All of this information, regardless if it is an online or classroom course is contained within a curriculum training standard. A curriculum training standard ensures that: materials are developed in a consistent format materials follow a pedagogical approach materials (including all content) are comprehensive and up to date materials and testing procedures are comprehensive and can be used to confirm the knowledge, skills, and abilities by the learners the curriculum can be presented during legal proceedings if required Therefore, in developing curriculum content within specialized areas it is important to have a clear and open understanding of the roles between subject matter experts and instructors throughout the various instructional design phases. Analysis Phase Adapted ADDIE Model Subject matter experts play a very important role during the analysis phase. During the analysis phase, instructional designers will ask a lot of question to determine: the goals and objectives of learning the operational components of jobs, skills, learning goals or objectives that is, to describe what task performers do, how they perform a task or apply a skill, and how they think before, during and after learning what knowledge states (declarative, structural, and procedural knowledge) characterize a job or task which tasks, skills, or goals should be taught how to select learning outcomes that are appropriate for this course which tasks are most important which have priority for a commitment of training resources the sequence in which tasks are performed, which impacts how they should be learned and taught how to select or design instructional activities, strategies, and techniques to foster learning Con d on Pg. 8

8 The leading edge of of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 3 Summer 2011 Pg. Pg. 8 Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designers, con d from Pg. 7 how to select appropriate media and learning environments how to construct performance assessments and evaluation During the analysis phase instructional designers need to continue conducting research on best practices within that particular content area and have those practices verified by subject matter experts. Design Phase The design phase focuses on how content can be organized for the learners, different methods for delivery of content and various activities that will be used to reinforce the learning. During the design phase instructional designers consider factors such as: learning characteristics course objectives teaching methods learning capacity and cognitive overload time available for the course technology staff resources urgency of course release Instructional designers will attempt to create activities that are student centred, and collaborative based. All of this is balanced against average learning retention rates and how much students will remember within 24 hours of a course. Learning Continuums Most educators would agree that for learning to take place, the learner must actively process and make sense of available information. In other words, a more active learner will integrate new knowledge more readily than a passive learner. In order to achieve this learning environment a higher level of instructional design must occur. All design concepts and ideas are then validated with subject matter experts and balanced against environmental factors. It is important to ensure that all members involved, subject matter experts, instructional designers, course facilitators and online development staff are in agreement and understand the rationale behind the different learning activities. Online Classroom 90% 70% 50 30% 10% Source: National Training Labs: on Learning Methods Adapted from: Dam (2010) Con d on Pg. 9

9 The leading edge of of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 3 Summer 2011 Pg. Pg. 9 8 Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designers, con d from Pg.8 Development Phase The development phase of instructional design is the most labour intensive for instructional designers. It is during this phase that all content and learning materials are built with constant validation from the subject matter experts, course facilitators, and online development staff. The development of all learning materials should ideally result in a curriculum training standard for the online and/or classroom course. A curriculum training standard is a comprehensive course manual that may contain the following information: Rationale for the Course Assessment of Student Learning Eligibility Criteria and Candidate Selection Course Details Course Amendments Syllabus Course Map Lesson Plans & Support Materials o Instructional Aids o Assessment Tools Reference Materials Upon completion of all learning materials by the instructional designer and online development staff, the subject matter experts, instructional designers, course facilitators, online development staff and legal expertise should sign off on the documents indicating that they have validated all content. Implementation Phase During the implementation phase the instructional designer and program developer ensure that online courses are uploaded and working and classroom instructional designers ensure that all facility arrangements are taken care, students are registered and materials are prepared. The subject matter experts who are facilitating or teaching the course need to ensure that they are prepared to teach the class. Course facilitators need to ensure they understand why certain group activities are happening and how to give feedback during the learning process. Students need time to learn. Evaluation Phase Evaluation is often listed as the last and final phase in instructional design models. However, it should occur throughout the process and after the course has been delivered. It is the most important section in gathering feedback from learners and course facilitators in examining the learning process. In short, evaluation can consist of: formative summative learner evaluations (assessments) It is important to know what the goal of evaluation will be and whether or not the resources to implement the different phases of evaluation will be available. Evaluation is important as it provides information that allows decisions to be made about learners, instruction and the instructional design process.. In summary, instructional design is the science that applies logic and scientific methods to the problems involved in designing and developing instruction (Brown & Green, 2011). It is a collaborative process between subject matter experts, instructional designers, course facilitators, online development staff (dependent on whether the training will be conducted in a blended or online format) and legal expertise. Each organization will have different processes to ensure various steps are met and it is therefore important to communicate these goals, objectives, and processes. Con d on Pg. 10

10 The leading edge of online police training. The leading Vol. edge 5 No. of of 3 online Summer police 2011 training. Pg. 10 Subject Matter Experts and Instructional Designers, con d from Pg.9 References Brown, Abbie; Green, Timothy D. (2011). The Essentials of Instructional Design: Connecting Fundamental Principles with Process and Practice. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc. Be sure to visit the CPKN Booth at the 106 th CACP Annual Conference in Windsor! Booth 605 / 607 Dam, Nick van, (2003). Online Learning Continuum. Retrieved from: /pdf/learningguide_presentatie_nick_van_dam.pdf on July 2, 2011 Keppell, M. (2004). Legitimate Participation? Instructional Designer Subject Matter Expert Interactions in Communities of Practice. In L. Cantoni & C. McLoughlin (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications 2004 (pp ). Chesapeake, VA: AACE. Retrieved from National Training Labs: on Learning Methods. Average Retention Rates. Retrieved from Harvard Business Publishing (June 2010) on July 3, 2011 Join CPKN s quarterly mailing list to get the latest information on new releases and free learning events. Just your name and mailing address to info@cpkn.ca.

11 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 11 The Stanhope Conference is an annual event that brings together police services, training academies, and other sector agencies to discuss critical issues around police training in Canada. This year s conference will address a range of topics including: The Economics of Policing Change Management: Strategies for Transition The Future of Technology-supported Learning Challenges and Opportunities for Police Training Institutions Moving Towards Competency-based Training: Aligning learning and e-learning with competency requirements e-learning and Core Curriculums For more information or to register, visit Seats to the Stanhope Conference are limited and are allocated to ensure the greatest level of representation of Canadian policing agencies. Stanhope 2011 is sponsored by

12 The leading edge of online police training. Vol. 5 No. 3 Summer 2011 Pg. 12 Established in 2004, CPKN is Canada's leading not for profit provider of online training solutions for police and law enforcement. Working with subject matter experts from police services, training academies, and other sector organizations across Canada, CPKN develops, delivers, and supports highly effective and cost efficient e learning solutions to meet the needs of frontline personnel. CPKN Board of Directors CPKN National Advisory Group Hon. Julian Fantino, Chair D/Chief Roger Chaffin Calgary Police Service C/Supt. Cal Corley Canadian Police College Supt. Kimberley Greenwood Toronto Police Service Geoffrey M. Gruson Police Sector Council Commr. Chris D. Lewis Ontario Provincial Police Chief Edgar MacLeod Atlantic Police Academy Chief Andy McGrogan Medicine Hat Police Service Brian McMillan Holland College D/Chief Bernie Pannell Saskatoon Police Service S/Supt. Darren Smith Toronto Police Service Bill Stephens Ontario Police College Sandy Sweet Canadian Police Knowledge Network Alain Tousignant Correctional Service of Canada President: Sandy Sweet Vice President: Nadine Sutcliffe Treasurer: Paul Trainor Secretary: Bill Gibson D/Chief Brent Shea, Chair London Police Service Portia Dewhirst Police Sector Council Duncan Foot Halton Regional Police Association Lisa Gilliss RCMP National Learning Design and Evaluation Services D/Chief Bruce Herridge York Regional Police Insp. Dave Lee OPP Academy Chief Mark Mander Kentville Police Service Roline Malan Calgary Police Service Jane Naydiuk Police Services Division, BC Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General Luc Pellerin École Nationale du Police du Québec Simon Paré Public Safety Canada Jon Schmidt Ontario Police College S/Sgt. Lawrence Smith Toronto Police Service Lucie Tremblay Canadian Forces Military Police Point. Click. Learn. is published electronically on a quarterly basis by the Canadian Police Knowledge Network. To submit contributions, or make suggestions for future articles, please contact CPKN. Canadian Police Knowledge Network 90 University Avenue Suite 203 Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island Canada C1A 4K9 Tel CPKN (2756) Fax info@cpkn.ca Web CPKN is endorsed by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.