I.

Introduction

The need to prepare future police officers with the right knowledge, skills, ability, and

others (KSAO) for a successful career while providing quality policing community

service to their communities is a trending topic in the policing field. The use of the

conventional educational model to deliver policing training to learners is criticized by

scholars and subject-matter experts in policing as the question remains whether this

method is effective in training policing candidates, considering the needs of the policing

field. Subject-matter- experts in policing and scholars have been advocating for the

adoption of an adult learning approach for policing training. Existing research has

favored the use of problem-based learning (PBL), given its effective learning approach.

Policing organizations such as the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are using

this approach to train their cadets. Considering the RCMP’s Cadet Training Program

(CTP), this essay aims to explain the unique advantage that PBL brings to the RCMP’s

training; and it argues that the advantages of PBL have enhanced the RCMP Cadet

Training Program.

This essay provides an insight into the challenge many organizations face in

effectively designing training methods. Furthermore, different categories of employees

work at the RCMP, but not all of these employees understand in detail in training

provided at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy; therefore, this essay will also

provide them with insight into the training at Depot. The essay is organized into five

main sections. The following section is dedicated to the literature review on PBL. The

third section briefly describes an overview of the RCMP and its Cadet Training Program

to give one an understanding of the organization and its training. Section four is dedicated

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to the analysis and aims to answer the argument posed. The essay wraps up with the

conclusion in section five.

II. Literature Review

PBL is a training approach commonly used in medical schools that involves learning

through solving real problems. It has been described as “an instrumental method

characterized using patient problems. PBL is used as a context for students

to develop problem-solving skills and gain earning science knowledge, " (Albanese,

1993, p. 53). Harden & Davis, (1998, p. 317), state that “anything that includes

problem-solving can be designated problem-based learning.” With PBL, trainees are

presented with real-world problems as a starting point for learning. This learning

approach is significant as it is derived from traditional educational approaches. Albanes

(1993, 53), states that PBL is different from other learning methods because “the problem

is presented first, before students have learned basic science or clinical concepts, not

after.” With this learning approach, students are exposed to real-life problems and are

expected to apply their knowledge to solve problems. The characteristics of PBL also

differentiate it from other learning methods. Schmidt et al., (2011, p. 793), identify six

main characteristics: identifying the problems, which in turn triggers a learning response

from students; small group collaboration; learning under the guidance of a tutor; a limited

number of lectures in the curriculum; student-initiated learning; and ample time for self-

study in the curriculum.

PBL originates in the 1960s at the University of McMaster ‘s School of Medicine.

The objective of introducing the training was to improve teaching methods for medical

students (Albanese, 1993). While there have been arguments in favor of PBL in medical

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schools over the years, this approach has been adopted in disciplines such as nursing

schools, engineering schools, and others.

Increasingly, there has been a growing desire for the involvement and

commitment of students to their learning process. Discovery learning posits that that

learners develop their knowledge through experimenting with a domain and extracting

rules from the findings of these experiments (Van Joolingen, 1998). Discovery learning’s

approach favors a learning process in which learners are allowed to experiment in their

field. It further assumes that learners tend to have a greater knowledge through

experimentation than when presented with the information (Van Joolingen, 1998). With

discovery learning, students are involved in their learning, and the role of the instructor is

to support rather than being in charge. It could be argued that PBL can lean on discovery

theory as it follows the same line of reasoning. Albanese, (1993), states that discovery

theory aligns with PBL, since this theory suggests learning is boosted when learners

actively participate in the training and that it is also designed based on the problem. This

is relevant to the use of the PBL training approach as it supports the use of real-world

problems to convey knowledge to students.

Another learning approach that equates with PBL is contextual learning theory.

Contextual learning theory advocates initiating learning through tasks aligned with real-

world professional contexts to promote the transfer of knowledge to new situations

(Dolmans, 2019). Contextual learning promotes a learning method where students are

presented with real-world problems related to their field. Bransford and Schwartz (1999,

p. 5) describe research findings on contextual learning and state that “researchers have

found that concrete examples can boost initial learning as they can elaborately explain

and assist students to recognize how the relevance of new knowledge” As an educational

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model, PBL significantly emphasizes learning through the use of real-world problems

aligned with contextual theory, as both the model and the theory characterize the use of

real-world problems. Drawing a link between PBL and contextual learning, Dolmans,

(2019) states that PBL can also be used as an educational model to introduce inter-

professional education where students from more than one profession learn interactively

together. For instance, students from medical schools and policing college students

specializing in forensics and nursing could discuss the problem of a victim who has been

wounded by a gunshot. Each student would learn what is relevant in the context of their

field of study while learning how to collaborate with another academic discipline.

Moreover, Constructivist learning theory is one of the metatheories that support

different learning methods. Building upon existing studies, Chuang (2021, p. 7) suggests

that in constructivist learning theory “people construct knowledge from activities and

reflections rather than passively absorb information.” This theory emphasizes learning

through other methods where the learners are engaged rather than being taught.

Constructivist learning theory also emphasizes problem-oriented approaches for learning

and lets the learners control the content they learn. Constructivist learning will support a

training program delivered by PBL as it supports problem-learning and practical

learning. Applying constructivist learning theory to PBL to policing training, Shipton

(2022, p. 59), argues that “policing as an occupation provides many practical

opportunities that can be transferred to academy learning situations in a constructivist

manner.” Leaning on constructivist theory and the principle of PBL, police officers in

training can be trained based on real-world experiences that be translated into the

learning environment.

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 Researchers have identified characteristics and principles that set the stage for

PBL in the learning environment. Schmidt (1983, 12) proposes three conditions that

expedite learning: the role of prior knowledge; encoding specificity; and elaboration of

knowledge. Schmidt’s core principles of PBL highlight the importance of previous

knowledge, context, and the advantage of elaboration on issues that learners are expected

to practice with the PBL educational model. Jones’ (2006) argument on PBL follows a

similar path to that of Schmidt on the core principle of PBL, as it states with PBL

learning, students solve a problem while learning how to solve similar problems, and

later knowledge is very beneficial. In 1985, Claessen and Boshuizen tested medical

students’ ability to remember and their reasoning process, and the study found that PBL

students had greater recall approaches. This finding also supports PBL principles and

arguments posited by theories elaborated in the previous paragraph.

Furthermore, certain conditions facilitate the PBL educational model. Albanese

(1993) states that greater input and responsibility on the part of students and tutorials in a

small group, along with self-directed learning are the main conditions of PBL. Given that

with PBL model, students are actively engaged in their learning, and they are also

required to work in groups, these conditions become an advantage for them. The results

of Saunders et al.'s, (1985). study indicated that first-year medical students in PBL spent

more time studying, with an average of 9.76 hours per day compared to medical students

at the same level in a conventional program, who spent 7.15 hours per day. The

conditions in which Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is implemented serve to enhance

students' commitment to learning within the training or educational environment.

Schmidt et al. (2011, p. 795) elaborate on the importance of small-group collaboration

and explain that an advantage of small-group collaboration with PBL is that “the

environment generates peer pressure that is useful in motivating students to be diligent in

being exposed to real problem-solving skills, learners in PBL develop teamwork skills in

a mandatory group setting. Albanese (1993, p. 63) explains that an argument in favor of a

group working setting as opposed to the traditional lecture educational model is that

learning in a group setting “instills in students a joy of learning that will nurture them so

that they become lifelong learners.” Group work positively enhances the learning

experience, so that PBL leaves a lasting impact on students’ approach to learning.

PBL has proven to be an effective educational model, but it is important to

acknowledge certain limitations. A study conducted on medical students under PBL

curricula and conventional curricula found that students had lower testing scores on basic

science than students in the conventional educational model (Albanese 1993). Various

arguments can be used to interpret this result. PBL advocates for learners to be in the

center of the training program; however, some researchers have argued that the program

is not well organized. Jones (2006, p. 486) states that “knowledge required through PBL

is less organized than knowledge acquired through traditional learning.” Considering

students are presented with a real-world problem in which they have to rely on existing

knowledge to solve, maybe the educational institution would not always present students

with the same problems, and maybe the outcome of the group will always vary as the

group will always be composed of different students. Furthermore, the PBL educational

model is generally known to be costly, and it requires substantial resources (Jones, 2006).

Not all institutions can implement PBL considering the cost associated with it. Albanese

(1993) acknowledges that PBL is an expensive approach, and the author refers to the

report from New Mexico demonstrating that university professors spend 3.57 hours per

week with conventional students, as opposed to 4.12 per week per student with PBL.

PBL requires more contact with learners than the conventional educational model.
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 In training delivered using the PBL method, instructors are expected to facilitate

and provide guidance in the training, given that students are at the center of their

learning. This is also one of the characteristics of PBL as described by Schmidt et al.,

(2011, p. 793) in their article The Process of Problem-based Learning: What Works and

why. This might make recruiting challenging in finding instructors with the right skills

and ability to transfer knowledge to learners while allowing students to be at the center of

their learning. Jones (2006, p. 485), acknowledges that the challenge with PBL is that it is

“difficult to train facilitators and the scarcity of teaching faculty with the skills of

facilitating rather than the skills of traditional teaching.” This is a relevant argument

given that the majority of instructors are trained based on traditional teaching, and this

educational model requires more than just teaching. Shipton (2014) recognized that

generally, instructors are often teacher-centered. To overcome this challenge, institutions

might need to amend or take into consideration the training being offered to individuals

who will be released to take on teaching roles.

III. Royal Canadian Mounted Police

The Cadet Training Program

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is Canada’s national police service.

It provides policing services nationally at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels,

and internationally. Nationally, the RCMP is mandated to crime prevention, law

as well as providing assistance in emergencies. Internationally, the RCMP is renowned

for its expertise in training police officers, and it also conducts international policing

activities including intelligence policing service.

As a renowned police trainer, joining the RCMP for a federal policing career

starts with the Cadet Training Program (CTP), a 26-week extensive training program at

the RCMP Academy in Regina, Saskatchewan. It pairs a student with a coach, an RCMP

police officer, under the Field Coaching Program for six months. During the Cadet

Training Program, the trainees are assigned to a group of 32 cadets. The training at the

RCMP Academy aims to help cadets acquire the necessary skills, a high level of self-

discipline, and the ability to control one’s actions that is required of a police officer.

The Cadet Training Program consists of 820 hours broken into seven components:

Applied Police Sciences, Firearms, Police Defensive Tactics/Immediate Action Rapid

Deployment, Police Driving, Operational Conditioning, Drill and Deportment, and

others. The Cadet Training Program follows a curriculum and methodology based on

competency requirements for community policing. Cadets reside at Depot throughout the

training, and the training commences from 6:00 a.m. until 4:30 PM.

The training is delivered physically and academically. Academically, the program

is delivered using life-like situations and problem-solving approaches. The cadets lean on

research, information gathering, and group setting to solve problems. Lectures and

demonstration performances are also used as teaching methods. The physical component

of training aims to help cadets develop effective techniques to develop resistance using

various physical training methods.

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 Case studies are used in the Cadet Training Program on the assumption is that

they provide learning opportunities for cadets to integrate the knowledge and the

necessary skills to manage police situations. The training program is structured to support

incident-based strategies for service, protection, enforcement, and prevention, while also

emphasizing a problem-solving approach. In scenarios, cadets work individually and

collaboratively, identifying required skills and knowledge. Various methods, including

group problem-solving, discussions, expert sessions, research, performances, lectures,

exercises, role plays, personalized instruction, multimedia, and videos, are employed to

impart skills and knowledge. The emphasis is on enabling cadets to learn and apply the

necessary information for investigations and preventive measures, with opportunities for

both guided and independent practice.

There are various actors involved in the training program. Instructors are

responsible for delivering the programs and facilitating discussions. Instructors are also

responsible for the development of scenarios along with educators, community resource

people, and various subject matter experts in policing, scenario actors are also hired by

the organization for anger management domestic disturbance, and mental health training

scenarios. Scenario actors are usually members of the community. Cadets also play an

important role as they complete the Learning Feedback Sheets to evaluate their peers.

IV. Analysis

The RCMP is recognized for its distinguished training program, and other

policing forces often seek it for training. Policing requires knowledge of the law and

various skills, certain of which are difficult to be taught using the conventional approach,

such as community policing, as well as others. With its dynamic and interactive approach,

PBL is an effective educational model for the Cadet Training Program. This engaging

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method captivates cadets' attention and enhances their practical skills, making it an asset

in their training journey.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy recognizes the efficacity of the PBL in

cultivating essential skills for cadets. The training approach of PBL fosters effective skills

transfer to cadets during their training. Doherty (2012) favors PBL as opposed to the

traditional educational model for policing college, as it is an improved model and offers a

critical problem-solving approach that is important to community policing. With the PBL

educational model, the RCMP allows its trainees to develop and master community skills

in the training program. One of many reasons for the use of a problem-based scenario

approach in the Cadet Training Program is that it allows the trainees to acquire effective

knowledge of complex policing situations and to elaborate on various options to solve

various policing situations and employ collaborative problem-solving skills (RCMP,

2019). Furthermore, the organization also uses scenarios to test its trainees on Anger

Management, Domestic Disturbance, and Mental Health. The way the program is

delivered and the need to use various scenarios to deliver the training explains why the

organization relied on PBL as opposed to the conventional educational model. Upon the

completion of the Cadet Training Program, trainees are employed by the organization to

provide policing services to Canadian communities; therefore, being trained using

scenarios similar to what they will be expected to resolve in real life is crucial and

relevant. Shipton (2022, 62), states considering the move to the community and problem-

solving policing, PBL has been supported by both subject-matter experts in policing

services and the academic community. The description of the Cadet Training Program

highlights the RCMP’s objective of having graduating police officers who are qualified

and equipped to effectively work in the community. Additionally, the curriculum is

developed based on the need to provide quality community policing. Considering

aim of the RCMP’s training program confirms the efficacity of PBL to deliver the

training.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police Academy has excelled in creating a learning

environment that fosters the use of a problem-solving model. Although the facilitators

also lecture, learners are first expected to acquire knowledge through research, and group

discussion. The effectiveness of this approach is that it fosters learning development

while at Depot and beyond Depot once the trainees begin policing practice (Shipton,

2014). One could argue that this is one of the many reasons that the organization adopted

this educational model; and policing is a field that requires constant training to keep

embracing changes in legislation, emerging issues, and unforeseen situations.

Furthermore, small group collaboration at times is a condition of the PBL approach. The

RCMP successfully implemented this approach in their training program. Throughout the

training program, learners are placed in groups of 32-member troops. Organizing the

trainees into small groups is one of the advantages of PBL, and in the case of the RCMP,

it allows an effective implementation of the educational model and allows students to

solve real-world problems in small groups. Schmidt et al. (2011, 795) acknowledge the

positive peer pressure that is generated when working in small groups. Analyzing the

organization's training program, it can be argued that this strategy is effectively working

in the learning environment, especially when considering the performance feedback

where other troop members rate their peer’s performance.

The instructors influence the training delivery in all educational models. When

arguing in favor of PBL in policing college, Shipton (2014) emphasizes the influential

role the instructors play and states that when teachers let their students control their

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learning, it fosters an independent and lifelong approach to learning that students carry

from policing college to the field as police.

The uniqueness of everyone also influences the dynamic of the group, each troop

differs from the other. As a result, the discussions, analysis, and skills, when presented

with scenarios, differ; therefore, it is challenging to convey the same content to all the

troops even within the same period. In this case, it makes sense if the organization

supplements with lectures using the traditional learning method; however, these lectures

can only attempt to provide all the cadets with the same materials, but the learning is not

standard. In this circumstance, it can be argued that this is the limitation of PBL when

used in the Cadet Training Program. Furthermore, having the required funding capacity to

cover the cost of the training contributed to the effective use of PBL. As mentioned in the

literature reviewed, PBL has been criticized for being costly and time-consuming for

instructors. Although the yearly funding allocated for this training is unknown to the

public, it can be argued that there is enough funding considering the Government of

Canada’s dedication to safety and the allowance for cadets implemented in 2008 (CBC

News).

V. CONCLUSION

As an educational model for adult learning, PBL is not limited to medical schools;

and the case of the RCMP demonstrates the effectiveness of this model in other fields.

Police are required to be equipped with various skills and problem-solving abilities. With

the conventional educational model, trainees in policing college would lack certain

important skills upon the completion of their training. Shifting away from the traditional

educational model seems an effective move for the Cadet Training Program.

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 There are trending issues affecting Canadian police forces at all three levels of the

government, federal, provincial, and municipal, such as the need to make the policing

force reflect the Canadian population, systemic discrimination, and stereotypes that the

policing forces have to address. Given that PBL has been effective for the RCMP’s Cadet

Training Program, this model could also be used to design training for other police forces

to address these issues. Furthermore, testing the effectiveness of the PBL program in a

policing training program with limited funding would attempt to answer the relevant

criticism.

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