Instructor Development-Blue Line

 PURPOSE OF COURSE: This 32-hour curriculum has been designed to provide new instructors with the skills needed to become dynamic, effective trainers.  In this highly interactive and participatory program, students will be introduced to a multitude of techniques that can be used successfully within traditional law enforcement environments and applications, including the classroom, field operations, simulated scenes, scenario-based training, and assessments. (Student class size 16 Max)   

COURSE OVERVIEW: This course focuses on techniques of instruction that address multiple adult learning styles and will provide a comprehensive overview of different class environments and management principles. Participants will complete numerous practical exercises in public speaking, demonstrative instruction, scenario-based training, and instruction to elevate the critical thinking skills of Officers in real world scenarios. Each student will be guided in preparing a lesson plan outline. Students are strongly encouraged to bring a working computer to the course with PowerPoint software or similar presentation software. This 32-hour course requires after-class preparation on Tuesday - Thursday evenings.               

COURSE GOALS:  

The goals of this course are as follows:

• Technology plays a crucial role in education. Instructors will be exposed to educational technologies and utilize a minimum of one to integrate into their teaching and instruction practices.
• Effective classroom presentations are key to engaging students and facilitating effective learning. Students will improve their presentation skills, using adult learning styles and active learning strategies such as multimedia resources, incorporating visual aids, and delivering content in an engaging manner.     
• Each student will complete a minimum of 4 blocks of instruction or speaking: a 2-minute impromptu speech, a 5-minute demonstration speech, a 10-minute block of instruction. Concluding with a 20-minute unit of scenario-based or active learning/critical thinking training, within the given amount of time for each block. Each student will build up from 2 minutes to 20 minutes, to increase their time management of a training block or unit of instruction. The students will time themselves and stop within the time allotted.  

• Each student will construct a minimum of three student performance objectives successfully, to include performance, criterion and condition.    
• Students will correctly give an example for each level of Bloom’s Taxonomy the six levels of thinking: from the lowest levels of remembering to the highest level of evaluation. Each student will be tasked with evaluating 11 other students in the course.     
• Each student will organize an outline on a 30- minute block of instruction.    
• Each student will prepare a lesson plan on the same 30-minute block of instruction above, using the template given by the MTU or the ILETSB website.   
• Each student will complete Form C, the application for instructors listed on the ILETSB website.    

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION: This course is conducted using the following methods of instruction:

• Multimedia methods of instruction to include Poll-Everywhere, Power Point, Cell Phone Applications, QR Codes, videos, You Tube, case studies, and engaging learning activities.
• Utilizing Blooms Taxonomy to instruct higher levels of thinking, scenario-based training and critical thinking exercises.
• In-class review of handout materials.
• In-class discussions and small group exercises.
• Each student will be exposed to 11 oral presentations from each classmate and 11 scenario- based training blocks, for each student to practice instruction of Officers.    
• In-class demonstrations by 23 additional students, to improve ‘how-to” style of instruction in a department or academy setting.      
• Peer review training and feedback exercises       

COURSE REQUIREMENTS/GRADING POLICY: Students must complete a minimum of four presentations (for a total of 40 minutes) and a lesson plan on a 30-minute block of instruction they presented in the course.  

This course has been certified by the ILETSB for the following mandates:

-Procedural Justice                                          (4 hrs.)

-Officer Wellness and Mental Health          (1 hr.)