06-08, 13:30–13:50 (Europe/Vilnius), Panel Room II - II-232
This paper aims at studying the shortcomings and strengths of the French Law Enforcement administration in the use of E-learning with a focal point on the Police Nationale.
The evolution of law enforcement knowledge, techniques, and materials, make continuing education for the profession more essential than ever. The rise of digital technology in our societies has simultaneously changed the forms of education and the means of accessing this knowledge.
Yet, for a long time, the French Police Nationale refused to take the turn of digital progress in the training it offered to cadets but also to experienced officers on the grounds that it was inefficient and approximative. Reputedly monolithic and hard to modernize, the LE system in France was reluctant to the idea of using a tool they saw as unprofessional and unserious.
The Pandemic shattered their certainties. Unable to give in-person trainings but having to ensure the continuity of curriculums, the French Police Nationale training department had to think out of the box. A cumbersome process ensued with the construction of a new online training structure, the hiring of new digital experts and education-specialised civilians and the funding for new digital tools to implement quality courses. New training ideas emerged with these new recruits and new tools. Soon, major e-learning projects were achieved among which the cadet training curriculum and language program are now the best examples.
These, however, did not come without challenges for trainers and trainees alike. Trainers were not used to online tools. Where some welcomed novelty, others rejected it entirely. Those who used those tools faced numerous hindrances related to technology, internet connection, organisation, activity creation but also student motivation. Trainees were facing the same technological and organisational issues. Sometimes unmotivated by the lack of interactivity of courses or monotony of self-paced activities, some were even skipping online classes. These issues were eventually considered and a whole new program was set to give Police Nationale trainers an understanding of Online e-learning along with a willingness to bring more interactivity in online classes with the use of more powerful tools.
Currently working as a Training and E-learning expert specialised in languages for the French Police Nationale Training and Recruitment Department (DCRFPN), my mission is to build, organise and implement national online curriculums.
Formerly, I spent 8 years as an English teacher at Limoges University (France) and spent 10 years as a high school teacher before that, always trying to combine the teaching of languages with new technologies and encourage e-learning possibilities.