Curriculum & Facilitator Development

CPE is responsible for ensuring DPSST’s criminal justice training programs reflect the needs of Oregon’s public safety communities, utilize effective educational strategies, and accurately assess learning and performance.  This work entails continuous research into contemporary educational methodologies, managing the curricula for all mandated training programs, facilitating curriculum revision workgroups and processes, providing developmental training and support for facilitators, and evaluating key performance measures related to student competence and confidence.

Learning Philosophy

Successful learning is not defined by a recruit’s passing of a test or even graduating from the academy. Learning is successful when a recruit is able to apply knowledge and skills learned at the academy to the field. This long-term retention does not happen by chance and it does not happen by rote memorization. Successful learning happens as a result of an intentional, well-designed program that is grounded in research from the fields of education, psychology, and training transfer among other areas.

As DPSST training programs have been revised, the development has been informed by the research on what works. This research has impacted decisions from how training is scheduled (shorter, more frequent sessions rather than blocked training), to how training is delivered (facilitated, active, student-centered approach rather than passive, lecture, and slide heavy). The research has informed how learning opportunities and tools are developed for recruits, including scaffolding instructional techniques, and building opportunities for recruit self-assessment and self-reflection.

Curriculum Overviews

Contact
Andy Bechdolt, Instructor Development Coordinator (Instructor Development Inquiries)

Christy Hess, Academy Curriculum Coordinator (Curriculum Inquiries)

Scott Hite, Program Development Coordinator (Basic Police Academy Inquiries)