This empirical study examines the effectiveness of learning in a short-term, cross-cultural operative communication training course for police students from five northern European countries. The in-person course is strongly experiential, with a mix of theory and practice. It is based on the Community of Inquiry framework, which is focused on social, cognitive and teaching aspects in collaborative (usually digital) learning environments. Some of the practical scenarios employ professional actors. Reflexivity is a central element; this is aided by the use of body-cameras and mobile phone video footage in practical scenarios. The study uses data from questionnaires (three student cohorts, 75 responses) and focus groups (one cohort, five focus groups). Evaluation of the course suggests the presence of transformational learning, which was surprising given that prior research has tended to focus on longer-term programs. This paper does two things: it introduces the course as a best-practice example in vocational training, and it makes a theoretical contribution by suggesting that a short training course informed by Community of Inquiry principles can lead to transformative learning.

Keywords

community of inquiry · transformative learning · experiential learning · short-term exchanges · police education