Course Selection Process

In advance of Stanhope 2010, delegates and other interested policing organizations are asked to submit proposals for topics for priority e-learning development as part of the e-Learning Course Selection Process. Proposals, via the e-Learning Course Proposal Form (below), must be submitted by email to CPKN by September 10, 2010. These will be distributed to delegates for review and consideration prior to the conference. Sumbissions will be then voted on by the community at large.

• e-Learning Course Proposal Form (fillable MS Word document)

PRINTABLE VERSION of e-Learning Course Selection Process (pdf document)

Background

Since 2007, the Police Sector Council (PSC) has funded the development of numerous e-learning courses of national relevance to the Canadian police community. Over the next three years (until 2012), four to five new courses will be developed each year by CPKN as part of PSC's National e-Learning Program. This initiative is guided by CPKN's national Advisory Group, comprised of senior police training practitioners from across Canada, and carried out in collaboration with police services and agencies.

Each year at the Stanhope Conference, delegates have been asked to put forward topics for e-learning development, based on the priority needs of the policing sector. In the past, this has been carried out through conference brainstorming sessions and post-conference surveys. As the Program has become established, the Advisory Group developed a comprehensive 'e-Learning Course Selection Process' to ensure the process is open, transparent, and thorough.

Topics to be considered for e-learning development over the next development cycle must be submitted prior to the conference. These submissions will be compiled by CPKN staff and distributed to all delegates for review/consideration prior to the conference. Following presentation and discussion of proposed topics during the conference, voting will determine the next courses for development at CPKN.

Eligible Organizations

Any policing organization or any organization affiliated with police training in Canada is eligible to submit a topic for consideration and/or vote on development priorities. This includes Police Services, Police Academies, Solicitor General Offices, and other agencies such as Canada Border Services Agency and Corrections Canada.

Deadline for Submission

All interested parties are asked to complete the e-Learning Course Proposal Form and return it to CPKN by September 10, 2010. Completed forms are to be submitted electronically to Bill Gibson at bill.gibson@cpkn.ca

Mandatory Criteria

All proposed topics must meet the following criteria:

1. Topic must be nationally relevant to policing.
2. Existing course content and a Subject Matter Expert must be readily available/accessible (or a clear path to developing the content exists).
3. Content is currently delivered in a 0.5 - 3 day classroom session (to create a 0.5 - 4 hours of online training).
4. No e-learning currently exists on the topic.

Soapbox Session

Delegates or a selected representative for an organization will have the opportunity to briefly present their proposal at the Stanhope Conference (during the Selecting Topics for e-Learning session on the morning of Wednesday, October 6^th). Each presenter will have 2 - 3 minutes to 'sell' their proposal to other delegates prior to the voting session. Those interested in participating in the Soapbox Session must indicate this in their proposal (Question 12).

Non-Delegate Participation

Agencies that will not be represented at the Stanhope 2010 Conference will also have the opportunity to participate in this process. Proposals must be submitted by the September 10^th deadline to be considered. Voting will be conducted electronically following the conference.

Voting Procedure

In-person voting will take place on Wednesday, October 6^th. Services/Agencies that are not represented at Stanhope 2010 or that opt to defer their vote until they have obtained further information from their organization will be provided with an opportunity to vote online after the conference. An online form will be available until October 22, 2010.

Each service/agency will be allocated one vote. Delegates voting on behalf of their organization will assess the proposals according to their organization's needs/perspective.

Each service will vote on all proposals submitted.

Voters will assess the proposed topics according the following criteria, which are weighted equally, and will be rated on a scale of 1 through 5.

1. Level of Relevance to Organization (if topic applies to your organization)
2. Level of Priority to Organization (how timely is the topic to your organization)
3. Level of Risk (to Officers, Service, and Public) (how severe is the risk mitigated by the training)

Voters will also be asked to estimate the number of projected learners from their organization for each proposed course. This information will be used by the Advisory Group to determine the national relevance of the course.

Voting will be paper-based this year; the feasibility of an electronic voting system for future conferences will be explored.

Results Publication

As soon as they are compiled, the results of the voting will be posted to the conference website. It is anticipated that this will be complete by November 1^st.

Grievances and Recommendations

Any conflicts, concerns, or unforeseen issues regarding the Course Selection Process will be resolved by the CPKN's national Advisory Group. Delegates are also encouraged to share their suggestions for improving this process for future conferences.

For More Information

Any questions regarding this process may be directed to:

Bill Gibson
Chair, Course Selection Sub-Committee
Tel: 902-629-4276
Email: bill.gibson@cpkn.ca