NCJ Number
78309
Journal
Journal of Police Science and Administration Volume: 9 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1981) Pages: 224-230
Date Published
1981
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article argues that police training programs should initiate a means of individualizing instruction because of known or observed disparity between student background, knowledge, and learning rates; results with the Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operations (PLATO) system are described.
Abstract
The first full-scale use of this learning system is occurring at the Police Training Institute, University of Illinois, to teach active police personnel during training. Report writing was selected as the initital subject matter to be covered through the ongoing use of PLATO. PLATO has the following four major components: a curriculum, a computer management system for delivering the curriculum, an evaluation mechanism, and an instructor training package. Between July 1, 1978, and June 19, 1979, a total of 840 Police Training Institute students used the prescribed PLATO system. Students included both police recruits and experienced police officers. Students totaled more than 1,600 hours on PLATO. Yearend initial reactions and formal student evaluations indicate that the PLATO system can serve as an effective police training methodology. About 40 references are included. (Author summary modified)