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Each year of the 3-year project is presented below -- each with its description and related task status list. This Task Plan incorporates all the objectives defined by Goals One and Two -- as well as the objectives defined by the Evaluation and Management Plan. (Highlighted items in each list will eventually pop-up related status details - feature temporaily disabled)
Year One
Description:
The project will convene the project team and develop an overall project plan that clearly identifies the roles and responsibilities of each team member. The team will conduct a two-day workshop with representatives from police and sheriff departments, correctional facilities, railways, and private security managers to clarify the appropriate set of learning objectives to drive the project content. A project Advisory Group will be formed from the participants of the workshop. The project team will use the set of learning objectives agreed to for identifying which fit into existing courses and which require the introduction of new courses. The project team will research available sources, e.g. other NSF centers and projects, other law enforcement education programs already in place, COPS, and the Homeland Security Office of Domestic Preparedness to find existing courses that satisfy the learning objectives. Century faculty will train in the new materials and use their new insights to develop the related Investigative Sciences two-year degree, the related law enforcement certifications, and modules suitable for use by Continuing Education. Work will begin to provide the online versions of the courses following blended learning guidelines.
Status:
Goal One: Curriculum Development for Investigative Science
Goal Two: Extend Impact and Reach of Course Materials
Year One evaluation activities will include documentation of progress to date (e.g., development of courses, curriculum, and workshops; collaboration) and development of data collection protocols for use in the Year Two pilot.
Year Two
Description:
Three of the new courses will be offered in the Fall Semester and the other three will begin Spring Semester. The initial offerings are intended to pilot the courses, evaluate their effectiveness, and refine them for subsequent use. Students from Century's secondary school collaboration with the Northeast Metro 916 District will be recruited as well. While the pilots are being conducted, the evaluation of the new degree program will be pursued through the Century Curriculum Committee. The goal is to have the degree approved by the end of Year Two, put in place within Century, and communicated broadly through the MnSCU system. In parallel, a Train the Trainer family of workshops will be created. These workshops will be offered in the summer of Year Two to faculty from other MnSCU colleges. The POST organization will use the evaluations from the pilot courses to determine the suitability of the new degree program for meeting the POST standards for peace officer certification. The new curriculum and courses for both online and classroom delivery will be developed in collaboration with four-year colleges and universities and secondary schools to ensure smooth articulation. Online versions of the courses will be available at the end of Year Two. Additionally, the use of hand-held computing technology will be introduced into the appropriate courses.
Status:
Goal One: Curriculum Development for Investigative Science
Goal Two: Extend Impact and Reach of Course Materials
Year Two evaluation will document the progress to date (e.g., number and nature of courses and workshops offered); the number and characteristics of participants (e.g., enrolling students and faculty participating in the workshops); and the quality, utility and impact of the new curriculum (e.g., five new courses) and the Train the Trainer workshops. Data collection will include curriculum materials ratings by and interviews with the faculty teaching the five new courses; surveys of students completing the courses; materials ratings and sessions evaluations completed by faculty participating in the training workshops; and review of the curriculum's alignment with the stated learning objectives and emerging standards for first responders by an outside expert.
Year Three
The new degree track will become official in Year Three and will begin serious recruitment of students. Scholarships will be offered to eliminate 'budget excuses' by agencies who may be reluctant to start their organization down new paths. Other MnSCU colleges will begin offering pilots of the program as well. A two-day Symposium will be held to introduce and advertise the new program. This Symposium will invite law enforcement agencies and personnel from around the region and from across the nation. Expenses for attendance will be covered in order to attract a good audience. POST will begin the process of positioning its learning objectives to reflect the science and technology content of the new program. In Year Three students will be given the opportunity of interning with local departments for real-life experience. As an example, stundet interest in Crime Mapping could intern with Minnesota's statewide agency, providing exposure to the real world. By the end of Year Three, all the program materials will be accessible from the Century website. Additionally, the hand-held devices will be upgraded to include live peace officer solutions that support their daily work.
Goal One: Curriculum Development for Investigative Science
Goal Two: Extend Impact and Reach of Course Materials
Year Three evaluation will also document the progress to date (e.g., number and nature of courses offered); the number and characteristics of participants (e.g., enrolled students, faculty and institutions offering the courses); and the quality, utility and impact of the new curriculum as implemented in multiple educational institutions. Data collection will include curriculum materials ratings by all faculty teaching the new courses and surveys of students completing the courses.
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