Strategies for the Development of Oral and Writing Communicative Skills of Students in Police Education Training: case Study

Abstract

Communication skills are of great relevance for any professional studying in higher education institutions. The same holds true for the graduate profile of the student police officer in their training process since communication skills not only ensure better written and oral communication but also favor interactions between citizens and law enforcement officers. In this context, the present study aims to understand how the strategies implemented by the teachers of the subject Communication Skills at the Escuela de Carabineros de Chile (police officer academy) contribute to the development of oral and writing skills according to the new Biennium Programme. For this purpose, the researchers carried out a mixed study with a qualitative-interpretative stage based on a case study design, descriptive in nature, with an exploratory scope; and a quantitative stage based on statistical analysis with descriptive scope, considering as a case the courses Communicative Skills I and II of the police officers training programme. Through a semi-structured interview with the teachers of the subjects (4 participants) and a Likert-type survey addressed to students (117 participants), the authors collected the necessary information for the identification of tensions that would allow for an in-depth understanding of the case. Moreover, the researchers reflect on the importance of the methodologies implemented by educators for the development of communicative competence. In this case study, it was possible to demonstrate the need to strengthen Study Programs to promote the implementation of teaching strategies and provide teachers with training opportunities to reflect on the pedagogical work and to update the disciplinary contents of the subject. Therefore, the authors recommend delving into other dimensions of analysis on macro-communicative skills in police institutions to collect more information on their relevance and scope in the future.