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Objective: Despite participating in scenario training, many medical first responders (MFRs) perceive themselves as inadequately prepared to respond to mass casualty incidents (MCIs). The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive examination of traditional MCI scenario training methods, focusing on their inherent strengths and limitations. An investigation into the perceptions of MFRs who had participated in MCI scenario training was carried out to identify potential areas for improvement and provide recommendations for refining MCI training protocols.

Design: Qualitative inductive approach using semistructured interviews that took place between October 2021 and February 2022. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis.

Setting: MCI scenario training involving four organisations (three emergency medical services and one search-and-rescue organisation) tasked with responding to MCIs, collectively representing four European Union countries.

Participants: 27 MFRs (17 emergency medical services personnel and 10 search-and-rescue volunteers) were recruited to participate in the study.

Results: Two categories and seven associated subcategories (shown in parentheses) were identified as influencing the learning outcomes for MFRs: Training in a context mirroring real-world incidents (conducting incident scene risk assessment, realistic representation in casualties, incorporating scenario variety into the curriculum, interagency collaboration, role alignment when training incident site management) and use of a pedagogical framework (allowing for mistakes, the importance of post-training evaluation).

Conclusions: This study reaffirms the value of traditional MCI scenario training and identifies areas for enhancement, advocating for realistic scenarios, interagency collaboration, improved incident site management skills and thorough post-training evaluation. It suggests a shift in MCI training conceptualisation and delivery. The potential of virtual reality technologies as a valuable addition to training methods is explored, with a note on the need for further research to ascertain the long-term effectiveness of these technologies. However, the selection of a training method should consider programme goals, target population and resources.

Context: This study is about the teaching method of simulation exercises and is set in a police education context. Simulation exercises are a central part of Swedish police education, and therefore it is of interest to explore how they are used, and for what purpose, by investigating police teachers' perceptions of this teaching and learning method. Police teachers are police officers who work as teachers at a police education unit on contracts lasting a few years, but which can be extended, and they usually lack any formal pedagogical training. 

Approach: In this study, the exploration of the use of simulation exercises was conducted through an inductive approach which included semi-structured interviews with 12 police teachers. The analysis was carried out in several steps. To promote impartiality in the initial data analysis the researcher first stayed close to the data and connection with the findings of previous studies was only considered in the latter stages of this analytic process. 

Findings: The findings show that the police teachers perceive that the overall purpose of simulation exercises is for students to apply specific content taught in courses, both physical techniques and methods, and more theoretical knowledge, in the fluid context of scenarios relevant to police work. The results also show that the teachers are aware that the purpose of the exercises is stated in the planning documents, but because they inherit the designs from previous teachers, they may not be aware of the underlying details of it or what is to be achieved in the scenario. The findings also demonstrate that the teachers learn the craft of designing and performing simulation exercises and develop their roles as teachers through an informal workplace learning process that involves tacit knowledge developed through working together, and by talking to and observing each other. 

Conclusion: The paper contributes to the field of simulation exercises in vocational (higher) education in that the findings can provide educated arguments for the need for scholarly discussions on simulation exercises as a pedagogical tool that supports student learning, as well as arguments for why formal pedagogically-oriented continuing education on the design and implementation of simulation exercises where learning is in the foreground may be needed to support police teachers' professional development. 

Previous research has shown that teachers' informal learning in social networks is of great importance for their professional development. Participation in social networks is often characterised by knowledge exchange between employees with the aim of dealing with work-related challenges or improving the work practice. In this study, attention was focused on teachers at a Swedish police education unit and their participation in work-related social networks. The findings were based on two data collections, logbooks of social networking interactions and follow-up interviews with 23 teachers. The purpose was to explore who they talked to, for what purpose and what means of communication they used, and the analysis included mapping of their interactions in social networks and a qualitative analysis of their narratives. Overall, the study shows that the teachers' participation in social networks was extensive and valuable for their professional development as teachers. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the teachers' interactions in social networks are usually intentional and based on knowledge needs related to pedagogical aspects of teaching, that the composition of course content and teaching teams can affect teachers' readiness to participate in several different networks and that the type of knowledge need affects which means of communication are used.

Mixed reality (MR) technology has the potential to enhance the disaster preparedness of medical first responders in mass-casualty incidents through new training methods. In this manuscript, we present an MR training solution based on requirements collected from experienced medical first responders and technical experts, regular end-user feedback received through the iterative design process used to develop a prototype and feedback from two initial field trials. We discuss key features essential for an effective MR training system, including flexible scenario design, added realism through patient simulator manikins and objective performance assessment. Current technological challenges such as the responsiveness of avatars and the complexity of smart scenario control are also addressed, along with the future potential for integrating artificial intelligence. Furthermore, an advanced analytics and statistics tool that incorporates complex data integration, machine learning for data analysis and visualization techniques for performance evaluation is presented.

Collaboration is essential for successful emergency event management. Live exercises are one method to prepare for such emergencies. In this paper, we present and evaluate an exercise model for multi-agency collaboration between first responders that focuses on learning collaboration. The model design emphasises preparation, the learning climate, scenarios that support learning, and reflection. The model is underpinned by a practice perspective on learning and structured reflection. Data were collected from three collaboration exercises using questionnaires in conjunction with the exercise and interviews at a later time after the exercise. The analysis showed that the participants developed a knowledge of collaboration and improved their ability to collaborate in real emergency events. The main contribution of the paper is the validation of a small-scale exercise model that places learning of the subject matter in the foreground, which is shown to be a successful method for developing relevant knowledge. It is concluded that this live exercise model both complements the more commonly used large-scale collaboration exercise model and strengthens emergency preparedness.

This article examines how a virtual case that prepares students for practical scenario training affects police students' performance in a practical scenario training. This study included 69 Swedish police students at the Basic Training Programme for Police Officers – 35 assigned to a virtual police case (VCASE) and 34 assigned to a conventional teacher-led (CON) lesson. A questionnaire captured how students experience training conditions and a blind assessment by police officers evaluated the students' performance in the practical scenario training. The results show that both the VCASE and CON participants thought that the training they received before the practical training was meaningful and motivating. However, to a significantly higher degree than the CON students, the VCASE students thought that their preparation helped them during the practical training. The expert assessment of one practical scenario (stopping a suspected stolen car) showed that the VCASE participants performed better than the CON participants in three out of five criteria. In conclusion, the VCASE and the CON training had different effects on the students' performance in the practical scenario: compared to the CON training, the VCASE training seemed to more effectively help the police students solve the situations presented in the practical scenario training.

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore Swedish police education teachers’ informal workplace learningand its perceived value for their professional development. Two categories of teachers, police teachers and universityteachers,with different professional knowledge and experience, work together at the police education unit.

Design/methodology/approach – The method used was in-depth interviews with teachers working at aSwedish police education unit.

Findings – Informal workplace learning was perceived by both teacher groups to be of great value forgaining knowledge about the local practice and for their professional development. Their learning emerged indiscussions, observations and practically oriented activities in their daily work. Four conclusions: firstly, theteachers’ informal workplace learning was socially and practice-oriented and learning emerged in acollaborative, reciprocal and active process. Secondly, the embodied nature of the learning is evident in theteachers’ joint activities in the teaching practice. Thirdly, it takes time and active involvement in the localpractice to become a professional teacher in this kind of education. Fourthly, an educational structure whereacademic knowledge and experience can be integrated with police knowledge and experience constitutes animportant basis for teachers’ professional development in police education and training.

Originality/value – The study’s focus on police education and the professional development of teachers inthis specific practice contributes to increased knowledge of the social, practice-oriented and embodied natureof informal workplace learning.

In the literature, informal learning is considered to be of great importance to employees' development of workplace learning. The aim of this study, which involves respondents from a Swedish police education unit, was to contribute knowledge about Swedish police education teachers' informal learning as regards conditions for learning, learning activities and learning experiences resulting from their engagement in these activities. The results of the study are based on daily digital logbook notes made by 25 police and university teachers during one month and subsequent interviews with these teachers. The main conclusions can be summarised as follows: 1) The culture, structure and materials of the workplace are important parts of teachers' conditions for informal learning. 2) The teachers' informal learning activities are characterised by intentional learning, where supporting interactions with colleagues in their own teams and other, more knowledgeable, colleagues are highly valued. Furthermore, the most common triggers for teachers' informal learning are issues relating to pedagogy and digital technology, and face-to-face contacts with colleagues are preferred. 3) The police teachers describe their learning experiences made in the course of informal learning activities as a transition from an instructor-based to a teaching-oriented approach, while the learning of the university teachers is focused on contextualisation of their teaching by integrating academic knowledge into the police practice. The article concludes with a brief discussion about the possibilities and limitations of informal learning.

Enheten för polisutbildning vid Umeå universitet har under 2019 genomfört en studie i samband med vapenutbildning på grundnivå. Bakgrunden till denna studie var att vapenlärarna vid enheten uppmärksammade att många studenter hade problem med avfyrningstekniken. Problemet kan bero på att när avfyrningen med tjänstevapnet (kaliber 9 x 19 mm) sker kan både rekylen och ljudet upplevas som olustig. Detta kan leda till att skytten försöker kontrollera sin reaktion av ljudet från avfyrningsexplosionen genom att själv bestämma när avfyrningen ska ske, dvs rycker av skottet, och påverkar vapnets rörelse i samband med avfyrning. 

Resultatet blir att skytten inte uppnår önskade träffresultat även om förhållandena mellan korn-sikte-mål är idealiska ögonblicket innan avfyringen. En hypotes är att studenten/skytten kan koncentrera sig bättre på ett korrekt utförande i samband med avfyrning av vapnet om de börjar sin träning med en mindre kaliber (kaliber .22 LR), som ger mindre rekyl och ljud än det ordinarie tjänstevapnet. Fokus kan då i högre utsträckning läggas på avfyrningstekniken istället för att fånga upp rekylen och uthärda ljudet. 

Syftet med studien är att undersöka om träning med en mindre kaliber, och därmed hantering av startle reaction-reflexen, förbättrar resultatet på kompetensprovet samt att undersöka vilka andra bakomliggande faktorer som kan påverka skjutresultatet. Studien använder en kvasiexperimentell design som involverar två grupper polisstudenter: 28 i kontroll- och 27 i interventionsgruppen och undersöker faktorer som kan påverka skyttet. Interventionsgruppen fick en justerad version av Sig Sauer-pistolen som konverterats med en växelsats till att skjuta ammunition med kaliber .22 LR, medan kontroll-gruppen genomförde skjututbildningen utan justeringar i ammunition. 

Intervjuer genomfördes för att undersöka vilka tankar studenterna har kring kompetensprovet i relation till de kvantitativa faktorerna. I den totala gruppen (dvs alla deltagare i studien) var 86 % godkända i kompetensprovet vid första tillfället. Det bästa resultatet för skjutprovet under de senaste 15 terminerna. Resultaten av denna studie indikerar dock att kvinnliga studenter med hög kognitiv oro har lägre skyttepoäng än manliga studenter med mindre kognitiv oro. Denna pilotstudie är ett första steg att undersöka området och kommer att ligga till grund för ytterligare studier i området.

In 2019, police training at Umeå University conducted a quasi-experimental study in connection with weapons training at the undergraduate level. The background for this study was that many students have problems with the firing technique. The reason for this may be the recoil and a loud sound of the firing explosion of the 9 x 19 mm calibre, which often can be perceived as unpleasant. This can lead to the shooter trying to control the firing of the gun by deciding when it should take place, jerking of the shot in order to control the reaction to the sound of the firing explosion. Consequently, the grip on the weapon hardens and the shooter does not achieve the desired hit results, even if the barrel-sight-target conditions are ideal. One hypothesis for the study is that the student / shooter can instead start their training with a smaller calibre (.22 LR), and therefore they can better concentrate on a correct firing technique, instead of the recoil and the sound of the firing explosion. 

The aim of the study is to investigate whether training with smaller calibre, and therefore the students' coping with the star-tle reflex, could result in an increase in the number of students who pass the firearm examination and to investigate correlated factors that might impact on the shooting result. This study employs a quasi-experimental design involving two groups of police students: 28 in the control group and 27 in the intervention group. The intervention group received an adjusted version of the Sig Sauer handgun that was changed to fire .22 long rifle calibre ammunition, while the control group carried out the firing training without adjustments in ammunition. 

Interviews were conducted to investigate what the students' thoughts are about the competence test in relation to the quantita-tive factors. Although both control group and intervention group had the best results (86%) in the firearm examination over the past 15 semesters, the difference was not significant between the intervention group and the control group. The results of this study indicate that female students with high cognitive anxiety have lower shooting scores than do male students with less cognitive anxiety. This pilot study is a first step in exploring the area and will form the basis for further studies in the area.