Sage on the Stage or Guide by the Side?: A Proposed Developmental Pathway for Police Educators

Abstract

Within the broad field of educational research, good teaching is viewed as guiding students through deeper learning processes in what is often termed a “learner-centred” approach. This approach is contrasted with being “teacher-centred,” which essentially views the teacher as a “sage on the stage” whose role is to pass on knowledge to students in a generally didactic manner. Police educators, like educators generally, often view themselves as a sage early in their teaching career but with effective development they can move towards a more sophisticated and effective learner-centred conception, where they act increasingly like a “guide by the side.” Developing a learner-centred teaching conception is becoming increasingly more valuable within the police education context as policing organizations make greater use of innovative teaching approaches such as problem based learning (PBL). Referring to recent research on teaching conceptions, this paper outlines a potential pathway for police educators to develop from sage to guide.