New Report: Teaching Phronesis to Aspiring Police Officers - Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues

20th September 2022Publications

As part of the ‘Virtues in Policing’ research project, and the wider focus on Virtues in the Professions, the Jubilee Centre has published Teaching Phronesis to Aspiring Police Officers. This research report is the second report published under the project, following on from Character Virtues in Policing that was published in 2021.

Teaching Phronesis to Aspiring Police Officers conducted a pilot study of a phronesis-focussed teaching intervention with police science students at five universities in England and Wales. The intervention took the form of four 45-minute classes, measured via pre-and post-intervention surveys using a validated measure of phronesis. The report explores what worked and did not work in a phronesis classroom intervention with police science student participants; what can be inferred from the administration of a phronesis measure (pre- and post-) about the students completing and not completing it; and what lessons can be learned from interviews with lecturers about the strengths and weaknesses of the intervention. The project found that:

there was great variability in students studying policing in the U.K. This made felicitously pitching a single intervention at all of them difficult.
some of this inter-university-course difference was caused by varying personality profiles of students, rather than different levels of phronesis.
those students most motivated to pursue the phronesis intervention (as judged by their willingness to complete an in-depth post-survey) scored significantly higher on measures of (i) the virtue aspect of the Contingencies of Self-Worth measure, and (ii) Moral Self-Relevance. Hence, sustained participation in the intervention was already predicted by some of the components that the intervention was meant to improve.
the ‘motivated students’ also scored higher in perspective taking, empathic concern, prosociality, conscientiousness, extraversion and, most of all, agreeableness.

The report is available online here, with a limited number of hard copies are available and can be requested by emailing jubileecentre@contacts.bham.ac.uk

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Character Strengths for the Working World is an essential event for PSHE Leads, Careers Leads, and Character Education Leads within UK educational institutions. Join us on Thursday, 13th July 2023, from 9am to 5pm at the beautiful Botanical Gardens, Birmingham.

This one-day conference, organised byThe Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues at the University of Birmingham, aims to provide insights, knowledge, and networking opportunities for professionals committed to enhancing character development and employability skills in their students.

Our speakers will share their expertise and perspectives on educational policy and best practices for empowering students to excel in the working world through harnessing their character strengths. The event will include keynote speeches, policy and practitioner panels, interactive sessions, and opportunities to connect with a wide range of professionals and experts in the field.

Our line-up of distinguished speakers includes:

• Rt. Hon. Baroness Nicky Morgan (former Secretary of State for Education)

• Bec Tigue (Character Lead at the University of Birmingham School)

• David Harkin (CEO at 8 Billion Ideas)

• Adrian McLean (Character Ambassador and Multi-academy Trust Lead at Severn Academies)

• The Careers and Enterprise Company

Food and refreshments:

Morning coffee and pastries, lunch, afternoon tea, and a drinks reception will be provided as part of registration for you to enjoy.

Free resources:

There will be multiple free resources available for you to take away at this event. We will be launching a new workbook, based on research funded by the Society for Educational Studies, for use by careers guidance professionals and character educators to help students consider who they are, the character traits they aspire towards, and to align their career choices with this. We will also have multiple other free resources that educators can use within their practice based on over a decade of research at the Jubilee Centre for Character and Virtues.

Attendance is free, but spaces are limited. It is essential to reserve your place in advance to avoid disappointment. Don't miss out on this opportunity to elevate your institution's approach to character education and student employability. Register now to secure your spot at Character Strengths for the Working World.

20th September 2022Publications

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