The potential of collaborative learning as a tool for forensic students: Application to signature examination

Transferring theoretical knowledge to practical skills remains a big challenge in forensic science, especially in questioned documents. The examination of handwriting and signatures requires years of practice to develop the necessary skills. While students (and to some extent the general population) often have the impression that it is easy to differentiate handwriting from different persons, in practice, particularly when dealing with simulated signatures, there is a high risk of reaching a wrong conclusion when questioned document experts do not use a systematic approach and/or are not sufficiently experienced (see for example the famous French Dreyfus case). Thus, a novel teaching approach, based on collaborative learning, has been introduced in a theoretical handwriting class to improve the students’ theoretical knowledge, and additionally make them aware of the limitations of their practical skills and give them tools to improve them in their future practice. Through five activities, the students took the roles of victims, forgers, teachers and experts and created their own learning materials (i.e. signatures and mock casework). During those interactive activities, they learned to describe their signature’s characteristics, intra-variability and complexity, and thus evaluate their own signature’s vulnerability (as potential victims). They learned techniques to simulate signatures and detect the resulting forgeries’ characteristics (in the role of forgers). In the role of teachers, they prepared mock casework scenarios and gave feedback to their colleague’s examination of the produced material. As experts, they carried out signature examination as they would in a proficiency test and were exposed to the difficulties an actual expert may encounter in practice. The evaluation of this novel teaching scenario was very positive, as students learned more extensively the possibilities and limitations of signature comparison. They were more active and motivated in their learning experiences. The teaching team also had an improved experience. Some students complained of an increased workload and imprecise instructions. Improvements were tested and are discussed in this paper

Une question de temps : apprentissage par problème dans un cours de police scientifique

Cet article présente l’évaluation du scénario pédagogique d’un cours portant sur la datation et la chronologie en police scientifique organisé autour d’un apprentissage par problèmes (APP). Ce cours est organisé en APP pour aborder autant les questions pratiques que les concepts théoriques avec les étudiants, remplaçant ainsi une partie d’un enseignement ex cathedra. L’évaluation du scénario a mis en évidence le degré élevé de motivation des étudiants lié aux types de problèmes proposés, issus de situations réelles. Ceux-ci ont appris à travailler en groupe et à interagir de manière systématique avec leur entourage, étant ainsi partenaire de leur apprentissage plutôt que récepteurs. Cette nouvelle façon d’aborder l’enseignement théorique a également permis à l’enseignante d’améliorer ses capacités à transmettre les compétences visées au long du processus mis en place et ceci tout particulièrement en terme de transfert de la théorie vers la pratique.This article presents the evaluation of a problem-based learning (PBL) scenario introduced in a forensic course on dating and reconstruction of chronologies. The educational project comprises replacing part of the traditional lecture by PBL for practical reasons as well as conceptual. Evaluating the scenario highlighted that students’ motivation is enhanced by the problems put foward, stemming from real situations similar to those students will encounter in their future professional environment. Students also learned to work in groups and interact with their colleagues, thus being partners of their learning instead of sole receivers. This new approach of teaching concept and theories also improved the teacher capacities in enabling the learning process, and in particular transfering theory to practice

Une question de temps : apprentissage par problème dans un cours de police scientifique

Cet article présente l’évaluation du scénario pédagogique d’un cours portant sur la datation et la chronologie en police scientifique organisé autour d’un apprentissage par problèmes (APP). Ce cours est organisé en APP pour aborder autant les questions pratiques que les concepts théoriques avec les étudiants, remplaçant ainsi une partie d’un enseignement ex cathedra. L’évaluation du scénario a mis en évidence le degré élevé de motivation des étudiants lié aux types de problèmes proposés, issus de situations réelles. Ceux-ci ont appris à travailler en groupe et à interagir de manière systématique avec leur entourage, étant ainsi partenaire de leur apprentissage plutôt que récepteurs. Cette nouvelle façon d’aborder l’enseignement théorique a également permis à l’enseignante d’améliorer ses capacités à transmettre les compétences visées au long du processus mis en place et ceci tout particulièrement en terme de transfert de la théorie vers la pratique.This article presents the evaluation of a problem-based learning (PBL) scenario introduced in a forensic course on dating and reconstruction of chronologies. The educational project comprises replacing part of the traditional lecture by PBL for practical reasons as well as conceptual. Evaluating the scenario highlighted that students’ motivation is enhanced by the problems put foward, stemming from real situations similar to those students will encounter in their future professional environment. Students also learned to work in groups and interact with their colleagues, thus being partners of their learning instead of sole receivers. This new approach of teaching concept and theories also improved the teacher capacities in enabling the learning process, and in particular transfering theory to practice

Une question de temps : apprentissage par problème dans un cours de police scientifique

This article presents the evaluation of a problem-based learning (PBL) scenario introduced in a forensic course on dating and reconstruction of chronologies. The educational project comprises replacing part of the traditional lecture by PBL for practical reasons as well as conceptual. Evaluating the scenario highlighted that students’ motivation is enhanced by the problems put foward, stemming from real situations similar to those students will encounter in their future professional environment. Students also learned to work in groups and interact with their colleagues, thus being partners of their learning instead of sole receivers. This new approach of teaching concept and theories also improved the teacher capacities in enabling the learning process, and in particular transfering theory to practice

The potential of digital technologies in problem-based forensic learning activities

Forensic practice is the concluding practical course of the forensic science bachelor program at the School of Criminal Justice of the University of Lausanne. Learning activities are constructed around five main objectives for the resolution of simulated forensic case problems: 1) select relevant traces and items to be collected at the scene and perceive their potential value in the reconstruction process, 2) apply appropriate detection techniques in sequence to obtain clues of good quality, 3) process traces using Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation and Verification (ACE-V) methodology, 4) produce and summarise information in oral and written forms to help an investigation, and 5) work collaboratively to benefit from the diversity of group members. Simulating and supervising realistic activities is a complex task that became more and more challenging with a continuously increasing number of students over the years (from ca. 30 in 2016 to more than 60 in 2021). Thus, an educational innovation project was launched and aimed at implementing digital technologies to support the teaching staff. A computer-based crime scene simulation tool (allowing students to visualize 360° crime scenes and relevant items) and a communication tool (to simplify and centralise the communication between the students and the teaching staff) were implemented. This article describes the implementation, added value and limitations of these digital technologies in problem-based learning activities. Prior to 2020, the practical course forensic practice was delivered entirely on-site without specific technologies, and entirely on-line in 2020 (due to the sanitary restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic). Finally, in 2021, on-line and on-site activities were implemented with success, combining the best of both approaches in a blended teaching mode. An overall increase in the satisfaction of students and teaching staff was observed with the implementation of these tools. Limiting presence on-site allowed students to take a step back from the activities and collected items. This promoted critical thinking, and together with an increase in structured (on-line and on-site) interactions allowed for a positive, continuous learning experience. While the evaluations of these novel technologies were very positive, students still expressed their willingness to perform certain tasks on-site and a preference for face-to-face interactions

Numéro spécial - hiver 2015

Ce numéro thématique issu du colloque QPES de juin 2013 à Sherbrooke, Québec, a été édité par Denis Bédard, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Gilbert Lainey, Télécom Bretagne, France, Louise Ménard, Université de Québec à Montréal, Nadine Postaux, Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgique, Benoît Raucent, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgique et Caroline Verzat, Novanicia Business School, Paris, France. Les contributions ont été évaluées par les collaborateurs de l'Institut de développement et d'innovation pédagogiques (Idip) de l'Université de Strasbourg, France : Christian Sauter, Marion Gaudenzi, Stella Vonie et Simon Zingaretti

Numéro spécial

Ce numéro thématique issu du colloque QPES de juin 2013 à Sherbrooke, Québec, a été édité par Denis Bédard, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Gilbert Lainey, Télécom Bretagne, France, Louise Ménard, Université de Québec à Montréal, Nadine Postaux, Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgique, Benoît Raucent, Université catholique de Louvain, Belgique et Caroline Verzat, Novanicia Business School, Paris, France. Les contributions ont été évaluées par les collaborateurs de l'Institut de développement et d'innovation pédagogiques (Idip) de l'Université de Strasbourg, France : Christian Sauter, Marion Gaudenzi, Stella Vonie et Simon Zingaretti