A Guideline for Developing the 21st-Century Curriculum to Ethics and Code of Ethics among Police Cadets at the Training Center of Provincial Police Region 9.

Abstract

This research article aimed: (1) to examine the current state of teaching and learning management in promoting ethics and professional codes of conduct in the police profession, and (2) to investigate approaches for developing ethics and professional ethics instruction in the police profession. A qualitative research methodology was employed, with in-depth interviews as the primary research instrument. Data were analyzed using content analysis, and triangulation was applied to validate the findings. Logical connections were established among the findings to formulate pedagogical development approaches consistent with 21st-century education.
The results revealed that:
1. the current state of teaching and learning management in promoting ethics and professional codes of conduct in the police profession demonstrates strengths in its instructional processes. Clear instructional policies are set by the Royal Thai Police, with the Police Education Bureau responsible for designing the core curriculum. This curriculum is subsequently disseminated to the Provincial Police Training Center Region 9, which is responsible for local instructional management. Opportunities for development were identified in three dimensions. First, the role of training center administrators requires sustained support in terms of policies, vision, curriculum development planning, and the promotion of active learning for instructors. Second, the role of instructors is primarily focused on traditional knowledge transmission, emphasizing textbook-based instruction. Third, the role of learners is largely passive, following structured lesson plans, with some learners requiring additional motivation from instructors.
2. Approaches for developing the teaching and learning of ethics and professional codes of conduct in the police profession, in alignment with 21st-century learning, necessitate the adoption of active learning strategies. These strategies allow police cadets to acquire knowledge and transform behavior through hands-on practice. Active learning design should integrate experiential activities related to ethics and professional conduct, the application of ethical concepts, and reflective practices to foster deeper understanding and the internalization of ethical values in the police profession.
The contribution of this study lies in presenting concrete approaches to enhance the promotion of ethics and professional conduct among police cadets. It also encourages instructors in ethics-related courses to adopt modernized and contemporary pedagogical methods consistent with 21st-century learning. Moreover, the findings add value not only to the Provincial Police Training Center Region 9 but also to other regional centers and institutions with similar contexts.