University News Last updated 30 April 2019
Social scientists at Birmingham City University are working with West Midlands Police to create special pub quizzes designed to encourage better engagement between police officers and research findings relevant to their practice.
Covering a range of topics relating to daily policing work, the quarterly pub quizzes will provide participants with bite-size nuggets of important information, with the aim of officers being more likely to remember, retain and draw upon the content in the future.
Dr Laura Hammond and Dr Rahul Jalil, researchers at Birmingham City University’s School of Social Sciences, created the quizzes with the West Midlands Police Evidence Based Practice Team.
"Evidence shows that people are more likely to engage with teaching material when it is delivered in a novel and innovative way and that people learn more when they have fun", said Dr Hammond.
A pilot quiz event was hosted recently with feedback suggesting it was a resounding success.
"Everyone loves pub quizzes, and I always find that I remember facts and bits of knowledge from those that I've attended," added Dr Hammond.
"Tailoring pub quizzes for the police might help them to acquire new research knowledge relevant to their work and remember it in a similar way!"
Plans are now afoot for further events, including police 'Escape Rooms'.