Abstract

The general trend of scientific and academic professionalization of practical professions, challenges practical professions all over the world. On the basis of interviews and surveys among police students, this study examines what police students experience to be good teaching at the Police University College. In accordance with Dewey (1916), the results clearly demonstrate the importance of relating theory to police practice in social science. For this reason, it is suggested that obligatory participation in police patrols and other police work should be a requirement for teachers in social science at the Police University College. Surprisingly, the students pointed to engagement and to relate theory to practice as important skills of a teacher as knowledge of the subject, to be prepared for lessons and pedagogical skills. Engagement and to relate theory to practice may also be important characteristic of good teaching at other universities with education related to practical professions, such as nursing and teaching.