New Research: Challenges of Remote Learning and Innovation in Police and Technology Work

As digitalization accelerates and remote work and online training become more widespread, organizations are facing new challenges, especially in the areas of learning and innovation. Work practices and environments have evolved, bringing both immediate and long-term effects. This research (Lemmetty, 2024) focused on the police and technology sectors, where the challenges of remote work and learning manifest differently. Interviews with 20 individuals provided valuable insights into the real-time and long-term issues related to remote work, learning, and innovation in these fields.

Challenges in the Police Sector: The Conflict Between Efficiency and Practical Learning
Remote learning for police officers is mainly carried out through online training, which they must often complete throughout their careers, especially during legal reforms. According to the research, the key challenge in online learning is its application in practical, hands-on work. While remote learning effectively conveys theoretical knowledge, it often becomes a one-sided and passive form of learning—merely a transfer of information from instructor to individual. Police officers feel that remote learning remains at the theoretical level, which does not meet the practical demands of their work. “Many times, we just sit and listen to lectures without being able to apply what we’ve learned in practice,” one officer describes.

A significant issue in police training is the “one-way efficiency” problem, where learning is described as “learning alongside work,” making it difficult to find time for it in the midst of a busy schedule. Learning alongside work often materializes as listening to online lectures while simultaneously handling paperwork and responding to emails. This multitasking culture reflects a lack of space or motivation for deep concentration, leading to superficial learning that does not truly support the development of diverse skills. When learning is viewed merely as a means of maximizing efficiency, focusing on quick knowledge acquisition, practical application and deep understanding are left lacking.

A long-term challenge in the police sector involves the shift of learning responsibility to individuals. The role of the organization in supporting learning is perceived to have diminished, with the focus of training shifting toward independent—and often solitary—study, where the goal is not necessarily learning but rather completing mandatory requirements. This performance-oriented culture may weaken the organization’s collective learning and collaboration. “Online courses feel more like obligations than genuine learning opportunities,” one interviewee commented.

Challenges in the Technology Sector: Missing Artifacts and Weakening Social Bonds
In the technology sector, the challenges of remote innovation are particularly tied to interaction and information sharing. Developing innovations in the day-to-day setting of remote work presents different problems than working in a physical environment. Real-time innovation processes revealed “incomplete observations,” meaning that many small but important pieces of information and artifacts, such as physical prototypes or environmental observations, are missing in remote settings. The observation and handling of physical objects help understand what works and what doesn’t. “Handling prototypes in a Teams meeting is not the same as the team physically gathering around them,” a technology worker explained.

The lack of physical meetings also impacts the innovation process. Innovation often requires spontaneous, informal encounters, such as coffee breaks, where ideas are freely exchanged. In a remote work environment, these spontaneous ideas don’t arise because meetings are typically pre-planned and topic-specific.

In the long term, the weakening of social bonds in remote work becomes a significant challenge. The absence of a physical community can reduce the sense of belonging and weaken trust between teams. “When we don’t regularly meet colleagues face-to-face, the sense of community suffers, and innovation may diminish,” one technology expert noted. This weakening of social relationships can reduce employee commitment and negatively impact the long-term generation of innovations.

Cultural and Pedagogical Challenges of Remote Work
The increase in remote work and remote learning also extends to organizational culture and pedagogical practices. The research highlighted that in remote work environments, key sociocultural elements of learning, such as interaction and collective learning, are particularly challenging. Organizational values, practices, and remote work policies significantly affect how well learning and innovation can be achieved in remote environments. Particularly in the technology sector, the research found that the limitations of remote innovation, due to a lack of material and environmental factors, increase ambiguity and hinder deep learning.

In police organizations, the primary issue was related to teaching methods reflecting the performance-oriented culture of the organization. Police online training often relies on a behaviorist learning approach, which emphasizes rapid knowledge acquisition without deep reflection or interaction. This does not serve professions where practical skills are central.

The Importance of Learning Quality and Developing Pedagogy
One of the key findings of the research was that the quality of learning and pedagogical practices require significant improvement in remote work environments. Both the police and technology sectors found that learning quality suffers if organizations do not invest in interactive and participatory learning methods. Currently, remote learning and working are often inefficient and too focused on performance.

Developing pedagogical methods requires time and resources to allow employees to acquire knowledge more deeply and comprehensively. This also involves supporting collective learning and creating opportunities for spontaneous encounters and informal learning situations. Organizations should pay particular attention to how they can support their employees’ learning and innovation in remote environments as well.

This text is based on the publication: Lemmetty, S. (2024). Real-Time and Long-Term Challenges of Remote Learning and Innovation: Cases from Police and Technology Organisations. Vocations and Learning. Early access: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12186-024-09354-1

Soila Lemmetty, postdoctoral researcher, JATKOT