Microlearning Approach to Radiological Material Theft Response Training

Building capacity for effective law enforcement response to attempted thefts of radioactive materials requires an innovative approach to quickly and inexpensively train large numbers of response personnel to know enough critical information to protect themselves and their communities while preventing loss of control of these materials. Traditional training methods, such as classroom lecture, tabletop exercises, and webinars, can train limited numbers of people at one time, can take significant time away from the job, and can be expensive to train a large population over time. If training information is not easily relatable to specific work needs, it can be “shelved” and not implemented in the field. Training for new staff and revisions to training materials will be needed over time. The United States (U.S.) National Nuclear Security Administration’s Office of Radiological Security (ORS) has deployed a microlearning approach to present the most essential information that law enforcement officers need to understand when making an initial response to a potential radioactive material security event. Learning is delivered by a concise mobile-capable video, customized to their specific city, and featuring their local officers and referred to as a roll-call video. Common information, such as basic radiation safety and security information, can be used in multiple videos, decreasing costs and time associated with creating customized videos. To date, ORS has provided roll-call videos to 24 police departments in the U.S. and has trained over 13,000 officers. Additionally, ORS has provided 3 international partners with roll-call videos, through which an estimated 9,000 officers have received training. These types of microlearning videos are not restricted to law enforcement response training, but also have broad potential application for training across a variety of radiological or nuclear safety and security training topics where there is a need to deploy training broadly, quickly, and economically.