MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — From processing outdoor crime scenes to excavating skeletal remains, teachers from across Tennessee spent a day sharpening their skills over the summer at Middle Tennessee State University’s fourth annual Criminal Justice High School Educators Professional Development Workshop.

Hosted by MTSU’s Department of Criminal Justice, the workshop provided hands-on training for more than 40 high school Career and Technical Education, or CTE, instructors under the instructions of with university faculty in partnership with the Murfreesboro Police Department.

“This has been a great way for us to see what advances they’re making in high school curriculums and connect these educators with experts in the field who can provide them with skills, knowledge and practical exercises to use with their own students in areas in which they would like more education,” said Elizabeth Q. Wright, event coordinator and criminal justice professor at MTSU.

Forensic science and criminal justice faculty members working alongside industry professionals led 90-minute sessions that paired instruction with classroom-ready activities aligned with Tennessee Department of Education standards.

Participants explored topics ranging from forensic anthropology and crime scene processing to emergency management, data analysis, domestic violence, current case law and emerging investigative techniques.

“This year, we devoted half a day to crime scene reconstruction because teachers asked for more hands-on experience,” Wright said. “The goal is to keep teachers’ knowledge current, introduce them to new developments in criminal justice and provide resources they can immediately take back to their classrooms.”

For Lebanon High School criminal justice teacher J.D. Lakeman, the June academy fills a gap in specialized training for CTE instructors.

“Teachers come from all kinds of backgrounds — law enforcement, the courts, probation. Everyone comes in with different strengths,” said Lakeman, who has attended all four academies. “The training at MTSU lets teachers choose areas where they’re weaker and take those classes that are relevant to what our students need to learn.”

Tailored to meet teacher needs

Wright said MTSU also tailors the training to Tennessee Department of Education standards. The instructors also adapt the workshop curriculum based on teacher input and allow them to choose which sessions best suit their needs.

“It would have been a waste of time for me to sit through sessions on basic police procedures because I already spent years doing that,” said Lakeman, a former Atlanta area police officer. “Instead, I focused on forensic anthropology, ballistics and forensic science — areas where I didn’t have that background.”

Along with experiential learning, participants leave with lesson materials, classroom resources and professional contacts “so you can walk straight into your classroom and teach it,” Lakeman said.

The academy also serves as a recruitment pipeline, introducing educators and their students to MTSU’s criminal justice and forensic science programs. Many high school students complete dual enrollment coursework or earn college credit before arriving on campus, giving them a head start toward their degrees.

Wright said criminal justice curriculum continues to evolve alongside advances in technology, investigative methods and legal decisions, making specialized professional development increasingly important.

“Next year we’d like to incorporate drone technology because that’s becoming increasingly important in law enforcement, and teachers specifically requested it,” Wright said.

To learn more about the MTSU Department of Criminal Justice, visit https://criminaljustice.mtsu.edu/. For more details about the forensic science degree pathway, visit https://www.mtsu.edu/program/forensic-science-b-s/.

— Nancy DeGennaro ([email protected])