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Offender Learners and the Digital Divide 1 st November 07

Offender Learners and the Digital Divide 1 st November 07. The Importance of Offender Learners and the OU Prison System. Vicki Goodwin (Assistant Director, Region 4) Tam Milner (Centre Manager, Student Registration & Enquiry Service, Nottingham). The Importance of Offender Learning.

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Offender Learners and the Digital Divide 1 st November 07

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  1. Offender Learners and the Digital Divide 1st November 07

  2. The Importance of Offender Learners and the OU Prison System • Vicki Goodwin (Assistant Director, Region 4) • Tam Milner (Centre Manager, Student Registration & Enquiry Service, Nottingham)

  3. The Importance of Offender Learning

  4. Top 10 courses, 2005/06 • DD100 An introduction to the Social Sciences 201 • Y157 Understanding Society* 116 • A103 An introduction to the Humanities • Y159 Understanding Management * • Y154 Open to Change* • MST121 Using Mathematics • MU120 Open Mathematics • S103 Discovering Science • B200 Understanding Business Behaviour • K100 Understanding Health and Social Care * short 10 point courses

  5. Top 10 courses, 2006/07 • DD100 An introduction to the Social Sciences 185 • Y157 Understanding Society* 106 • Y159 Understanding Management * • Y154 Open to Change* • A103 An introduction to the Humanities • Y162 Starting with Maths* • MU120 Open Mathematics • Y158 Understanding Health* • SK183 Understanding human nutrition* • Y161 Understanding environment* *short 10 point course

  6. “Undertaking the OU degree helped me a great deal. Not only did it give me purpose and a direction, but…… it made me realise a lot of my own failings in how I saw the world as a whole….the skills I learnt doing each OU course proved invaluable. I can actually do some real good from prison – in my case translating collections of artefacts from museums with my meroitic script - and I have several opportunities of working in this area on my release….The Tutors…really gave me motivation and helped me more than I can say.Thank you OU for the opportunity and for having faith in me”Graduate, October 2007.

  7. The OU Prison Scheme • Study available to offenders across the UK, Republic of Ireland and some prisons/YOIs in Europe • Basic advice provided by the SRS Prisons Team based in Nottingham – with the exceptions of: • Scotland (R11) • Northern Ireland and RoI (R12) • Europe (R09) • Correspondence between students in prison and the SRS is made via the Prison’s Education Department. • Partnerships essential to maximise the service • External – primarily Government offices, HM Prison Service and the Prisoners’ Education Trust (PET), plus charities and PS+ • Internal – Regional Prison Advisers and Learner Support Teams

  8. Course Choice and Registration • Restricted access to online facilities (Student Home) according to “markers” • Reliance on 3rd party support • Ultimate decision regarding suitability to study lies with the Prison Governor, not the OU • Limitations of facilities within prisons – variable • Key issue for offender learning is embedded in the “digital divide” – illustrated by “Traffic Lights”

  9. OU Courses in Prison The Traffic Light system • Green: Generally acceptable - may have internet access requirements but should not prevent successful completion of the course – but still exceptions • Amber: Internet access required – access to materials and eTMA/eECA submission • Red: Prohibited for numerous reasons - majority require compulsory internet or online conferencing, compulsory Residential School (no suitable ALE)

  10. Figures for registrations by students (prison only) for October course start dates: 2006 New = 109 Continuing =187 2007 New = 148 Continuing = 293 Increases: New = 35% Continuing = 57% Total number of registrations for past 12 months = 1,658 Currently 45% of OU Degrees (excluding FD) possibly available to some offender learners A snapshot in time…

  11. However, • All is not as it seems…. • Human intervention • Vulnerability of this provision in the longer-term • “One size doesn’t fit all”

  12. Any questions?

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