Outline

1. EISTA 2009Developing Online Communities to Support Distance Learning in Secure EnvironmentsAnne PikeThe Open University, UK a.e.pike@open.ac.uk

2. Outline • Background • Profile of HE students in prison (Who? What? How well? Why? How?) • The Digital Divide • Bridging the Digital Divide • The way forward – pedagogy and technology

3. Background (follow “e-learning communities and identities” in http://www.open.ac.uk/colmsct/activities/) Research: Investigating the digital divide for the OU distance learner in a prison environment Student’s needs not being met

4. Profile of OU Students in PrisonWho are they? • Approx 1500 in 150 prisons in the UK and Ireland • 7% female (1.8% of female prison population) • 1.5% of male prison population • Low entry qualifications • High retention rates

5. What do they study?Courses with 20+ students

6. How well do they do?Success rates of students in disadvantaged groups 2002-08 DAR: Students with disabilities; FAF: Students with financial assistance

7. Why do they study?What are the benefits?(student comments) • Confidence – can study, stay the course, succeed “If I’d been on the outside I’d never have done this …I want to do a degree now ….and use my time usefully.” “I built up confidence and pushed forward then I just took off” • Empowerment – being a student, new knowledge, options “When you have a laptop it’s wonderful … It makes you feel like you’re really a student” (Female student (closed)) “For the first time in my life I know what I want to do” (Social Science Student) “Education gives you the option to stop re-offending” (Male Student – close to release)

8. media public Student OU lecturer Other prison students Other prisoners Prison Education coordinator Prison staff Internet How do they study? Outside world Prison Education Dept OU Original source: Higher Education in Prison: Just another chapter in the bigger picture? Peter Mortimer, Cned-Éifad, France

9. The Digital Divide • Lack of access to IT and the internet “There’s no point in rehabilitating if you don’t know modern technology” • Reduced Choice of Courses and Qualifications “I can’t get the degree that I started now - all the courses are needing internet access now” “I have access to all the University Libraries in the world except the OU.”

10. Bridging the Digital Divide • Alternatives • Two trials • Intranets • Virtual Campus

11. Resources – Based around 7 pathways

12. media public Student OU lecturer Other prison students Other prisoners Prison Education coordinator Prison staff Researchers Internet The OU prison student’s learning environment Outside world Prison Learning Environment Education Dept OU Original source: Higher Education in Prison: Just another chapter in the bigger picture? Peter Mortimer, Cned-Éifad, France

13. The way forward • Identify and address fears around use of technology in prison • Provide flexible learning programmes • Develop prison learning environments with blended learning for all. • Support lecturers through online communities • Nurture a society which believes that:- • prisoners can change • education makes a difference

14. Thank-youAny questions?Anne PikeThe Open Universitya.e.pike@open.ac.uk

15. References • Braggins, J. and Talbot, J. (2006) Wings of Learning: the Role of the Prison Officer in Supporting Prisoner Education, The Centre for Crime and Justice Studies [Online] Available from http://www.kcl.ac.uk/depsta/rel/ccjs/wings-of-learning.pdf [Accessed 25 January 2007] • Callejo, J.& Viedma Rojas, A (2007). EURODESIP: Diagnosis of State of Higher Education in Penal Institutions in Europe, Conclusions and Recommendations, UNED • Parkinson, E. (1997) Educating Adults In Prison [Online] Available from www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/000002623.doc [accessed 22 August 2003] • Irwin, T. (2003) ‘Prison Education in Northern Ireland: Learning from our Paramilitary Past’, The Howard Journal, 42, (5), 471-484 • Irwin, T. (2008a) The ‘Inside Story’: Practitioner Perspectives on Teaching in Prison, Howard Journal of Criminal Justice (In Press) • Irwin, T. and Wilson, D.A. (2008) The ‘Good Relations’ Agenda and the Changing Context of the Prison Officer in Northern Ireland: The Development of a Pilot Project, Paper presented at the fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, July 2008, University of London. [Online] http://labspace.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=3965 • Mitra, S. (2008) Social Justice in Education: The Role of Open Schooling, Presented at the fifth Pan-Commonwealth Forum on Open Learning, July 2008, University of London. Online at http://www.wikieducator.org/images/a/a0/PID_136.pdf • NATFHE, (2004) Submission to the Education and Skills Select Committee Inquiry into Prison Education [Online] Available from http://www.natfhe.org.uk/temp_downloads/f11o133z103g90s39q92l137s2w59x106t117a91y85m120i67/prisedsub04.doc [Accessed 15 December 2006] • Pike, A (2007) Investigating the Digital Divide for OU Distance learners in a prison environment. Online at COLMSCT project

16. Research questionnaires & interviews 35 prison students and 56 staff in 15 prisons back

17. Entry Qualifications 2006-07

18. The Red Shift Back

19. Virtual Campus • Steering group chaired by DIUS • Two regional working groups (LSC led) – West Midlands & Eastern • Two separate models - partly based on Swedish model but servers in individual prisons • XMA platform, Meganexus user interface Back

20. Benefits of HE for Offenders? “We must educate them to the right level… for employment they need to be better than the average” (HoLS) Gaining Employment • Northern Ireland - MLA • Guardian Columnist • Lecturers – PGCEs and Higher degrees after release • Own business • Senior roles with Charities working with Offender and Ex-Offender But….

21. OU Commitment ‘We are determined to find a way of reconciling the need to move to online learning with the need to maintain access.’