e-Learning Incarcerated: Prison Education and Digital Inclusion (2015)

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Type of Content
Journal ArticlePublisher
Common Ground Research NetworksISSN
2327-00632327-2457
Collections
- Law: Journal Articles [221]
Abstract
This paper explores an Australian trial of mobile learning technologies, including internet-independent eBook readers loaded with tertiary preparation materials, which attempted to improve access to tertiary courses and pathways for incarcerated students. Attempts to close the digital gap for incarcerated students however reveal deeper and persistent problems within the digitized and vocationalized university, economy, and society. While delivering economic efficiencies and flexibility for some, the digital revolution may also be reducing opportunities for the most marginalized of students such as incarcerated students and other groups without direct internet access. Education technology interventions which aim to prepare incarcerated students for the digital knowledge economy must also consider the situated context of the postmodern prison and the social, political and cultural practices and problems that emerge around the technology. In the face of neoliberal undercurrents fueling the vocationalization of prison education it is particularly necessary to recognize the inherent personal and social value of a humanities education. The challenge is to ensure incarcerated students are not left behind in this digital age and to balance institutional prison priorities such as order and security against opportunities for authentic and current learning experiences within the Humanities.
Citation
Hopkins S, Farley H (2015). e-Learning Incarcerated: Prison Education and Digital Inclusion. The International Journal of Humanities Education. 13(2). 37-45.This citation is automatically generated and may be unreliable. Use as a guide only.
Keywords
e-learning; incarcerated students; digital literacy; digital inclusionANZSRC Fields of Research
44 - Human society::4402 - Criminology::440202 - Correctional theory, offender treatment and rehabilitation39 - Education::3904 - Specialist studies in education::390405 - Educational technology and computing
46 - Information and computing sciences::4608 - Human-centred computing::460801 - Accessible computing
Rights
All rights reserved unless otherwise statedRelated items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
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Digital equity: Diversity, inclusion and access for incarcerated students in a digital age
Willems J; Farley, Helen (2019)ELearning has been touted as the way in which universities can enable participation by large numbers of students from non-traditional cohorts. There is no doubt that the flexibility of access that eLearning allows makes ... -
Making the connection: Allowing access to digital higher education in a correctional environment
Macdonald J; Hopkins S; Dove S; Abraham C; Cox J; Seymour S; Lee C; Patching L; Farley, Helen (2019)In most Australian correctional jurisdictions, prisoners are not allowed access to the internet precluding them from participating in higher education online. This paper reports on an Australian government-funded project, ... -
Using digital technologies to implement distance education for incarcerated students: a case study from an Australian regional university
Doyle J; Farley, Helen (International Council for Open and Distance Education, 2014)As universities become increasingly reliant on the online delivery of courses for distance education, those students without access to the Internet are increasingly marginalised. Among those most marginalised are incarcerated ...