Dr Helen Farley

Dr Tas Bedford

Ms Liesl Turley

Using Portable Moodle and eReaders to Enhance Learning at a Distance for Incarcerated Offenders

1.Background – why we are doing this

2.TPP at USQ and in correctional centres

3.Portable Moodle

4.eBook readers

5.ePub format

6.Evaluation

Overview

Why we are doing this?

• Reduced recidivism

• Increased employment opportunities

• Enhanced success in future studies

• Increased participation by low SES in HE

• Experience comparable to that of other students

Background

Offenders may be considered the most educationally disadvantaged population.

Education can assist:

• Break the cycle of poverty, abuse, crime, poor health, poor education

• Rehabilitation

• Encourage reparation activities

• Successfully reintegrate prisoners

Education of Incarcerated Offenders

Role of Tertiary Education Whilst ‘inside

• Enhance self-esteem

• Keep brain active & challenged

• Gain qualifications

• Natural progression as skills develop L &N Year 10 TPP Uni

• New area of expertise for existing highly qualified offenders

Reduction in recidivism ( up to 28% due to Education) Callan & Gardner, 2005

Reduced cost to the community

Enhance employment opportunities upon release

300 bed, male, high security

Restrictions of studying ‘inside’:

• Increasing on-line delivery – improving access & equity; BUT hard copies for incarcerated students – sustainability (printing reams of materials)

• Reliance on ‘goodwill’ of Education Officers: • Research and print materials (over 50 distance ed students) can be hit & miss • Log on to the study desk – create student profile, assessment covers, passwords • Email lecturers • Send, receive all assignments & track these • Document results in IOMS

• Time consuming for Education staff to research and print -

• Skills of University Graduates – research and analysis

• Use of digital media

• Lack of direct interaction between students and lecturers

• Forums/discussion boards – students assisting each other

• Practical components of higher degrees e.g. residential schools; PhD research

South Queensland Correctional Centre

Tertiary Student Support Existing systems to assist success: •Access to Learning Support Officers (internal customer service ethos)

•Distance Education Library

•In-cell laptops - limited number

•USQ – delivery of hard copy materials

•Alternatives forms of materials / assessments (on-line assessments)

•Peer tutors

Portable Moodle & eReaders: •Build on existing systems

•Enhance outcomes - encourage independence in students; develop research skills, experience with digital media

•Decrease reliance on Learning Support Staff

• For prospective students of the University of Southern Queensland who are over 18 and can’t gain entry via traditional pathways

• Typically between 8 and 15 students at Borallon Correctional Centre (soon to be relocated to South Queensland Correctional Centre)

• Receive readings as a paper ‘block’ • Education officers assist by downloading

materials for assignments • http://www.usq.edu.au

Tertiary Preparation Program (TPP)

• As part of the Moodle 2.1 upgrade

• Runs without internet connection

• Installed on local server and accessed in computer labs

• Comparable experience to other TPP students

• Discussion board (only within CC instance of TPP7120)

• Submit assessment via Study Desk

Portable Moodle

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Tas

eBook Readers • No internet, wireless, 3G connectivity

• No removable batteries

• Ability to take notes

• Highlight text

• Submitted on certain days for charging (so never in possession of cord)

• Contain course readings

• Reference materials – open source

• Course materials will be converted by Calibre

• Can embed multimedia files

• Self-marking quizzes

ePub format

Quantitative

• Surveys

• Results

Qualitative

• Interviews

• Focus groups

• Staff and students

Evaluation

Dr Helen Farley Ph: (07) 4631 1738

Email: helen.farley@usq.edu.au

Dr Tas Bedford Ph: (07) 4631 1815

Email: tas.bedford@usq.edu.au

Ms Liesl Turley Email: Elizabeth.Turley@dcs.qld.gov.au

Contact us …