Free Webinar! Thursday, June 4, 2015; 3:00-4:30 pm EDT
The Case for Secure Connectivity – Mobile Device and Internet Use in Corrections Classrooms
Register here. This event is being hosted by the LINCS Regional Professional Development Center for Region 1, and this announcement is shared on their behalf.
The Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Second Chance Act authorized a major study of correctional education. The study, conducted by the RAND Corporation, concluded that there is good evidence that correctional education reduces recidivism and supports post release employment success. The study also concluded that using education enhancing technology to deliver educational programming in secure classrooms likely enhances educational opportunities while incarcerated, enhancing the recidivism reducing benefits of correctional education. How are programs building safe technology access?
Webinar Description: This webinar will explain and expand upon recent innovations and activities underway to promote the use of technology in corrections classrooms. The webinar will cover:
- most recently released Mythbusters, produced by the U.S. Department of Education, addressing security issues surrounding connected access in secure classrooms;
- work of the Inter-Agency Reentry Council, which incorporates efforts by the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Social Security Administration, U.S. Department of Department of Health and Human Services, and others promoting access to technology as a necessity for successful reentry;
- 2014 White House convening hosted by the Office of Science and Technology Policy encouraging open discussion on the ways in which technology can enhance and enable successful reentry; and,
- a not-yet-published DOE sponsored Policy Report highlighting early implementers of education technology in corrections classrooms.
We will also highlight some international programs making great strides toward connected access in secure classrooms in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Presenter Bio: Ms. Heather J. Erwin, Esq
Heather Erwin works as an education and technology consultant for agencies serving incarcerated students. She currently serves as the subject matter expert for the DOE, Office of Career and Technical Adult Education and LINCS Community’s Correctional Education Group. As a consultant to the National Correctional Education Association (CEA), Ms. Erwin helped launch the first successful implementation of handheld mobile devices delivering educational resources to secure classrooms. She has participated in a number of Department of Education and White House sponsored conferences and working groups focused on advancing the use of technology to deliver education content to incarcerated students, aiding reentry and reducing recidivism rates. Ms. Erwin is co-founder of the non-profit Unlocking Education, Inc. and co-author of the Department of Education sponsored policy brief Education Technology in Corrections (2015).