Teaching Science in Corrections Education and Other "Restricted" Programs

In an adult basic educational world of hands-on science experiments, math/science  manipulatives, and online science videos, is it possible for programs in corrections education to use these resources?  Other programs are also “restricted” from using these resources by tight budgets and sharing the use of multi-purpose facilities.  Many instructors in corrections education are members of this science discussion list.  Please let us know how you teach science to learners, what restrictions you may have, and what you do to facilitate learning.  We think there may be considerable variability nationwide in guidelines.  It is certain that there also is a lot of ingenuity on the part of instructors!

Susan Cowles

Subject Matter Expert: Science

Comments

Hi Susan - Interesting question! I am also interested to hear about what creative methods adult educators are using to teach science, particularly in a more hands-on and relevant/applicable way for adult learners in more restricted program settings. Looking forward to the sharing on this thread.

Idaho Department of Corrections does not allow offenders to use the internet.  Are there other options to implement this curriculum?  Currently, we only use the GED Curriculum to teach science - usually self paced.  Other options for new 2014 GED curriculum regarding Science?

Hello Ted,

This is a great, and extraordinarily relevant question.  There are several good off-line resources available for use in the corrections classroom.  The WiderNet Project (www.widernet.org) has an off-line collection of over 40 million resources, called the eGranary or Corrections Off-Line Education Platform (COEP).  The collection was originally gathered (and is still being added to) for use in developing countries with large areas of no internet connectivity.  The collection is being used in the U.S. in correctional facilities as a digital library of academic resources.  The collection includes Khan Academy videos, MIT open courseware, GED prep materials and Purdue OWLS site resources in additonal to many others.  There is also an organization that has configured the Khan Academy site to be used off-line.  The organization is called KA Lite and is not affiliated with Khan Academy, but has permission to run their videos through a caching system.  Several facilities in Washington State and Iowa currently use a combination of these resources. 

There are also several tablets coming into the correctional education market that are off-line or asyncronous.  These tablets, currently available though Union Supply Group, APDS (American Prison Data Systems) and I believe also JPay (although I'm not as familiar with the JPay device and am not certain if that one has educational content available).  These tablets run the gammit of size, capacity and available resources.  You'll want to check with the companies and your DOC to see if your facility/state is already obligated to a commisary provider, or has other restrictions in obtaining such a device.  It's a pretty new, but very promising, phenomenon for educators restricted by lack of on-line access.  One of the best things about the prison tablet push is that these companies are specifically focused on the special needs and limitations of the corrections classroom.  

The LINCS site and community are also committed to helping identify -- and convert or recommend alternatives to the on-line format, if necessary -- resources for Professional Development and to aid educators in all adult education spaces, including corrections.  

Lastly, there are many good GED prep resources either already developed or in development to respond to the January 2014 transition, but it does seems like materials mainly focus on Math, Reading and Writing.  Maybe Susan and the Science Group have some additional recommendations for specific GED Science prep materials and resources?  I hope this discussion blossoms into a useful exchange for both the Science Group and our Correctional Education Group. 

Happy New Year to All!:)

--Heather Erwin

Ted, thank you so much for your question, and thanks to Heather for her detailed reply.  Things have come a long way since the early days of our experimenting with very basic off-line/asynchronous technologies!  It also is fascinating to think about tablets for DOC instructional use.

Off-line resources are also valuable tools for other adult basic education programs, especially those in community-based facilities (often they do not have much online capability).  So, I think this discussion and exchange will benefit all of our LINCS community members.

Ted, I wonder if anyone you know in the Idaho DOC system has used any of these resources.

Could DOC instructors in Washington and/or Iowa please comment on the use of the off-line resources described by Heather?

Could Science instructors immersed in the 2014 assessment changes please reply to Heather's request for specific GED Science prep materials?

Happy New Year, everyone!

Susan Cowles

 

Hi Heather,

The Idaho Department of Correction was awarded a grant from the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Foundation, as part of their statewide project to implement Khan Academy in public schools.  But offenders in Idaho do not have internet capabilities.  After the grant was awarded this spring, I was quickly introduced to the Foundation for Learning Equality. Jamie Alexandre, a grad student at UC San Diego, was interning at Khan Academy last summer and he got the idea to build a version of the site that could be used offline or in places with only limited connectivity.  The timing was perfect for our project in Idaho.

The KA Lite system was introduced into the correctional facilities this summer and the students love it.  They are using the rewards system, they like tracking their own progress; they enjoy using the coaching program to see where they are academically and what areas they want to focus on.  It's something new, and it's interesting.

 While the Albertson's grant is specifically studying the impact of math exercises, the students have access to all of the Khan Academy videos on economics, finance, science, and the humanities, this has instantly expanded the range of instructional topics we offer in the Idaho correctional system. There are over 3,000 videos available.

 The Foundation for Learning Equality, a team of volunteers, has spent countless hours working on the KA Lite program to make it usable and meaningful for the education program and students in correctional facilities in Idaho.  We're very excited that they are going to come visit us in just a few weeks, they are ecspecially interested in visiting the prisons and meeting our students.

We plan on presenting this project at the CEA conference in June.  KA Lite is available as a free  download from the Foundation for Learning Equality website.

Julie Oye-Johnson

IDOC Education Director

Dear Julie,  Many thanks for this thorough explanation of how Idaho is using the resources of the Foundation for Learning Equality and for the information about KA Lite.  This resource has many additional applications, in addition to correctional education.  There are many other adult education programs around the country which are without internet capabilities as well.

Susan Cowles

I've been curious about these off-line alternatives and the use of them in adult education classrooms where Internet access is not available. Has anybody used them in these settings? Possibly satellite sites, rural areas, inner city, and so on. Just curious as I administered a program where we borrowed classroom space, such as the basement of a public library or church classroom.

Hi, Kaye,

I agree that these alternatives can be quite useful to other adult eduction classrooms which are "restricted" by the lack of Internet access, due to being in borrowed space, rural areas, and so forth.  I hope we will hear from instructors in such areas who have experimented with off-line alternatives.  And, for those instructors who are interested in beginning to use off-line resources, is funding available in state adult basic education budgets for any additional expenses in trying this?  Are there foundations which might help with the acquisition of necessary technology?

Susan

Hi Susan,

Wonderfully thoughtful questions.  Thank you for asking them.  The WiderNet Project, as I mentioned in a previous post, was originally developed for use in developing countries without internet connectivity.  In the States it is mainly used in correctional facilities or half-way houses, and is a successful substitution for the "on-line experience," in addition to providing a valuable computer skill-building tool.  I know of several organizations that meet in church basements or social halls -- organizations ranging from bookclubs/reading groups to veterans groups meeting for group therapy sessions.  Any of these gatherings could benefit from the availability of technology.  For example, the book club can upload their assigned reading materials to their tablet/eReader and pull it up to refer to even without internet connectivity.  The veterans group could use a recorded meditation as an opening or closing exercise.  These types of activities are the ways in which technology can incorporate into a correctional classroom as well. 

For the last several years I have been intrigued by the notion of crowdfunding, and have even launched a couple successful campaigns. Is Kickstarter (www.kickstarter.com) or IndieGoGo (www.indiegogo.com) a viable option for funding the acquisition of available secure or off-line technologies?  In corrections an inmate has a commissary account to which family and friends can add funds.  That's simply a mini-crowdfunding platform.  What if educators, administrators and/or community organizers launched a crowdfunding campaign to purchase tablets or an off-line library for their group or the local correctional classroom?  For more information on crowdfnding visit www.giveforward.com.  Oftentimes a successful crowdfunding campaign requires internet access from which to engage in outreach and use social media to spread the word, but that can all be done asynchronously if necessary. I'd love to hear if others have experience with alternative funding sources or with fundraising on their own. 

-- Heather Erwin

This is useful information, Heather.  It is interesting that The WiderNet Project is mainly used in the US. in correctional facilities, but that it was developed originally for use in developing countries without Internet connectivity.  You've described many situations where this off-line capability could be useful here in the United States, as well.  Kaye Beall has mentioned her interest in the possibilities now open for use of off-line technology in satellite teaching/learning sites.

Susan Cowles