Investigating the Digital Divide for the OU Offender Learner Anne Pike 15 th October 2007

1. Investigating the Digital Divide for the OU Offender LearnerAnne Pike15th October 2007 Centre for Open Learning of Mathematics, Science Computing and Technology (COLMSCT)

2. Background to the Research • Massive overcrowding in our prisons – academic research focusing on nature of education in prison • Government response – funding increased from £47 million to £122 million in 05-06 [Anne Owers, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for England and Wales] • Offender Learning and Skills Unit (OLSU) created • Offender Learning Journey – sets out government agenda • Offender Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) 2005 • LSC took over OLASS in July 2006 • Subcontract to FE Providers – emphasis on education and skills to Level 2

3. Hughes (2006): Free to Learn? • Braggins & Talbot (2003): Time to Learn • Englebright (2005): Divided we fall: offender views and experiences of learning (NIACE) • Jewkes (2007): Prisons and the media: the shaping of public opinion and penal policy in a mediated society • Pike (2007): Briefing paper for the Offender Learning Steering group www.open.ac.uk/colmsct/projects/annepike

4. OU Courses in Prison The Traffic Light system • Green: Acceptable - may have internet access requirements but should not prevent successful completion of the course Amber: Subject to Governor or HoLS approval. Internet access or other problems reduce possibility of passing Red: Prohibited and needs Governor approval. Numerous reasons but ~64% [Simpson] require compulsory internet access or essential materials from the web

5. Red Shift Dec 06 – May 07

6. On-Line Intiatives in Prison • University for Industry(UfI): Learndirect • Prisons ICT Academy (PICTA): The CISCO networking academy program • National Offender Management Service (NOMS): Programme of Offender Learning and Resettlement Information Services (POLARIS)

7. POLARIS • HMP Holloway, • HMP Wormwood Scrubs - LIVE • HMP Belmarsh, • HMYOI Feltham - READY • HMP Brixton, • HMP Pentonville - READY • HMP Latchmere House.

8. Off-line initiative • Off-line Moodle • Temporary solution • High security option

9. Aims of the Research • To investigate the experiences of the Open University student in a prison environment • To determine what influences students to embark on an Open University course • To understand how technology, is affecting their learning, choice of study and future decisions

10. Who has influenced their decisions and what factors have encouraged or inhibited progress? • What are the key motivators or de-motivators? • What effect does their learning have on their prison life? • What effect does their prison life have on their learning?

11. Methodology Initial Student Sample Students in Prison in Regions 1,2,4,5,6,13 on Maths, Science & Technology courses, to include:- • Level 1 maths (Green list) • Variety from Amber list with access issues • Past or present Red listed students • Tutor group MU120 07B and Y162 07C

12. Methodology cont’d Prison sample to include:- • All security categories (Cat A to Cat D), • Male & Female • Public & Private • Those delivering Amber or Red courses or linked with some particularly good e-learning or on-line intiative

13. Methodology cont’d The Final Sample 35 students (33 male, 2 female) • 5 regions 1,2,4,5 & 6 • 10 prisons (Cat A to D) • Students from all faculties • Transient population • Often studying more than one course • Previous courses studied in other faculties • Security clearance • Time constraints

14. Methodology cont’d Method • Semi-structured, in-depth, interviews • 34 face-to-face,1 telephone interview • Manually recorded (student’s own words as much as possible) • Triangulation: • prison staff -interviews/discussions/questionnaires • OU ALs, course teams, regional staff • Other organisations • Interview notes transcribed • Analysis ongoing - using Grounded theory via NVivo

15. Educational Qualifications before entering prison

16. Decision to study with the OU • Completed all other education – next step • Through a friend already studying • Always wanted to study with the Open University • Use time usefully • Influence from an important person – education staff/tutor/advisor

17. “P assessed me. He kept following me, insisting on more and more exams. I told him I couldn’t do it. He said I had the potential. …P was like a father to me - I still remember him.” [10, 28]

18. “I have no-one outside to write to but I would like M and P to come if possible.” [10, 28]

19. Support • Dedicated staff both internal and external to the OU • Insufficient resources, funding or policy to adequately meet the needs of the OU students • OU relies too heavily on prison education staff • LSC priorities • Regional differences in procedures • New AL training

20. “D is the thing which makes life easier; he fought to get us into IT so study is very efficient. Spends half the time chasing you about TMAs” [10, 30]

21. “Great tutor – changed the way I think about things. Huge confidence boost – positive, constructive criticism.” [5,6]

22. “… had some tutors who were prepared to go that extra mile. They were enthusiastic and fired my imagination… the astronomy tutor was brilliant – looked like a biker – pictures of telescopes, stars – very interesting to see the ‘the real thing’ in pictures instead of books. Made the subject come alive.” [5, 4]

23. “Conferencing is not possible but have to lose marks - 5 or 10 at most – not important. She [tutor] has downloaded student messages/answers from the conference for me to read – but I can’t input my own views (possibly a blessing!) She has also provided a lot of website pages from searches.” [8, 34]

24. “I used to work in the evenings in education but this has now been stopped – they say it’s lack of funding. Everything is changed now - the library used to be quite good.” [9, 2]

25. “There was no DVD at that prison so they [education department] copied it onto 4 CDs, but they were worried it was illegal” [9, 1] “If L and A had followed [the prison] rules then it would have been much more difficult ….. I couldn’t have done it [completed degree].” [5, 4]

26. Regional variation “J’s a fantastic bloke has managed to organise funding to stay with OU on the out.” [13,9] “I need advice on which course to take next”. [9, 2] “I want to talk to an OU person. I want to become a criminal lawyer in my own country.” [10, 28] “No OU adviser has called to this prison” [7, 10]

27. Access to Technology(analysis in its infancy) • Wide variation in availability of technology to students • Access to computers varied from 1 hour/week (booked 24 hours in advance) to a full Open Learning suite with open access most days (Cat B) or in-cell laptops • Variation is Prison specific (not always related to Security Category) • One Cat A allowed DVDs in-cell, but Cat C did not. • Software license problems eg. Minitab, Mathscad

28. “I do most of my study in evenings and weekends. This is slightly annoying because if I see in the Unit ‘now time to watch the DVD’ I need to wait a week before I can see it ( I haven’t seen most of them.)” [9,1] “Lack of access [to computers] has affected results. I need to get access to my computer and practice to use the knowledge from the book – this is not a theory course.” [3,13] “[Laptop in your cell] makes you feel like you’re really a student – there’s no point in rehabilitating if you don’t know modern technology.” [11, 36]

29. Internet access • 3/35 (<10%) of students in the study were allowed access to the internet • Insufficient access to the Open University site “I have access to my own material but not the OU library. … I have access to all the University Libraries in the world except the OU.” [6, 23]

30. Results 6: Course choice • Lack of course choice seriously affects the students’ ability to complete a chosen degree in a prison • Only 18% of Undergraduate Degrees fully available [April 07] “I wanted a full degree in Business studies with Accounting. About 8 courses in all, but 5 of courses couldn’t do because of internet access” [6,22] “Course choice is reduced because of no internet access. Might have to tread water for a while. I know it’s coming – just mark time until it does.” [8,34]

31. “Wing officers aren’t a problem but I don’t really like to show them what I’m doing as they don’t like you doing OU. Some of these officers are Sun newspaper readers. Do you know what I mean?” [10,30] Security wouldn’t allow advanced calculator (too high level) initially but graphics calculator allowed last 2/3 years. Gradually as they recognise it as something they could buy themselves they finally allow it.

32. “If I’d been on the outside I’d never have done this…it’s given me more confidence in myself … I want to do a degree ….and use my time usefully.” [7,12] • “As mother once said – if you want to do it you find a way. I want a diploma in chemistry so I will continue in Spain.” [3,17] • “... It’s like the university of life here…you do meet just the biggest cross-section of people from every sort of background. I want them to have education…I’m doing Mental health now because I’d like to be able to teach or deal with people with autism” [11,36] • “I’ve never seen the web yet. No mobile phone so many new things to learn. Going out on Dec 27th “ [10,29]

33. Thank-you Has this raised any questions?

34. Anne PikeCOLMSCT CETLThe Open University www.open.ac.uk/colmsct

35. Are we still the number one provider of HE in prisons and for how long? • How can we improve access to the on-line courses? • Should this be seen as a problem? • Are they a special case or not?