NCJ Number
228739
Journal
Journal of Correctional Education Volume: 60 Issue: 3 Dated: September 2009 Pages: 240-258
Date Published
September 2009
Length
19 pages
Annotation
This study examined qualitative and quantitative data from a 15-week course in a county jail modeled after the Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program, which involved teaching college-level courses within the jail, with each class composed of an equal number (15) of inmate students ("inside") and college students ("outside") and a course facilitator (typically a professor).
Abstract
According to all students in the class - which addressed topics such as social inequality, crime, and justice - course structure had the greatest educative value for them, followed by content and readings. The course structure consisted of interactions among students through such activities as "ice-breaker" activities and a large-group circle, with these elements arranged in a different order throughout the semester. Students indicated this structure lessened the potential for monotony, promoted genuine interaction between "inside" and "outside" students, encouraged in-depth discussions about life experiences and topics relevant to course issues, and facilitated the undermining of stereotypes and the reconstruction of labels. Although daily readings were rated as having the least impact on the students' understanding of the daily topic, the mean rating for this variable was only 2 points below the mean rating for the impact of course structure on a 10-point scale. Survey data and comments obtained from student papers were used to assess the impact of course structure, content, and readings on students' understanding of a daily course topic. This article advises that multisite assessments that replicate and build upon the one used in this study would strengthen decisionmakers' ability to assess the educative, comparative value of course components that are part of the Inside-Out curriculum as well as other types of experiential courses. 2 tables and 27 references