This resource is designed to help education and corrections leaders understand key issues in adopting and integrating technology to support instruction in jails and prisons. It describes the components of a state correctional education technology ecosystem (the who, what, why, and how of technology use), profiles four state ecosystems, and…

The Virginia Department of Corrections mandates that all offenders without a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED) are required to be enrolled in GED programs offered in the prison system. However, these programs have shown varying rates of success. Supported by the constructivist theory, the purpose of this qualitative case…

Based on screenings of 1,150 manuscripts, we synthesize evidence from 18 eligible studies of educational interventions implemented within juvenile correctional facilities. The studies include 5 intervention categories: remedial academic instruction, computer-assisted instruction, personalized academic instruction, vocational education, and GED…

Correctional educators, recognizing that the majority of inmates lack the math, reading, and language skills required to be successful in today's workplace, strive to equip offenders with the skills and abilities needed to find and maintain work on their release. However, most adult literacy programs in prisons fail to raise the gradelevel…

The Second Chance Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-199) represented a historic piece of legislation designed to improve outcomes for and provide a comprehensive response to the increasing number of individuals who are released from prisons, jails, and juvenile residential facilities, and returning to communities upon release. The Second Chance Act's…

In this article, the author reports the appointment of Zina Watkins to the Office of Correctional Education. Zina Watkins is a recent graduate of the prestigious Presidential Management Fellows Program--a program designed to bring the best and brightest to federal service. He also relates how pleased he was for receiving an invitation to…

Describes a successful computer-based project that has been introduced at two correctional facilities in Ontario, Canada. Reviews several other PLATO projects that have been successful. (Author/CH)

These presentations offer information on the benefits of using computer-assisted instruction (CAI) for remedial education. First, William J. Hierstein offers a summary of the Computer Assisted Basic Skills Project conducted by Southeastern Community College at the Iowa State Penitentiary. Hierstein provides background on the funding for the…

Results showed that computer assisted education could be used effectively in a jail setting provided that its capabilities and limitations were properly understood. (Author/IRT)

Potential pitfalls in implementing a competency-based, mastery model of computer-based training are mixing self-pacing and classroom instruction, failing to control entry and exit, failing to align curriculum, dealing with conflicting values about teaching, applying conventional test reliability measures to mastery tests, and coping with…

This evaluation of the effectiveness of a computer assisted instructional program in basic literacy skills for inmates in a county jail covers the first year of the program. Instructional materials used were developed by Control Data Corporation for use on the PLATO system, and consisted of lessons in vocabulary, reading, spelling, arithmetic…

Describes educational programs at Bexar County Detention Center (San Antonio, Texas), which utilize alternative modes of delivery as much as possible. Elements include a media center and a computer assisted instructional system. Discusses the effectiveness of these programs and why they should be implemented in correctional institutions. (CT)

A study to determine the extent of differences between inmates who used computer-assisted instruction and those who received traditional instruction in a prison education program found no differences in posttest scores. Possible explanations included attitudes toward testing, motivation, teacher support, dynamics of prison culture, and software…

Prison inmates (n=71) were randomly assigned to an experimental group (computer-assisted and traditional instruction) or control group (traditional only). The study attempted to avoid flaws of similar research by using the same traditional instructors, same length of instruction, and posttest administration after 4 weeks. No differences in reading…

Presents an overview of the PLATO Corrections Project (PCP) in Illinois and Minnesota, and describes recent curriculum development efforts in adult reading comprehension and vocabulary development. Data collected on student/instructor usage, attitudes, and achievement demonstrate that the PCP system is feasible, attractive, and effective in…