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November Action Research Blog Lit rev

1. What topics/areas are shaping your literature review?

The area I am working on has to do with frequent class interruptions to students attendance to classes in a prison setting.

My literature review so far has shown that this problem appears to be inbuilt in the Prison System . Education in a prison setting seems to be an appendage to the goal of the prison: to keep inmates there as long as their serving time lasts. For this security reason inmates may not be available if there is a riot or fear of riot or if custody officers are not adequate to guarantee their coming to class.

Arbenz (1994), quoting Knight (1989 p 67), affirms that the role of education has been subordinated the goal of institutional security. The system further emphasizes submissiveness of inmates over thinking; the system purely is coercive and authoritative

1. Did you find anything different than you expected during your literature review that addresses your topic?

Two things I found have really surprised me in the literature review. There are different programs in the education system in a prison and which ever is operational determines how it operates. As Hill (2008) points out there are programs like academic and vocational educational programs,correctional industries and independent study programs, alternative academic as well as Bridging programs. Not all these programs ‘utilize as much direct teacher instructions as traditional classroom academic programs.’ The program i happen to be in falls under the non direct teacher instruction.

Another thing that surprised me is how relegated to the background education in the system is such that it would take reorganizing the system before effective changes could be seen in prison education; and this has made me think of changing my topic and area of research

How are your critical friends helping this process? Are these critical friends FS students, your colleagues, or other professionals related to your topic. Please explain fully.

My colleagues at work happen to be my critical friends. At break I usually bring out the topic informally and my findings for discussion and they help to throw more insight to the problem.

1. How has this month’s course helped in shaping your ARP? Please explain fully.

This months course has been Education Design and Evaluation (EDE) Using a flow chart to envision what one is doing defining objectives have added information to me. In the design we worked on experiential learning paradigm. Under that model the universal principles ( framing, activating and reflecting on experience) that make instruction relevant and applicable have been incorporated by me. Besides the R2D2 model of reading, reflecting displaying and doing have been key points in my study and doing. It helps me communicate better to readers what I have to say as I keep in mind various ways others learn that I should be aware of and apply to my teaching and learning.

References

Arbenz, R. (1994). In Our Lifetime: A Reformist View of Correctional Education. Journal of Correctional Education, 45(1), 30-37. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier database.

Eggleston C & Gehring T (1986) Correctional education Paradigm in the U S 7 Canada, Journal Of Correctional Education

Hill, E G (2008) From Cellblocks to Classrooms: Reforming Inmate Education To Improve Public Safety, California Legislative office Analyst Report www.lao.ca.gov