OU courses in prison have been a lifeline for reluctant, disaffected and rejected learners for nearly 50 years but the barriers are now bigger than ever. In this session researchers, tutors, course teams and Offender Learning managers come together to bring you the latest research and innovative practice (technological and off-line) from across the University. Join us to discuss how we can share the good practice, improve access and support for HE in prisons (and beyond) for another 50 years, and encourage a Widening Participation agenda which includes all of society, whatever their impediments.

1. Improving access and support for HE in Prisons Wide Open, 1st November 2011 Anne Pike, Helen Maxwell, Hilary Jupp, Mel Wharton, Pat McCarthy, Rob Parsons, Val Hancock

12. ISSUES ARISING FROM WORK DONE ON THIS PROJECT FEBRUARY TO JULY 2011 PATRICIA MCCARTHY INDEPENDENT COURSE PRODUCTION AND PRESENTATION CONSULTANT The Open University Core Curriculum for Prisons

17. B201 Business Organisations and their Environments Offline project Rob Parsons

18. B201 Business Organisations and their Environments 60 point 2 nd level module Compulsory in several OUBS qualifications 5 assignments, one of which results from a collaborative activity, the other four including marks for peer interaction. End of module exam.

19. Organising taking the offline version requires considerable co-ordination

22. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Prisonbars.PNG

29. Alternative approaches to online activities for prisoners and others without access to the internet Centre for Open Learning of Mathematics, Science, Computing and Technology (COLMSCT) Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning Val Hancock AL [email_address] Val Hancock - WideOpen

31. PRISON TUTORS FORUM One of the first shocks was to discover that the prisoner had no internet access which made things rather challenging on a course that was using the eTMA system, issued TMAs via a website and required students to take part in FirstClass discussions for TMAs! I'm not clear on who provides the student with TMA questions when they are only available online (I sent a hardcopy of TMA01 just in case) There is no alternative to electronic submission of the ECA and if it can't be submitted electronically he will fail the course I think it is too much to expect either the prison Education Officer or myself to provide hard copies of everything they need He cannot do any of the iCMA's Just wonder what colleagues do in this situation? I hopefully can and will see the students F2F but what about all the online stuff? I don’t think he is allowed CD/DVDs Val Hancock - WideOpen

32. Content analysis Val Hancock - WideOpen Theme Number of messages Offering help & guidance 39 Lack of internet access 35 Asking for help & guidance 22 Reflecting on personal experiences 13 Welcoming forum creation 11

34. Forum & wiki 2011 Val Hancock - WideOpen

35. Val Hancock - WideOpen

36. Val Hancock - WideOpen

39. Prior Qualifications 2010-11: Comparison Prison v Non-prison student

40. Non-prison v Prison student success rates

41. Top courses in prison 2011 Law Level 1 The Arts: past & present Personal Finance Learning to change Using Maths Starting Law Starting Maths Understanding society Starting Psychology Business Level 1 Social Science Level 1 Intro to management Title 40 W100 43 AA100 43 DB123 50 Y165 54 MST121 59 Y166 62 Y162 91 Y157 95 Y163 125 B120 130 DD101 141 Y159 No of students Course

42. The benefits: the student view “ It [OU] makes me feel a lot more like a human being. I’m not a number in a box, I’m an individual, I’m allowed to share and expand my mind” “ If it hadn’t been for the OU I’d have folded in on myself years ago.” (Andrew) “ I just can’t wait to get out and use the skills that I’ve learnt and try and put this behind me and I shouldn’t say this about jail and it sounds a cliché but jail is where I’ve found myself” ( Ethan )

44. A visit to Norway see full account at http:// hdeprg.blogspot.com /

45. Thank-you, Questions