Transformation Learning in a Correctional Environment

Since the early 2000s, educational programs across the country have experienced, and in most cases, survived deep budget cuts and a continual strain on financial resources, while raising expectations for student performance measured by learning outcomes. When faced with comparable situations, instructors, as well as administrators are forced to consider and develop new instructional strategies to promote student success.

Peer mentoring and the use of instructional tutors in education have been effectively utilized since the 1960s. Mentoring in general, is based on the premise that an individual who has experienced a positive learning outcome in their own life may be able to share that learning experience with another person and achieve similar results for them as well (Freire, 1997).  Thus, in recent years academic and technical programs at the higher education level have begun to embrace the benefits provided by peer mentoring and have also found that a special synergy has been created.

Like many institutions of higher learning, Lee College has faced budget cutbacks and changes to state funding formulas.  In turn, these experiences have fostered the need to develop new instructional and learning strategies to promote student persistence and success.  The Huntsville Center in particular, faced extreme cuts to state funding in 2003 and most recently, again in 2010.  Combined budget and program cuts at both the state and federal levels forced the Huntsville Center to fully embrace the use of peer mentoring and instructional tutors for its educational programs.

The Lee College Huntsville Center is a special correctional educational program offering academic and technical programming to an all-male offender population at 7 different institutional division units within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.  The legacy presently enjoyed by the Lee College Huntsville Center was initially established by the efforts of Dean Rundell of Lee College and Dr. George Beto, Director of the Texas Department of Corrections in 1966 to offer academic courses and vocational programs within the Texas prison system (Annual Report, 2011). The success of the Huntsville Center and literally tens of thousands of offender students both inside and outside the razor wire, has propelled the Lee College Huntsville Center to become recognized as the premier model of offender programs within the state of Texas.

Educational programs offered to offenders inside the walls of a penal institution generally attract or appeal to those with a diverse mix of social, ethnic, educational and financial backgrounds. As many as 67 percent of our offender students were dropouts and completed a GED after their incarceration. According to many Lee College instructors, both full—time and adjunct, the Huntsville Center represents the most challenging and also most rewarding teaching experiences they have ever encountered.  Due to the extreme differences among incarcerated students as well as funding cuts cited earlier, the need for peer mentoring and use of instructional tutors became very apparent and most recently, an absolute priority in order to maintain the levels and quality of our educational programs. 

Accordingly, the new emphasis placed on peer mentoring has become embedded in the Lee College Huntsville Center strategic planning process and has continued to evolve by encompassing literally every single aspect of our educational programs, from initial counseling of new students and their enrollment . . .  to technical program certificate completion, industry license testing and ultimately graduation with an Associate’s degree.  Peer tutoring along with instructional tutors continue to have a positive impact on measurable outcomes including certificate completion rates and graduation rates (Annual Report to the President, 2012).  For example, the Culinary Arts technical program recently reported a passing rate of 92 percent on its ServSafe certification and the Commercial Truck Driving technical program enjoyed a 95 percent pass rate on its Commercial Driver’s License exam.

In a sense, the Lee College Huntsville Center enjoys a captive audience, but the key is to motivate offender students to break the former stereotypes of convicts and felons who are expected by society to fail.  Most offender students enrolled in educational programs admit they do not fear failure.  In fact, many have been a failure for most of their lives. It is commonly considered a recurring cycle plagued by an unstable family structure, personal addictions and lack of positive role models.  Lee College instructors provide more than the required course instruction based on program curriculum.  They provide much needed inspiration and personal motivation in order for offender students to believe they have a real chance.

Recent efforts over the past two years have attempted to design, develop and implement a comprehensive instructional support system for the purpose of promoting transformational learning strategies and instructional techniques necessary to improve students’ success.  The aforementioned combination of events has emphasized the need to integrate peer mentoring and the use of specialized instructional tutors into a new strategic concept.  In fact, the new concept became truly “transformational” in its purpose, justification, and scope.  The new concept also earned the support of prison officials who provided approval for its implementation.

During the fall semester of 2010, the Lee College Huntsville Center considered new ideas for the purpose of developing and implementing a new strategic initiative aimed at improving technology access for offender students along with the integration of new technology into our educational programs.  Educational programs inside a correctional institution must adhere to stringent guidelines for security, especially any type of instructional technology initiative whereby Internet access is strictly prohibited.  As a result, early emphasis was placed on a concept that would offer new and greater access to instructional technology while also attempting to incorporate transformational and experiential learning capabilities, provided by qualified and trained peer mentors and instructional tutors.

The new concept that emerged was an ‘Instructional Technology Lab’ staffed with peer mentors and supervised by a college technology lab assistant.  The unit warden approved development and organization of the IT Lab. Additionally, the infrastructure of computers was considered and modified for classroom use.  Instructional technology software was also screened for many different types of applications and installed on computers.  The design for the Instructional Technology Lab with explanations is depicted below.

The purpose of the Instructional Technology Lab is to promote student success by emphasizing the development of technological skills and training.  The Instructional Technology Lab also provides an opportunity for students to access appropriate instructional technology necessary to complete course assignments and satisfy new developmental course programming for students with deficient TSI test status.  Additionally, the Instructional Technology Lab represents a special opportunity for a supervised Study Hall with a responsible college Lab Assistant and instructional tutors for students.

The Instructional Technology Lab recognizes and supports the new Strategic Direction of Lee College with a greater emphasis on student persistence assisted by instructional technology pedagogy and increased course assessment for improved accountability.  The Instructional Technology Lab highlights new instructional strategies for all courses, especially developmental programming and meets enhanced technology course curriculum requirements as well.   For example, speech classes require selected assignments to be completed with Power Point technology and accounting courses utilize spreadsheet technology for class assignments. At the time, both were considered ‘milestones’ for offender students in our educational programs.

The Instructional Technology Lab also provides students and course instructors with a new learning environment which promotes student success and highlights technologies demanded in the workplace today.  An additional summary of key points is presented below.

• Satisfies strategic initiatives to promote student success.
• Provides special assistance to Developmental students.
• Meets the growing demand for computer skills in the workplace.
• Creates a special opportunity for new course technology pedagogy.
• Establishes a supervised Study Hall for specialized course assistance.

The Instructional Technology Lab provides the instructional technology, such as Microsoft Office Suites that is necessary to enhance student learning.  Academic students, developmental students, and even technical students enjoyed additional uses and applications as summarized below.

• Offers specialized Developmental Programming for Reading & Math.
• Improves TSI Test Preparation Clinics for New Students.
• Promotes new Technological Applications for Credit Level Courses.
• Integrates special Technology required for Critical Thinking Initiatives.
• Provides potential New Technology Courses & Degree Plans Options.

Upon early implementation, it was the scope of the IT Lab and the Instructional Peer Tutors to transform learning strategies among offender students, which was most impressive.  The emerging role of the IPT and their cumulative desire to take “ownership” of the IT Lab was a surprising development which was not initially expected during the planning process.  No doubt, the increased exposure and involvement by the IPTs created synergies which have greatly contributed to the early realized success.

The selection of Instructional Peer Tutors required guidelines in order to establish desired credibility among students and above all, satisfy security concerns on behalf of the correctional institution.  The role and responsibilities of the IPT were questioned extensively because of security reservations.  Ultimately, selected peer tutors required approval by the unit warden based on the criteria outlined below.

1. Minimum of 45 hours of Academic Coursework with a 3.0 or higher GPA and currently enrolled in a Lee College educational program.
2. Completion of an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s Degrees from an accredited college or university (verified by student transcripts).
3. Essay responding to the question: Why do you want to be a tutor?
4. Instructor referral based on sound character and communication skills.

The role of the Instructional Peer Tutor was also developed based on feedback from instructors, students, and correctional administrators.  The IPT would be utilized in a special capacity to assist instructors and well as other offender students.  As a result, careful consideration was taken in order not to establish a ‘defacto’ hierarchy of offenders enrolled in educational programs and thus create a systemic or security issue for the correctional institution (TDCJ).

• To aid students in preparing for TSI testing.
• The aid TSI deficient students in addressing areas of weakness.
• To be embedded in current classes so as to give up-to-date information to students in the IT Lab or study hall.

The training of Instructional Peer Tutors was specifically designed in order to provide adequate preparation and practice.  Once offenders were selected and approved by correctional administrators, they were required to complete an extensive training program which prepared them to understand their unique role and responsibilities as well as recognize what type of contribution they would be able to make to other students and the educational program as a whole.  For example, peer tutors would not be allowed to complete course assignments for other students or otherwise engage in unacceptable practices.  Examples of training requirements established for “request for approval” status are summarized below.

Topic 1: Tutors’ and SI leaders’ responsibilities and commitment: definition of terms “tutor” and “supplemental instruction”: legal issues re: Ruiz case and student confidentiality: tutors’ and SI leaders’ code of ethics. What is the role of the tutor/SI leader in the college program? Overview of tutorial/supplemental instruction program: participation guidelines, academic requirements, handling of grievances, other procedural issues.

Topic 2: The critical thinking process, including elements of thought, universal intellectual standards, and intellectual virtues. How to encourage critical thinking in students. Improving tutors’ critical thinking abilities. Films demonstrating these principles.

Topic 3: Learning styles. What are the 3 learning styles? What are the facilitators’ learning styles? How does a facilitator identify a student’s preferred learning style? How can facilitators help students to adapt study skills to their learning styles? How can students improve their skills in non-preferred learning styles? Practice in switching information into different activities that reflect different learning styles.

Topic 4: Tutoring methodology and learning levels. What are the learning levels? How can a tutor identify a student’s learning level? What different tutorial techniques are appropriate to each learning level? Questioning techniques. Open and closed-ended questions. Use of positive feedback.

Topic 5: Personality types. An overview of different personality types based on the Personality Resources Incorporated (PRI) model and how this knowledge can be used to improve student assistance.

Topic 6: Interpersonal communications. Reading body language. Appropriate tutor/SI leader body language. Letting students take the lead and building student confidence. Avoiding student dependence. Working with students with learning disabilities.

Once the training of Instructional Peer Tutors was completed, they were assigned to designated classes where they would become embedded in the actual course instruction in which they would be providing instructional assistance at a later time to other offender students.  The time required to plan and implement student mentoring and tutorial programs can be immense.  In addition, the expectations and demands on behalf of a correctional environment can make any comparable effort daunting to say the least.  No doubt, all mentoring programs have their unique challenges. 

The decision to establish and implement an Instructional Technology Lab and the supporting peer mentoring program which highlights the greatest achievements of the this strategic initiative is commendable.  The Lee College Huntsville Center is committed to providing the highest quality educational opportunities to offender students incarcerated within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice based on the reasonable expectations that education reduces recidivism and saves Texas taxpayers money.  A recidivism study conducted by Kemp (2003) indicated offenders who completed two years of college have a 10% recidivism rate as compared to 60% for those receiving no additional education.  According to the State Auditor’s Office, Texas saves $6.6 million for every one percent reduction in recidivism (Fiscal Year, 2011).

It required a great networking effort along with effective leadership to achieve instructional goals and promote student success. Some additional areas of mutual interest and overlapping initiatives shared between Lee College Huntsville Center and TDCJ include:

• Reduction in Offender Recidivism
• Reduction in cost of Offender Confinement
• Increased success of former students
• Improved Employment Opportunities
• Promote an Incentive for positive behavior

In summary, the Huntsville Center is proud of its heritage and leadership status in prison education in the state of Texas as evidenced by its students’ successes.  The Instructional Lab along with Instructional Peer Tutors has provided new and challenging learning opportunities, which have best been characterized as truly ‘transformational’ in nature.  Student Testimonials: What Current and Former Students have said about Lee College Academic and Technical Programs!

“Lee College has provided me the opportunity to be successful in life . . . I now have real choices.”

“Thanks to Lee College and my Associate Degree, I now have a chance to be a productive member of society.”

“Lee College literally gave me a new life with great promise to be the kind of person I always wanted to be.”

“Without a minimal amount of education or technical training, ex-offenders are destined to repeat past failures.”

 

 

REFERENCES

Annual Report to the President. (2012),  Lee College Huntsville Center.

Freire, P. (1997), "Mentoring the Mentor: A critical dialogue with Paulo Freire." Counterpoints: Studies in the Postmodern Theory of Education. Vol 60, 334 pages.

Kemp, J. (2003),  Study on Recidivism in the State of Texas.

Operating Budget Texas Department of Criminal Justice, State of Texas Comptroller’s Office. Fiscal Year (2011).

Second Chance, (2012, Fall), Lee College Office of College Relations.