COMPUTER-ASSISTED EDUCATION IN A COUNTY JAIL - AN OVERVIEW OF A PILOT PROJECT

• NCJ Number: 55416
• Journal: OFFENDER REHABILITATION Volume: 3 Issue: 2 Dated: (WINTER 1978) Pages: 151-159
• Author(s): P G FAIRWEATHER; R A DIEM
• Date Published: 1979
• Length: 9 pages
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Justice; US Dept of Justice
• Corporate Author: Haworth Press, Inc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE PILOT IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTER-ASSISTED BASIC SKILLS EDUCATION PROGRAM AT A COUNTY JAIL IN SAN ANTONIO, TEX., IS DESCRIBED AND ASSESSED.

Abstract

IN NOVEMBER 1977, THE JAIL INSTALLED TWO PLATO TERMINALS--INTERACTIVE COMPUTER GRAPHICS DEVICES FOR USE IN PRESENTING PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS. THE TERMINALS WERE USED BY INMATES TAKING BASIC SKILLS COURSES (READING, ENGLISH USAGE, MATHEMATICS) IN PURSUIT OF HIGH SCHOOL EQUIVALENCY CERTIFICATES (GED'S). THE INMATES WHO USED PLATO LIKED THE PRIVACY AFFORDED BY THE TERMINALS, ALTHOUGHT SOME REGARDED THE 'BABYISH' PROGRAMMED MATERIALS AS IMPEDIMENTS TO THEIR ATTAINING GED'S. SOME INMATES WHO SAW PLATO IN USE DECIDED TO ENTER THE JAIL'S EDUCATION PROGRAM. OTHERS DISMISSED PLATO AS ANOTHER MANIPULATIVE TOOL OF THE AUTHORITIES. INMATES ON TRUSTEE STATUS ENJOYED USING THE TERMINALS TO COMMUNICATE WITH SYSTEM USERS ON THE OUTSIDE. MOST OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF WERE INDIFFERENT TO PLATO, PRIMARILY BECAUSE THEY WERE TOO BUSY TO EXPLORE ITS POTENTIAL. GUARDS INITIALLY RESENTED PLATO BECAUSE THEY FELT THEY HAD BEEN DENIED RAISES SO PLATO COULD BE FUNDED. BUT WHEN THE GUARDS LEARNED THAT CORRECTIONAL OFFICER TRAINING MATERIALS WERE BEING DEVELOPED FOR PLATO, THEY TOOK THIS AS A SIGN THAT THEIR JOB WAS WORTHY OF RESPECT AND CHANGED THEIR ATTITUDES TOWARD THE SYSTEM. OVER AN 8-WEEK PERIOD, PRE-GED STUDENTS USING PLATO MADE GREATER ACHIEVEMENT GAINS THAN DID TRADITIONALLY INSTRUCTED STUDENTS, BUT ONLY IN THE AREAS OF ARITHMETIC PROBLEMSOLVING AND COMPUTATION. IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT SOME OF THE PILOT IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS CAN BE RESOLVED THROUGH PROPER ORIENTATION AND TRAINING FOR GUARDS AND INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF AND BY TAKING A MORE SYSTEMATIC APPROACH TO CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT AND TO USE OF THE PLATO TERMINALS. THERE IS ALSO A NEED TO DEVELOP AN ADULT-CENTERED BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM THAT INCLUDES MATERIALS RELATED TO SURVIVAL AND JOB SKILLS AS WELL AS TO BASIC LITERACY. SUPPORTING DATA ARE PROVIDED. (LKM)