From Prisons to Programming: Fostering Self-Efficacy via Virtual Web Design Curricula in Prisons and Jails

Title of the Paper

From Prisons to Programming: Fostering Self-Efficacy via Virtual Web Design Curricula in Prisons and Jails

Bibliographic Information

• Subject Areas: Digital Skills Education, Correctional Education, Social Reintegration
• Keywords: Prison Education, Digital Literacy, Self-Efficacy, Virtual Curriculum, Correctional System, Programming Education, Social Equity, Recidivism, Gender Equality

Research Background and Issues

• Mass incarceration has widespread economic and social impacts, with post-release challenges such as skill deficits and societal prejudice leading to severe social and occupational exclusion.
• Self-efficacy and digital literacy are key predictors of success for former inmates in the modern labor market, yet such educational programs are critically lacking within prison systems.
• Research shows that correctional education helps reduce recidivism, with inmates participating in post-secondary education programs experiencing a 28% lower recidivism rate. However, traditional prison education programs often fall short in addressing the diverse needs of learners and fostering self-efficacy.
• There is limited HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) research on correctional education, particularly regarding how virtual programming courses impact inmates' self-efficacy and digital literacy.

Proposed Solution

• A 12-week virtual web design course named Brave Behind Bars was introduced, aiming to cultivate inmates' digital literacy and self-efficacy through teaching technologies like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
• Innovations include:
  1. Implementing mixed-gender virtual classrooms, bringing male and female learners together.
  2. Emphasizing personalized instruction with a low student-teacher ratio (approximately 2.7:1) to enhance tailored guidance.
  3. Project-based learning: Students select social issues of interest and develop related websites, integrating technical learning with social practice.
  4. Delivering the program via Zoom, overcoming physical and internet access restrictions in prisons.
  5. Partnering with universities to offer college credits, enabling participants to pursue further education post-release.

Implementation Steps and Key Technologies

1. Course Structure: The first 6 weeks focus on foundational HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, while the final 6 weeks are dedicated to capstone projects on social issues.
2. Course Staffing:
   • Teaching assistants (including PhD students, alumni, and prior participants) support instruction.
   • A low student-teacher ratio ensures personalized guidance.
3. Equipment Support: Laptops and internet facilities are provided, establishing infrastructure for prisons introducing online technology for the first time.
4. Mixed-Gender Classrooms: Virtual participation enables mixed-gender interaction, fostering engagement and boosting learners' confidence.
5. Course Evaluation:
   • Both qualitative and quantitative methods assess participants' digital literacy and self-efficacy.
   • Collaboration with partner universities ensures academic credit for course completers.

Research Outcomes

Qualitative Analysis (2022 Survey)

• Key findings from participant feedback include:
  1. Improved Self-Efficacy: Participants widely reported increased confidence, such as "I never thought I could do something like this."
  2. Enhanced Digital Literacy: Participants expressed that the programming course helped them "regain confidence with computers" and produce tangible technical outputs (e.g., websites).
  3. Positive Gender Interaction Effects: Mixed-gender classroom experiences boosted confidence, particularly among female participants.
  4. Inclusive Teaching: Small-group instruction and a judgment-free environment were universally praised.
• Limitations: Some participants did not report significant improvements, potentially due to personal beliefs or prior programming experience.

Quantitative Analysis (2023 Survey)

• Results:
  1. Overall, self-efficacy and computer programming efficacy scores increased, though the small sample size (15–36 participants) limited statistical significance.
  2. Certain areas (e.g., algorithmic skills) showed significant improvement (p = 0.01).
• Limitations: The small sample size constrained the statistical significance of the data, necessitating further research.

Project Strengths

• Addressed a research gap in virtual programming education within prisons, proposing a highly feasible framework.
• Qualitative analysis indicated the course's potential to enhance participants' confidence and skills for the post-release job market.
• Participants' project topics focused on social issues (e.g., domestic violence, addiction), fostering emotional connections with their communities.

Limitations and Future Directions

1. Sample Size Issues: Current statistical analysis is limited by the small sample size, requiring future courses to expand data collection.
2. Long-Term Impact Assessment: Follow-up studies are needed to track participants' post-release outcomes for a more comprehensive evaluation.
3. Course Improvement Suggestions:
   • Increase the diversity of problem sets and modules to further personalize learning paths.
   • Enhance interaction models in mixed-gender classrooms to attract more participants.
   • Leverage technology to better visualize and provide feedback on participants' progress.

Significance

This study provides an empirical framework and design recommendations for applying digital technology in correctional education. Future efforts could focus on expanding the program's reach, exploring data collection methods, and strengthening the connection between education and social services.