"An Awakening of Untapped Potential": Finding Meaning in a College-Level Prison Education Program

• In Event: Centering the Educational Experiences of Post-Traditional Students

Abstract

This phenomenological study explores the types of educational experiences formerly incarcerated students describe as being personally relevant and meaningful as part of their participation in a college-level prison education program. It contextualizes their experiences within a critical andragogical framework, prioritizing self-direction in learning as well as participants’ intersecting social identities. Using thematic analysis and following an interpretive phenomenological approach, preliminary findings indicate that what participants valued most about the program included acquiring better understandings of prior life experiences, gaining personal agency within the repressive environment of prison, and developing humanizing relationships, particularly with instructors. Implications of this study can help inform instructors and program administrators in the creation of effective curricula responsive to the needs and goals of students.

Author

• Patrick Filipe Conway, Boston College