Positionality and social dynamics in prison education.

• In Event: Roundtable: Critical Perspectives on Teaching

Abstract

Following years of delivering HE education in prison with a mixed learning population it is important to explore issues addressing power and social imbalances among the cohort and between the teaching team and the learners.
In order to do so, attempts have been made to address the way the individual student positions themselves in relation to the cohort based in part on their own expectations of their educational journey. Similarly the teaching team took measures to maintain the equity factor by going through the same process the students go through, whilst recognising the inevitable power differential in the relationship.

Reflections across all relationships have been insightful allowing us to explore and question some of the original foundational ideas. Equality and respect as the main guiding principles are upheld and these constitute, not only the ethos, but part of the curriculum of the classes. Nonetheless, class dynamics and the way equality is maintained, is not always the same and the positionality of all participants has to be addressed. If students are to become agents of change, then that change and impact will differ depending on the position and location of the student, not just in class, but in their own life.

Authors

• Manos Daskalou, University of Northampton

• Paula Bowles, University of Northampton