Transformative Learning through University and Prison Partnerships: Reflections from ‘Learning Together’ Pedagogical Practice
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This paper critically discusses two London-based “Learning Together” prison university partnerships—Middlesex University with Her Majesty’s Prison (HMP) Wandsworth and London South Bank University (LSBU) with HMP Pentonville. The paper documents how students experienced the shared classroom learning approach designed on principles of “transformative pedagogy”, and how students interpret their personal development and the knowledge and skills gained as a result. We share the steps taken to bring the learning together pedagogical philosophy to life and use evidence from module evaluation findings and critical reflections to demonstrate the transformations that happen. We interpret our findings through the lens of a transformative ripples model. In addition to exploring personal transformation, the wider transformations that occur within the public institutions at the centre of these collaborations—the prisons and the universities —are discussed. We argue that for prison and university partnerships to be truly effective, they must embed transformative pedagogic practices at their heart, ensuring the “how”we teach is as important, and deliberately considered, as the “what” we teach.
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The promotion of the 'being' dimension is based on critical reflection, as well as individual and environment transformation.
“The promotion of the”
From Learning with digital technologies in prison: a scoping review (2023) · cites this paper as Gray, et al., 2019
The 'Transformative Pedagogy in Practice' section (page unavailable) identifies critical self-reflection as a key feature of transformative learning. The Abstract and 'Transformative Ripples Model in Action' section (pages unavailable) describe individual, social, and institutional transformation. The paper does not identify a 'being' dimension or say that these elements specifically promote it. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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Cited by
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Learning with digital technologies in prison: a scoping review
Barros, R., Monteiro, A., & Leite, C. (2023) · Digital Education Review · doi:10.1344/der.2023.43.1-17 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
- Authors
- Gray, N., Ward, J., & Fogarty, J.
- ORCID
- Fogarty, Jenny
- Venue
- VCU Libraries
- Publisher
- VCU Libraries
- Published
- 2019
- Volume
- 6
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 7-24
- OpenAlex
- W2969094458
- Cited by
- 10
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2024: 2 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2020: 3
- FWCI
- 2.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Middlesex University Research Repository (Middlesex University Of London) (acceptedVersion)
- LSHTM Research Online (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) (acceptedVersion)
- VCU Scholars Compass (Virginia Commonwealth University) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- VCULIBRARIES
- Journal of Prison Education and Reentry
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Criminal Justice and Corrections Analysis
- Social Sciences › Education › Adult and Continuing Education Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Service-Learning and Community Engagement
- Keywords
- transformative learning, transformative pedagogy, prison education, student self-development, learning together, university teaching, institutional change
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