One problem with the literature of correctional education (CE) and prison reform is that the contributions of African Americans have been generally neglected. This is the first of three essays that will begin to fill that gap. Janie Porter Barrett was an important Virginia leader in the period before and after the turn of the 20th century. She…

For the past 40 years adult learning theory has stressed the need for adults to share in the planning of their own learning and socially construct new knowledge by building on their background knowledge and life experiences. Despite growing acceptance of social-constructivist pedagogies in community-based literacy programs and even corporate…

In many U.S. prisons an overuse of individualized instruction silences literacy learners and reinforces oppressive notions about what knowledge is and whose knowledge counts. In these classrooms, methods that invite learners to tap their background knowledge, reflect on their worlds, and dialogue with others to construct meaning--commonplace in…