Teaching in Prison: What We Learned from Our Curriculum Pilot

Teaching in prison requires a thoughtful, trauma-informed approach, yet instructors rarely get the tailored prep they need. To help bridge that gap, ITHAKA Labs teamed up with the University of Puget Sound to build and test a flexible, modular online course aimed at both new and experienced higher education in prison instructors.

By Grace Cope and Trip Taylor

The project

Building on key insights from the University of Puget Sound’s report on resources for postsecondary education in prison programs, this collaborative project tackled the shortage of dedicated teaching resources for carceral environments.

Over the course of five months, ITHAKA Labs and the University of Puget Sound set up an open source learning system in Moodle, collaborated with over two dozen subject matter experts to craft interactive modules, and ran a one-week virtual pilot with twelve faculty members across nine institutions, complete with daily live discussions led by facilitator Christina Dawkins. The updated curriculum is intended to be openly available.

Read the full project summary

Key takeaways

The course is organized into four main sections: understanding the prison system, humanizing the practice, supporting non-traditional adult learners, and creating culturally-responsive classrooms.

Feedback from pilot classes, survey responses, and design sessions gave us a clear picture of how educators intended to use these tools. Instructors across all experience levels said they felt far more confident and equipped to adapt their materials for prison classrooms after the course.
To reach as many people as possible and fit hyperspecific program needs, participants recommended making materials available both through live discussions and self-paced study, along with export options for platforms like Canvas or Brightspace.
Hands-on, real-world scenarios were vital for helping teachers handle tricky classroom dynamics, boundaries, and course structure. Instructors noted that the trauma-informed methods they learned weren’t just helpful inside prisons; they were equally useful for traditional college classes.

What’s next

We’re looking for a lasting way to manage and share these important resources widely. If you’d like to partner with us, support the project, or get involved, please reach out to Tanya Erzen at the University of Puget Sound (terzen@pugetsound.edu).