Helen Nichols - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Helen Nichols

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

This collection includes 27 qualitative surveys completed by probation staff in England about the... more This collection includes 27 qualitative surveys completed by probation staff in England about their perceptions of the impact of the response to Covid-19 on their health-related practice with people under supervision. It also includes transcripts from 11 interviews with people that were under probation supervision during the pandemic about the impact of the response to the pandemic on their health, access to healthcare, and their experience of working with probation or health services to improve their health during the pandemic. Notes from two brief follow-up conversations with probation staff which aimed to add detail to the survey findings are also included.

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

This special issue of the Journal of Prison Education and Reentry highlights many of the successf... more This special issue of the Journal of Prison Education and Reentry highlights many of the successful outcomes that stem from prison-university partnerships while also presenting a significant insight into the challenging nature of this work. The initiatives reflected on throughout the articles highlight how valuable this work is to learners, educators and institutions in overcoming the long-standing barriers to higher education for people with convictions. Evidently, the collaborative nature of this work is central to possibilities of success. However, as highlighted in this special issue, critical reflection lies at the heart of ensuring that the aims of the programmes can be realised and sustained. Therefore, the issue presents a collection of articles that provide a ‘realistic celebration’ of the projects being undertaken, whereby challenge and adversity reveal themselves to be just as empowering as the rewards experienced.

Existing literature in the field of prison education often focuses on rates of reoffending, conce... more Existing literature in the field of prison education often focuses on rates of reoffending, conceptions and understandings of personal change and the correlation between increased educational attainment and employability. More recently, with the publication of ‘What is prison education for? A theory of change exploring the value of learning in prison’,1 it has become more widely recognised that we cannot focus on education in prisons purely as a means to employment. Instead, prison education is beginning to be seen a vehicle for continuous personal, social and cultural development. A broad interpretation of the value of prison education has been central to my own research on prison education2 and this article focuses on one theme arising from this research by examining the role and importance of relationships for men experiencing education within a custodial setting.

This paper introduces the reader to a course taught at a High Security prison in the UK to a comb... more This paper introduces the reader to a course taught at a High Security prison in the UK to a combined group of serving prisoners and university students. Within this paper, the implications of the absence of technology in the prison classroom are considered, with particular attention being paid to how this absence can be beneficial for learning experiences. By examining the collaborative nature of learning in this environment, the paper argues that although learning technologies are important to diversify learning experiences, the value of human interaction facilitates the emergence of positive behaviours of desistance; particularly in relation to desisting from stereotyping others.

Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 2020

This article offers an important contribution to understanding students’ perceptions of lectures ... more This article offers an important contribution to understanding students’ perceptions of lectures based on different formats of lecture delivery. The growth in the use of blended, flipped, synchronous and asynchronous learning for lecture delivery raises questions as to whether students prefer these innovative modes of delivery over the traditional face-to-face lectures. Furthermore, the contemporary debates over recording lectures and whether this impacts on student attendance requires further exploration by comparing recorded face-to-face lectures with other methods of lecturing. This article draws on data that explored students’ preferences for lectures by comparing students’ experiences on three different types of lectures. The main findings demonstrate that there is no one preferred method of lectures, with student feedback reporting positive experiences with all three. However, the strengths and limitations of each mode of delivery are provided by the students which indicate th...

Research in Learning Technology, 2017

This article explores the lived experiences of two academics in a UK Higher Education Institution... more This article explores the lived experiences of two academics in a UK Higher Education Institution who have embedded digital learning approaches within their curriculum delivery. Achieving student excellence can be impeded by a lack of engagement and sense of identity on large courses. Digital learning strategies can offer opportunities to overcome these challenges by empowering students to engage self-confidently. Through an evaluation of the authors' own experiences of using social media, polling and web-conferencing software, the article shows how interacting with students via a range of learning technologies can create more inclusive and engaging learning environments. Including feedback from students within this article provides evidence that diversification of communication within teaching and learning practice gives students more choice and opportunity to interact with both their peers and teaching staff. The article concludes with recommendations for embedding technology,...

Restorative Justice

The Leeds Beckett repository holds a wide range of publications, each of which has been checked f... more The Leeds Beckett repository holds a wide range of publications, each of which has been checked for copyright and the relevant embargo period has been applied by the Research Services team. We operate on a standard take-down policy. If you are the author or publisher of an output and you would like it removed from the repository, please contact us and we will investigate on a case-by-case basis.

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 2019

Special Issue Journal of Prison Education and Reentry 2019, Vol 6 No. 1

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

This collection includes 27 qualitative surveys completed by probation staff in England about the... more This collection includes 27 qualitative surveys completed by probation staff in England about their perceptions of the impact of the response to Covid-19 on their health-related practice with people under supervision. It also includes transcripts from 11 interviews with people that were under probation supervision during the pandemic about the impact of the response to the pandemic on their health, access to healthcare, and their experience of working with probation or health services to improve their health during the pandemic. Notes from two brief follow-up conversations with probation staff which aimed to add detail to the survey findings are also included.

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

Understanding the Educational Experiences of Imprisoned Men, 2021

This special issue of the Journal of Prison Education and Reentry highlights many of the successf... more This special issue of the Journal of Prison Education and Reentry highlights many of the successful outcomes that stem from prison-university partnerships while also presenting a significant insight into the challenging nature of this work. The initiatives reflected on throughout the articles highlight how valuable this work is to learners, educators and institutions in overcoming the long-standing barriers to higher education for people with convictions. Evidently, the collaborative nature of this work is central to possibilities of success. However, as highlighted in this special issue, critical reflection lies at the heart of ensuring that the aims of the programmes can be realised and sustained. Therefore, the issue presents a collection of articles that provide a ‘realistic celebration’ of the projects being undertaken, whereby challenge and adversity reveal themselves to be just as empowering as the rewards experienced.

Existing literature in the field of prison education often focuses on rates of reoffending, conce... more Existing literature in the field of prison education often focuses on rates of reoffending, conceptions and understandings of personal change and the correlation between increased educational attainment and employability. More recently, with the publication of ‘What is prison education for? A theory of change exploring the value of learning in prison’,1 it has become more widely recognised that we cannot focus on education in prisons purely as a means to employment. Instead, prison education is beginning to be seen a vehicle for continuous personal, social and cultural development. A broad interpretation of the value of prison education has been central to my own research on prison education2 and this article focuses on one theme arising from this research by examining the role and importance of relationships for men experiencing education within a custodial setting.

This paper introduces the reader to a course taught at a High Security prison in the UK to a comb... more This paper introduces the reader to a course taught at a High Security prison in the UK to a combined group of serving prisoners and university students. Within this paper, the implications of the absence of technology in the prison classroom are considered, with particular attention being paid to how this absence can be beneficial for learning experiences. By examining the collaborative nature of learning in this environment, the paper argues that although learning technologies are important to diversify learning experiences, the value of human interaction facilitates the emergence of positive behaviours of desistance; particularly in relation to desisting from stereotyping others.

Journal of Perspectives in Applied Academic Practice, 2020

This article offers an important contribution to understanding students’ perceptions of lectures ... more This article offers an important contribution to understanding students’ perceptions of lectures based on different formats of lecture delivery. The growth in the use of blended, flipped, synchronous and asynchronous learning for lecture delivery raises questions as to whether students prefer these innovative modes of delivery over the traditional face-to-face lectures. Furthermore, the contemporary debates over recording lectures and whether this impacts on student attendance requires further exploration by comparing recorded face-to-face lectures with other methods of lecturing. This article draws on data that explored students’ preferences for lectures by comparing students’ experiences on three different types of lectures. The main findings demonstrate that there is no one preferred method of lectures, with student feedback reporting positive experiences with all three. However, the strengths and limitations of each mode of delivery are provided by the students which indicate th...

Research in Learning Technology, 2017

This article explores the lived experiences of two academics in a UK Higher Education Institution... more This article explores the lived experiences of two academics in a UK Higher Education Institution who have embedded digital learning approaches within their curriculum delivery. Achieving student excellence can be impeded by a lack of engagement and sense of identity on large courses. Digital learning strategies can offer opportunities to overcome these challenges by empowering students to engage self-confidently. Through an evaluation of the authors' own experiences of using social media, polling and web-conferencing software, the article shows how interacting with students via a range of learning technologies can create more inclusive and engaging learning environments. Including feedback from students within this article provides evidence that diversification of communication within teaching and learning practice gives students more choice and opportunity to interact with both their peers and teaching staff. The article concludes with recommendations for embedding technology,...

Restorative Justice

The Leeds Beckett repository holds a wide range of publications, each of which has been checked f... more The Leeds Beckett repository holds a wide range of publications, each of which has been checked for copyright and the relevant embargo period has been applied by the Research Services team. We operate on a standard take-down policy. If you are the author or publisher of an output and you would like it removed from the repository, please contact us and we will investigate on a case-by-case basis.

Journal of Prison Education and Reentry, 2019

Special Issue Journal of Prison Education and Reentry 2019, Vol 6 No. 1