Developing Curriculum
How to create engagement and why it matters
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How are courses selected and sequenced?
HEP programs align their mirrored degree program on the main campus, so courses are offered in the order identified by the home department. When there is not an identified sequence, courses are offered by the most introductory first, and in a way that provides maximum integration for student learning. In addition, faculty availability can impact when courses are offered.
What types of learning take place in HEP classes?
Imagine you are a student on a college campus. You are walking down the hall and see a flier for an upcoming lecture, or a study abroad program, or a student club. You sign up, learn about something new, and perhaps make new friends or even change the course of your education. For a student in prison, these kinds of opportunities are extremely limited. For that reason, active learning that includes discussion, small group learning, collaborative projects, and engaged dialogue with opportunities for practice and exploration are beneficial to students in HEP.
What is responsive embedded skill development and how does it support students?
Responsive embedded skill development integrates writing, critical thinking, and research into everyday coursework, allowing students to build these competencies through meaningful, applied practice. Through VISTA, students have opportunities to publish and asynchronously present their research at the annual S3: Student Symposium at San Diego State University, reinforcing the real-world relevance of their learning. These experiences are further enriched by faculty-designed creative and scholarly activities that invite students to explore diverse forms of expression and inquiry. Together, these opportunities cultivate confidence, and deepen intellectual engagement.
Capstone projects
Capstone projects serve as a culminating experience, giving students the opportunity to bring together what they have learned and apply it in a meaningful way. In HEP settings, capstones also reflect a holistic approach to learning by allowing students to integrate academic knowledge with lived experience, personal reflection, and future goals. This may include connecting coursework across disciplines, exploring questions that are personally meaningful, or developing work that speaks to broader communities or issues. Capstones may take different forms depending on the program and available resources, but they allow students to deepen their thinking, develop their academic voice, and engage with topics that matter to them. Capstone projects also allow for students to apply real world learning.
Student Capstone
One student in the VISTA program drew on three areas of study, Graphic Design, Communication, and Journalism, to develop the foundation for a book. The student drafted the structure and first three chapters of the book, which serves as a guide to navigating the daily challenges of incarceration.
How to build connections across the main and prison campus
Higher education should not be thought of as separate from the university itself. Program teams and university partners should actively look for opportunities to build connections between students inside and the broader campus community. These connections are an important part of creating an equitable and integrated academic experience. Even when full course integration is not possible, programs can create meaningful points of connection that reinforce incarcerated students' place in the university. These efforts expand access to academic and professional opportunities, support students in seeing themselves as part of the university community, and challenge the idea that learning inside and outside of prison are separate.
Expanding connections with the main campus
In practice, this can include opportunities such as students publishing their work in campus outlets, participating in academic events, or engaging with faculty and students from the main campus. For example, students in SDSU's VISTA program have published in The Daily Aztec, participated in campus-wide research symposiums through posters and recorded presentations, and engaged with visiting students from disciplines such as criminal justice (see Student Support for more information). In addition, campus-based organizations, including honor societies, have extended membership and programming to students inside.