Qualitative study reveals digital exclusion and transition barriers in open prison university students, highlighting the need for targeted institutional support.
Key Points
To investigate the information behaviours, digital literacy transitions, and institutional support experiences of incarcerated students attending university from an open prison.
Qualitative study in southern England using weekly reflective progress logs and follow-up interviews with incarcerated university students (n = 8).
Semi-structured interviews with university staff members who support prison-university partnerships (n = 5).
Thematic evaluation structured around conceptual models of digital exclusion, transitional information behaviour, and digital identities.
Stark discrepancies between restrictive prison regulations and technology-intensive university settings generated severe time pressures and adaptation hurdles due to intermittent internet access.
Prohibitions against smartphone possession and online networking created social stigma and impeded full participation in university academic and social life.
Incarcerated students exhibited strong academic resilience, indicating that tailored institutional interventions can alleviate digital exclusion.