Digital Literacies, Institutional Constraints, and Leaner Navigation in Prison Education: Perspectives From Incarcerated Individuals

Digital literacy is essential for participation in contemporary society. Yet, incarcerated individuals often experience significant technological exclusion. This qualitative action research study examined how 18 incarcerated learners at a medium-security correctional facility in rural Indiana perceived digital technology, experienced institutional educational structures, and navigated the prison education system. Findings revealed fragmented understandings of current technologies, anxiety about technological exclusion, and perceptions of digital literacy as essential for reintegration. Institutional affordances and constraints included peer tutor influence, limited program choice, and mixed perceptions of educational outcomes. Three adaptive learner identities emerged: the Compliant, the Questioner, and the Maneuverer. Recommendations address responsive correctional education.