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• VIRTUAL CAMPUS. An introduction to safe web learning?

What is it?

Think of Virtual Campus (VC) as a customised search engine, like Google, allowing secure access to sites which have internal, but no external hyperlinks.  VC also utilises a level of advice and guidance, suggesting courses and vacancies available through the VC. Each prison has its own url, with some content specific to the prison and its region. At present, VC is being piloted at HMPs Blundeston and Swinfen Hall. By April 2009, about 12 prisons will be running VC.

Who gets access?

VC caters for the education, training and employment pathway. Initially, VC learning will provide information and access to registration for Learn Direct courses. Some interactive courses will become available in the near future and there are plans to add distance learning courses in the longer term. If a course provider would like a course uploaded, they pass details to MegaNexus, who check all relevant details are included and any software is compatible. The VC Board then checks the course is suitable for prisoners. All details are then security checked by the Prison Service before the course is uploaded for use in prison.

How does a prisoner get access to the Virtual Campus?

When a prisoner is recommended as a VC learner, they are security checked and given a personal logon.

What happens when they log on initially?

To get an initial logon, the prisoner fills in a questionnaire, set by the LSC. This covers questions concerning sentencing, then health, welfare, social and vocational issues. It covers educational skills and qualifications to date, plus work experience. On the basis of this, the VC generates a letter to that prisoner. It welcomes the prisoner to VC, explains a little about it and suggests courses and vacancies the prisoner might find useful. Prisoners can also conduct their own searches within the VC. Every time prisoners are logged on, there is a guardian in the room, (one guardian may be overseeing more than one prisoner.) If a prisoner wants advice and guidance in the room, they ask the guardian. There is also an advisor, who offers more in-depth advice and guidance and helps with applications.

Subsequently

The prisoner is given a personal documents folder on the XMA secure delivery platform, where they can keep their own working papers.

There is a keyword search box, so if a learner wants to look up a subject or course, they can enter the keyword and access anything on the site which relates to it. So for example, if there is a Greek Language for Beginners course reference, the VC may not suggest the prisoner takes the course, but the prisoner can still find out about it, by entering the word Greek. In addition, they can browse courses by subject.

If a prisoner is on a course, when they want to ask a question to the course tutor, they send it by secure message to the advisor. The advisor checks it for security and forwards it on to the tutor. Similarly, when the tutor wants to contact the prisoner, their message goes directly to the advisor, who passes it on to the prisoner. At present, there is no facility for attachments, so distance learning coursework must still be sent by post.

Has anyone ever breached the security of the Virtual Campus or its XMA platform?

There have been no breaches of security, of either the VC or the XMA platform which carries the VC.

• MegaNexus writes about The Virtual Campus

The Virtual Campus, which is provided by MegaNexus, gives learners secure access to a range of content, specific to their needs during custody and on release, whether in probation or into the community. This content will be focussed on the seven pathways to reducing re-offending with a strong emphasis on education, training and employment. The learner can use the Virtual Campus to:

  • Register their details and access informative and interactive content, including actual courses provided by Learn Direct.
  • Contact their tutor with queries or to submit course work.
  • Access information and registration  for Open University, Learn Direct, Offender Learning & Skills Service (OLASS) courses.
  • Complete skills for life, employability or other assessments
    Complete an on-line CV using an intuitive CV builder that concentrates on activities and learning undertaken in prison.
  • Search and apply for internal job vacancies and mentoring.
    Search and apply for real external vacancies.
  • View information related to mentoring support on release.
  • View information and resources related to housing, health, finance and debt sourced from the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), the Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) the Department for Communities and local government, the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders’, NACRO, Shelter, Housing And Returning Prisoners (HARP) protocol, and the National Health Service (NHS).  

Two Test Bed regions (West Midlands and the East of England) are taking forward the ideas which were set out in the policy document Reducing Re-offending Through Skills and Employment: Next Steps.  The work of the Test Beds is based on the premise that employment is a key factor in reducing re-offending; so there is a strong case for improving the skills of offenders and helping them find work.

The Test Beds (which run from September 2007 to March 2009) build on the work done through the Offenders’ Learning and Skills Service (OLASS) which was introduced in 2006. Its purpose is to test out activities which have a particular focus on employment. At the end of the life of the Test Beds it is hoped that recommendations can be made for an offender skills and employment model for the future.

The virtual campus is being rolled out in the two Test Bed regions and plans to be available in at least 10 prisons by March 09. It aims to ensure consistent delivery of services to offenders upon release and upon movement between facilities and probation.