Informal Technology Education for Women Transitioning from Incarceration

As society increasingly relies on digital technologies in many different aspects, those who lack relevant access and skills are lagging behind. Among the underserved groups disproportionately affected by divide women transitioning from incarceration seeking to reenter workforce outside carceral system (women-in-transition). Women-in-transition rarely have been exposed sound technology education, as they generally isolated environment while incarceration. Furthermore, become fastest-growing segment of incarcerated population United States recent decades, prison education reentry programs still not well adjusted for them. Most mainly designed dominant male population. Consequently, women-in-transition face significant post-incarceration challenges accessing using thus added difficulties entering or reentering workforce. Against this backdrop, our multi-disciplinary research team has conducted empirical part offered Midwest. In article, we report results interviews with 75 Midwest that were develop a tailored program women. More than half participants study color precarious housing financial situations. Then, discuss principles adopted developing marginalized participants’ feedback program. Our launched in-person sessions women-in-reentry at public libraries February 2020 had move online March due COVID-19. research-informed educational is primarily support enhancing their knowledge comfort nurturing computational thinking. shows low self-efficacy mental health challenges, resources use, some major issues need be addressed supporting learning among women-in-transition. This offers scholarly practical implications computing other populations.