Moral sight and ethical praxis in the prison classroom

Abstract

The deployment of moral sight (a sensitivity towards the humanity of all people) and ethical praxis (taking account of important matters for learners) enhanced learners’ sense of dignity in a prison classroom comprising university students and men serving long prison sentences. This in turn enhanced the trustworthiness of the space, helped learners benefit from interaction and prevented moral blindness among prison educators. Three domains of ethical praxis for enhancing moral sight among educators are discussed: person-centred praxis; situational praxis; and pedagogical praxis. The article grounds the discussion using empirical data from participant reflections to uncover what mattered to them in creating a trustworthy learning space. Recognising the human dignity of learners, and engaging in practices that enhance this dignity and protect associated rights, was important for both groups of students. Deploying ethical praxis enabled participants to feel ‘seen’ in the classroom, in turn enhancing their sense of belonging and comfort in the space. For the prison-based students, having their contributions heard, recognised and valued was a rare experience in the context of serving a life sentence. For university students, the space provided a new and refreshing pedagogical experience, away from the institutionalised logics and constraints of the contemporary university. Relatedly, teacher-facilitators involved reported this to be their most enjoyable higher education teaching experience. There are wider implications for how higher education institutions ‘see’ the people they work with. The article argues for prioritising the human activity of learning over the institutionalisation of education processes, to create more trustworthy learning spaces.