Dedicated and skilled teachers are the foundation of OPEEP’s mission to provide high quality educational experiences to campus and incarcerated students. Before being eligible to teach for OPEEP, instructors and faculty must first complete a required pedagogical training hosted by OPEEP (unfortunately, graduate students are not eligible to participate at this time). Ohio State faculty and instructors from any campus can offer OPEEP courses. Courses are typically taught on a faculty member’s or instructor’s regular course load, though minimum enrollment levels are set by departments and regional campuses.
OPEEP hosts instructor trainings every year or every other year depending on demand. The training covers curriculum development, interactive pedagogical approaches, and the practicalities of prison-based teaching. Participants also learn about the Black feminist, anti-colonial, and abolitionist principles guiding OPEEP’s work. They also learn about Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections’ (ODRC) and OSU’s guidelines and requirements for OPEEP courses and spend a day with one of our learning communities at an ODRC facility.
Our next Instructor Training will be May 5-7, 2025. The training is 3 full days, the second of which will be held at the Ohio Reformatory for Women in Marysville. If you are interested in attending the instructor training please complete the Qualtrics application by March 3, 2025. We will contact you by March 7 to confirm participation and explain next steps. We recommend speaking to your Department Chair or regional campus Dean about your teaching plans and participation in the OPEEP training before applying. If demand exceeds the number of seats we have available, please note that we will prioritize by curricular needs of the degree program at ORW.
If you have any questions, please email one of the OPEEP Directors.