Edovo: A powerful tool in the courtroom

What is Edovo?

Edovo is a dynamic educational platform designed to provide incarcerated individuals with access to a wide range of courses and resources. With over 25 thousand hours of free content, it serves as a tool for personal growth, skill development, and reintegration into society.
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Why and how it’s beneficial to judges and attorneys

For judges and attorneys, Edovo offers a unique window into the development and progress of incarcerated individuals. With detailed certificates and transcripts tracking learner achievements, it’s a goldmine for concrete evidence of engagement and personal advancement. In this article, we’ll show you how.

What you need to know about certificates

Certificates are awarded upon completion of each course. Each certificate includes a final score:

• Passed: Indicates the learner met all requirements for completing the course with evidence of effort, meaningful engagement, and a sufficient grasp of the material.
• Needs Improvement: Indicates the learner failed to meet at least one of the requirements deemed necessary to pass.

Read more details on passing criteria here.

Key takeaway – Courses can only be earned by taking courses which involve testing – multiple choice, Likert scales, open response questions and more. Unlike resources like podcasts and documentaries, courses assess understanding which reflects significant effort. Even more, earning a ‘Passed’ certificate  reflects even more effort to have achieved that score.

See examples of certificates:

What you need to know about transcripts

A transcript is a comprehensive record of all learner activities on Edovo, including time spent on various resources and courses. It provides a detailed view of a learner's engagement and progress.Your Edovo transcript first provides a comprehensive overview of your learning progress, followed by a breakdown of courses and resources engaged with.

Here’s an example of a transcript:

What to Look for on Transcripts and Certificates

When reviewing transcripts and certificates, what should you be looking for? How do you make sense of the data? Consider the following key factors to help assess a learner’s effort, engagement and development.

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Analyze the transcript. Review how the learner spent their time while incarcerated. Did they engage with a diverse range of content or focus on specific types? Courses typically demand more effort as they include assessments for understanding.Ask about meaningful coursework. Inquire about courses that resonated with the learner and how they applied the knowledge.Consider the relevance to charges. Evaluate if the learner’s coursework is relevant to their charges. For instance, anger management courses might be pertinent for domestic violence charges, while substance use courses could relate to drug offenses.Consider the time spent. Assess the amount of time spent on Edovo relative to the learner’s incarceration length. Has the learner consistently engaged with the platform? Have there been periods of increased or decreased activity?By analyzing these factors, you can gain a better understanding of the learner’s commitment to their education and personal growth while incarcerated.How to use transcripts and certificates in courtEdovo can be a powerful tool in the courtroom, instrumental in shaping sentencing decisions, determining program requirements, and setting probation and parole conditions. Judges have used Edovo insights to:Reduced sentencingLevel or class reduction Required programming and class needsProbation and Parole requirementsBy integrating Edovo data into legal proceedings, judges and attorneys can make more informed decisions that reflect an individual's educational and personal progress, ultimately supporting more nuanced and effective legal outcomes.Ready to access a learner transcript? Here’s how. (https://support.edovo.com/portal/en/kb/articles/how-a-learner-can-request-certificates-and-transcripts)