In collaboration with CTLI this course was developed to provide correctional officers with an evidence based tool to support positive change and encourage healthier behaviours and improved well-being among inmates with the overall goal of reducing recidivism and increasing public safety.
This is one case study to further demonstrate how to apply the strategies and skills of motivational interviewing to support positive change. Through your conversation, you may well be the first to see a positive shift in behaviour or hear the beginnings of change talk.
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WHAT WERE THE MAIN GOALS OF THIS PROJECT?
The goal of Motivational Interviewing is not to make someone change; it is to use effective communication to help them explore their own motivation and take responsibility for change. Rise 360 was selected to support an interactive, practice-focused learning experience. The platform enables MI concepts to be presented through scenarios, activities, and knowledge checks that help correctional staff move from understanding MI principles to applying effective communication strategies in their work.
HOW DOES THIS DEMONSTRATE INNOVATION?
The innovation in this project is the use of scenario-based application and branching scenarios to present relevant workplace situations that allow learners to consider how they would respond in a conversation. Learners make communication choices that lead to different conversational pathways, followed by feedback that explains how their response aligns with Motivational Interviewing principles.
This approach moves beyond simply presenting MI concepts and terminology by allowing learners to practise decision-making, explore the potential impact of different communication approaches, and connect MI principles to practical application and actual staff behaviour. The branching scenarios provide a bridge between understanding the principles of Motivational Interviewing and applying them to realistic correctional workplace interactions.
PROBLEMS OR CHALLENGES FACED?
The biggest challenge was determining how to effectively demonstrate branching scenarios in a self-paced online course. We needed to create realistic workplace conversations where learners could make choices, see different conversational pathways, and receive feedback that connected their responses to Motivational Interviewing principles.
LESSONS LEARNED
A key lesson learned was the importance of carefully planning the layout of branching scenarios. We learned that the way choices, pathways, and feedback are presented can significantly affect learner understanding and the overall flow of the scenario. Keeping the layout clear, consistent, and easy to navigate was essential to ensuring learners could follow the conversation and understand the impact of their choices.
AUTHORING TOOL(S) USED
Rise 360, Blackboard Ultra, AI image generation tools, Adobe Express, H5P
PROJECT LINK
N/A
