Stalling to Learn, Edovo/Securus Edition

Hey, everyone!

One evening in December 2024, I went to log in to Edovo (our digital learning app here), hoping I could possibly get through at least one video before my connection would die, when I saw a notification in the corner.

Well, I do like reading, so I tapped on the bubble and received this message:

December 05, 2024
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM EDOVO: Hi Edovo Learners, We have been actively troubleshooting the issue with video playback with Securus. Given this issue was only impacting Securus tablets, it was critical to have their support in troubleshooting. They have identified a fix for this issue and plan to have the fix pushed out early next week. Thank you for using Edovo and being dedicated to lasting change. -Edovo support team

I'm on a Securus/Jpay JP6s tablet, so I am clearly affected by this!

Huh, so Securus claims a week until the fix for Edovo's functionality rolls out. But, are we talking a free world, wall calendar week, or a patch we'll get in 9-15 weeks after this announced week?

I started this blog post right there on that day, and decided to hold onto it until I could finish three videos in a sitting a couple of times, while laying in a few thoughts I had when I saw the announcement.
As an update: That finally happened on 10 January 2025 (with thanks to Dr. Genevieve Rimer's LinkedIn course, Job Seeking With a Criminal Record for the most recent certificate I've earned).

But with that said, here I am, wanting to understand my personal childhood traumas a bit more, to flex a bit of neuroplasticity and move on beyond a set of deeply ingrained reactions, and our connection just cannot seem to keep up with the videos that Saprea have made available on the platform. I also want to get a few college courses under my belt before I get back into the courts, because I want to show them that unlike many who just want to lay about, do nothing, call it good at the end of the month when they earn their monthly cache of Gain Time, I want to actually earn what I'm getting. I make no money, but I would like to enrich my mind at the very least.

After all, I have all this census count time I could be using therapeutically and educationally, but generally, we're at the whims of Securus and whatever ISP we have to resolve the connectivity issues and issues with the tablets in general, and the facility itself to ensure their hardware functions well enough to handle a compound of potential learners.

Hm. I still feel that if we had one of these new satellite internet providers, or a good fixed point wireless provider, or a big fiber optic provider, it might help put some of our issues to rest... :)

There are people here who want to take advantage of the educational opportunities, whether it's learning German that can be used to get college credit through a CLEP exam, taking the Prem Rawat Foundation's Peace Education Programme to learn to tame themselves, study for the GED, or just learn more about their world through Veritasium's videos.

Is it not Right Action to wish to improve the self through available means? For those of us who want college level courses, we have access to a number of them in Edovo, just add working internet.
These are courses that, upon my release, I can go sit the exams (CLEP or NCCRS), earning college credit to defray my costs to get a degree, which I ultimately want to get.
There are classes on Edovo that could be beneficial for first time and returning learners, too.

Now, if Securus would just figure out their hardware and software conundrums here in Florida... You know, making tablets available to people without making them wait two years (and counting) for replacement hardware, fixing the blocker they installed for the headphone jack... those learners could learn, too.

Why yes, I'm thinking about JJ again, folks. He hasn't had a tablet in over two years; side effect of a system that encourages predators to prey on small people. Securus has yet to issue him a replacement tablet, with promises of being placed on the list to get hardware "after those who have not been issued a tablet receive hardware first".

Here's a thought: this is a prison camp. New people come to this camp two to three times a week. How does it take two years or more to issue someone hardware, unless you're just getting a few units at a time, making people wait months or years for hardware?
Fun fact: there are only two ways to buy digital postage to send eMessages. One requires an outside buyer; the other requires a tablet. Kiosk users without either cannot acquire digital stamps, denying them the ability to send digital messages.

Ultimately, though, I do applaud Edovo for working on this platform, trying to turn Securus' orange covered pacifier into an educator. I just feel as if Securus is resisting this movement by screwing up network connectivity for those of us who have the hardware, and not issuing tablets in a timely manner to those who do not.