Redesign of Prior Learning Assessment in an Award-Winning Degree Completion Program

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Carrie J. Boden ◽  
Catherine A. Cherrstrom ◽  
Todd Sherron
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Degree Completion ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Portfolio Assessment ◽  
Competency Model ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
College Degree ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Prior Learning Assessment ◽  
Award Winning

In the 21st century economic landscape, many argue the importance of a college degree, as entry into many occupations now requires advanced credentials. Pursuing a college degree costs time and money, often presenting barriers to those pursuing the dream. Prior learning assessment (PLA) offers a solution to spend less time and money earning a college degree by documenting outside learning. PLA shortens time-to-degree, reduces tuition costs, supports student persistence, and boosts degree completion, particularly for adult learners (non- and post-traditional students) and underserved populations. The purpose of this article was to examine PLA within an award-winning degree completion program primarily serving adult learners in order to improve practice. Aligned with the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning's (CAEL) standards for assessing learning, this article discusses the degree completion program, PLA course and competency portfolio, block credit competency model and block credit competency model and portfolio assessment, program administration, and implications.

scholarly journals Creating a positive prior learning assessment (PLA) experience: A step-by-step look at university PLA

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara M. Leiste ◽  
Kathryn Jensen
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
Online Resources ◽  
Positive Experience ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Prior Learning Assessment ◽  
Arcs Model ◽  
Answering Questions ◽  
Available Resources

A prior learning assessment (PLA) can be an intimidating process for adult learners. Capella University’s PLA team has developed best practices, resources, and tools to foster a positive experience and to remove barriers in PLA and uses three criteria to determine how to best administer the assessment. First, a PLA must be motivating, as described by the ARCS model. Second, it must enable success. Finally, it must use available resources efficiently. The tools and resources developed according to these criteria fall into two categories: staff and online resources. PLA programs can use both to ensure that all departments provide consistent communication to learners about the PLA process, which will foster a positive experience. The PLA online lab houses centralized resources and offers one-on-one interaction with a facilitator to assist learners step-by-step in the development of their petitions. Each unit contains resources, examples, and optional assignments that help learners to develop specific aspects of the petition. By following the examples and recommendations, learners are able to submit polished petitions after they complete the units. The lab facilitator supports learners throughout the units by answering questions and providing recommendations. When learners submit their petitions, the facilitator reviews it entirely and provides feedback to strengthen the final submission that goes to a faculty reviewer. All of these individuals and tools work together to help create a positive experience for learners who submit a PLA petition. This article shares these resources with the goal of strengthening PLA as a field.

Creating Connections

2018 ◽  
pp. 218-240
Author(s):  
Carolyn N. Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
College Degree ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Education Administrators

Undergraduate adult learners need flexible, cost-efficient ways to increase knowledge, enhance skills, or complete a college degree. The rising cost of college tuition coupled with the demands of work/life balance challenge many individuals seeking a higher education degree. As such, higher education administrators and faculty members need to identify new approaches to learning in higher education that address these barriers and open the access to earning a college degree. Capstone courses connect prior learning in coursework with real-world experiences. This chapter addresses competency-based degree plans and application-based capstone courses for undergraduate university students. Examples of competency-based degree plans and capstone courses will be discussed. Inclusion in the discussion will be prior learning assessment courses. Testimonials from learners are provided along with a model for designing an effective capstone course for undergraduate adult learners.

Creating Connections

2021 ◽  
pp. 1496-1514
Author(s):  
Carolyn N. Stevenson
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Adult Learners ◽  
Approaches To Learning ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
College Degree ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Capstone Courses ◽  
Competency Based ◽  
Cost Efficient ◽  
Education Administrators

Undergraduate adult learners need flexible, cost-efficient ways to increase knowledge, enhance skills, or complete a college degree. The rising cost of college tuition coupled with the demands of work/life balance challenge many individuals seeking a higher education degree. As such, higher education administrators and faculty members need to identify new approaches to learning in higher education that address these barriers and open the access to earning a college degree. Capstone courses connect prior learning in coursework with real-world experiences. This chapter addresses competency-based degree plans and application-based capstone courses for undergraduate university students. Examples of competency-based degree plans and capstone courses will be discussed. Inclusion in the discussion will be prior learning assessment courses. Testimonials from learners are provided along with a model for designing an effective capstone course for undergraduate adult learners.

scholarly journals Prior Learning Assessment & Recog- nition in Canadian Universities: View from the Web

2007 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 95-112
Author(s):  
Christine Wihak
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Prior Learning Assessment ◽  
Quality Of Information ◽  
Canadian Universities

Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR), the practice of formally assigning credit for learning gained outside the formal education system (Thomas, 2000), offers significant benefits to adult students. Previous research had demonstrated that adult students may not, however, be aware of the availability of PLAR. This study investigated the availability of PLAR information on the websites of 60 Canadian universities. The research found that 24 Canadian universities offered PLAR for advanced standing. Considerable variation existed in the ease with which PLAR information could be located and in the quality of information provided. Universities were also found to vary widely in the supports offered to learners seeking PLAR, in the formality of their institutional PLAR policies, and in the extent to which the practice is institution-wide or restricted to specific faculties or departments. Findings are discussed in terms of implications for adult learners and their advocates and for future research. RDA (Reconnaissance d’acquis), la pratique d’accorder officiellement du crédit pour un apprentissage acquis en dehors du système formel d’éducation (Thomas 2000), offre des bénéfices importants à des étudiants adultes. Des recherches faites auparavant avaient démontré que les étudiants adultes ne seraient peut-être pas au courant du RDA (Schmyr, 2003). Cette étude sur la disponibilité des informations sur RDA dans les sites web de 60 universités canadiennes a eu pour résultat de trouver que 24 universités canadiennes offraient RDA comme designation de classification scolaire avancée. La facilité avec laquelle des renseignements sur RDA pouvaient être localisés, de même que la qualité des renseignements, variaient beaucoup. L’appui offert par des universités à des étudiants recherchant RDA variait énormément, et aussi la formalité des politiques de RDA. Il s’agissait de savoir à quel point la pratique s’étendait à tous les départements d’un institut éducatif ou si elle n’était restreinte qu’à des facultés ou des départements bien spécifiques. On étudie les résultats quant aux implications pour des étudiants adultes et pour les recherches futures.

scholarly journals Back Eddies of Learning In the Recognition of Prior Learning: A Case Study

2013 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoff Peruniak ◽  
Rick Powell
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Adult Students ◽  
Educational Opportunity ◽  
Learning Experience ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Prior Learning Assessment ◽  
Recognition Of Prior Learning

The limited research that exists in the area of prior learning assessment (PLA) has tended to be descriptive and conceptual in nature. Where empirical studies have been done, they have focussed mainly on PLA as a means of credentialing rather than as a learning experience. Furthermore, there has been very little empirical research into the educational effectiveness of PLA from the student’s point of view. This empirical study used a qualitative approach to investigate the perceptions of a focus group of 32 adult learners who were engaged in portfolio-based PLA in an open and distance education university. The study explored students’ initial expectations of PLA, what they think they got out of the process, and the extent to which these perceived benefits of PLA would extend to other adult students. The study examined the question of whether PLA operates as a motivator or as a selection mechanism and concluded that there was evidence for both factors. Further results indicated that, in general, PLA learners were surprised to find they had been engaged in a learning process. The study concludes that PLA can be an effective educational opportunity for certain kinds of adult learners, but it should not be taken as a panacea.

scholarly journals Prior learning assessment and recognition: Emergence of a Canadian community of scholars

2011 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Wihak
Keyword(s):  
Adult Learners ◽  
Formal Education ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Learning Assessment ◽  
Prior Learning ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Prior Learning Assessment ◽  
Social Sciences And Humanities ◽  
Reflective Capacity ◽  
Learning Policies

Prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) is the practice of reviewing, evaluating, and acknowledging the information, skills, and understanding that adult learners have gained through experiential or self-directed (informal) learning rather than through formal education (Thomas, 2000). As our current economy and workplaces experience rapid and continuing change, PLAR offers a vital contribution to supporting lifelong and life-wide learning (Evans, 2000). Beyond significant benefits to individual adult learners in terms of confidence-building and enhanced reflective capacity, PLAR’s process translates personal and workplace learning into a portable format, a common coin suitable for public recognition in many different venues. PLAR has hence become an integral feature of lifelong learning policies around the globe and is closely linked with the implementation of national and transnational qualification frameworks (Morrissey et al., 2008). PLAR scholars have a vital role in ensuring that policy and practice in this important field is informed by innovative research. This brief report describes a workshop on scholarly PLAR research, held in Ottawa, Canada on November 6 and 7, 2010 with funding from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).

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