Prior learning assessment (PLA) is a path to greater educational attainment for adult learners re-entering higher education. This innovative approach provides academic credit for college-level and credit-worthy learning that happened outside the confines of the college walls. The growth in adoption of PLA at many institutions is in concert with the need for more of America's workforce to earn more postsecondary credentials. This chapter explores the nature of PLA and its evolution into the mainstream of higher education policy and practice. The authors examine two institutions' relevant and rigorous approaches to validating learning via PLA. The authors believe that credit for prior learning will become more standardized with time and awareness of this innovative approach to acknowledging experiential learning external to the academic setting.
One critical avenue for supporting experiential learning and learners is the award of credit through prior learning assessment and use of career pathways that are unique and individual to meet student needs and academic goals. Institutions must build on in-place practices and policies to enhance institutional infrastructure for translating non-credit coursework to certificate and degree programs, streamline internal business processes, and increase capacity through scaling to serve larger numbers of students in an effort to impact retention and completion.
The development of an online instrument for prior learning assessment and recognition of internationally educated nurses: A pilot study
