Prior Learning Assessment Melanie Booth, Ed.D. Director, Learning Assessment Center Prior Learning Assessment Program Marylhurst University May 8, 2008

Context for PLA PLA is a result of 3 significant social movements in the US: 1. The adult education movement 2. The non-traditional higher education movement 3. The increasing sophistication of assessment PLA has thus been … part of a sweeping and multifaceted movement to rewrite the relationship between the university and the larger society. The implementation of PLA was largely congruent with such trends as ‘relevance’ in education, greater access for underserved populations, joint ventures between colleges and the private sector, and a more inclusive curriculum (Michelson, 1997, p. 42).

Context - 5 Types of PLA 1. Standardized credit-by-examination programs. 2. External evaluation of coursework that is completed in non-collegiate environments. 3. Institutionally-assessed learning programs. 4. Learner assessment through institutionally- designed challenge examinations or procedures. 5. Learner assessment through portfolio-assisted PLA.

Types 1 & 2: External to Institution Standardized credit-by-examinations College Level Examination Program (CLEP) Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support (DANTES) American Council on Education (ACE) evaluates coursework completed in non- collegiate environments (military training or professional and corporate training courses) and provides credit guidelines.

Type 3: Institutional Apprenticeships, professional licensures, workplace training programs, or certifications are assessed by the educational institution itself. Agency-sponsored learning assessment. The learning program is assessed; learners who provide evidence of completion to the educational institution are awarded credit accordingly. Students may need to complete an additional assignment to ensure college-level attainment.

Types 4 & 5: Individual Individual learner assessment through institutionally-designed challenge examinations or procedures. Individual learner assessment through portfolio-assisted PLA. Experiential learning products (essays, performances, work samples) Evidence of learning + Evidence of experience

PLA Philosophy / Theory Experience can be a source of significant learning and knowledge When [adult] learners come to college, they are not blank slates or empty pails. PLA programs honor learners’ prior experiences by providing a means for them to gain credit for the resulting college-level learning, help learners reflect and then be able to build upon these experiences, and help facilitate learners’ awareness of the great advantages of continual learning.

Philosophy / Theory – cont. CAEL’s perspective: the source of information obtained in learning is the key difference in thinking about assessing learning that has occurred through experience versus learning that has occurred in a more traditional classroom setting (Whitaker, 1989, p. 3). BUT … “experience alone does not teach” (Fenwick, 2001, p.11). For individualized assessment, instruction is provided to teach learners how to identify, articulate, and document their prior learning at the appropriate college-level.

CAEL Standards - Academic 1. Credit should be awarded only for learning, and not for experience. 2. College credit should be awarded only for college- level learning. 3. Credit should be awarded only for learning that has a balance, appropriate to the subject, between theory and practical application. 4. The determination of competence levels and of credit awards must be made by appropriate subject- matter and academic experts. 5. Credit should be appropriate to the academic context in which it is accepted.

CAEL Standards – Admin. 6. Credit awards and their transcript entries should be monitored to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning. 7. Policies and procedures applied to assessment, including provision for appeal, should be fully disclosed and prominently available. 8. Fees charged for assessment should be based on the services performed in the process and not determined by the amount of credit awarded. 9. All personnel involved in the assessment of learning should receive adequate training for the functions they perform and there should be provisions for their continued professional development. 10. Assessment programs should be regularly monitored, reviewed, evaluated, and revised as needed to reflect changes in the needs being served and in the state of assessment arts.

CAEL’s Suggested Steps – Individualized Assmnt. STEPSRESPONSIBILITYSTANDARD 1. IdentificationFaculty, thru courseI, II 2. ArticulationLearner + FacultyV 3. DocumentationLearner, thru courseI, II, III 4. MeasurementFacultyI, II, III 5. EvaluationFacultyIV 6. TranscriptionAdministration, facultyVI

Theory / Experience Balance Learners need to demonstrate a balance between theory and its application / their experience. Moving beyond description From “what I’ve done” to “what it means” Can’t get college credit for “Joe’s experiences as a chemist” Can get college credit for “Introduction to Chemical Properties”

Evidence Needed (2 kinds) Evidence of Learning (Outcomes-based) Essays Analytical annotation of work products Presentations / Performance-based assessment Case studies Evidence of Experience Artifacts – work samples, certificates, job descriptions, etc. Attestations from others – letters of verification, performance evaluations, observation reports, etc.

PLA Portfolio Research Findings BENEFITS TO LEARNERS Improves problem-solving skills Creates a bridge between academic world and non-academic world Facilitates career / professional development Increases communication / articulation skills Improves academic skills – writing, learning-to-learn, etc. Can facilitate transformative learning CHALLENGES TO LEARNERS Assesses limited ways of knowing Individual versus collective / communal focus Conceptually challenging – not always “easiest” way Emotionality involved

PLA at Marylhurst University

Options for Earning Credit New course work ~ OR ~ Previous transferable coursework Military or other training approved by ACE Standardized proficiency exams such as CLEP and DANTES Learning obtained through work and life experience that can be used to earn credit through PLA portfolio process

Prior Learning Portfolio (Essays) Students can earn up to 45 credits through PLA Some sample course topics that students have written for: Conflict Management Public Presentations Golf Effective Parenting Effective ListeningClothing Construction Team BuildingEvent Planning Irish MusicHistory of Rock & Roll Grant WritingMeeting Management

The Marylhurst PLA Process LRN 150 (1 credit): Learning Assessment Workshop LRN 305 (6 credits): PLA Seminar ~ From Experience to Learning LRN 311 (2 credits): PLA Portfolio Development LRN 312 (2 credits): PLA Portfolio Development LRN 003 (0 credits): PLA Portfolio Development Compile and submit final PLA Portfolio for transcription

LRN 150 (1 credit) 5 sessions (6 weeks) during first term Identify prior learning experiences Assess writing skills Evaluate transfer credits and training Develop academic, professional, and personal goals Receive evaluation of potential for PLA writing and testing for credit

LRN 305 (6 credits) 10 sessions (10 weeks) of second term Learn about translating experience into college- level knowledge and learning. Develop academic writing skills required for PLA writing. Learn how to provide evidence of your learning and of your experiences. Write and have evaluated your first 3 PLA essays.

LRN 311, 312, & 003 Individualized work with your PLA instructor over the course of a full term (10 weeks) if needed Each term students develop a minimum of 9 credits and submit for evaluation

Evaluation of Credit PLA submissions are evaluated by content experts with appropriate academic credentials Many of our evaluators are Marylhurst faculty members All of our evaluators understand and value the learning that adults bring with them to college

Benefits of the PLA Essay Process Students learn more about what they already know Acknowledgement that learning from past experience is worth something – college credit Improved writing and research skills AND Decreased time and cost for the undergraduate degree

Thank You For more information: Melanie Booth, Ed.D. Director, Learning Assessment Center and Prior Learning Assessment Program Marylhurst University