1. Introduction to Building Your Portfolio
Unit 1 seminar
Introduction to Building Your Portfolio

2. Prior Learning Assessment
What is PLA?
PLA = Prior Learning Assessment
“Process of earning college credit from learning acquired through a student’s work, training, volunteer experiences, and personal life.” – Colvin, 2006

3. Methods of PLA Credit by examination
Portfolio of experiential learning
Transfer credit evaluation
Training and certifications evaluation
Placement exams
Simulations
Interviews
Work sample evaluation
Demonstration
Prepared Speeches

4. Portfolio Assessment
Portfolio = “A formal communication presented by the student” (Colvin, 2006)
Identifies and articulates learning clearly
Includes sufficient evidence to support the student’s learning claims
Evaluated by Subject Matter Experts
Kaplan University Faculty with Subject Area Expertise
Can lessen the amount of time and money to earn a college degree

5. Experiential Learning
Portfolio Assessment is based on a student’s experiential learning
Experiential Learning = Any learning that has been acquired as a result of reflecting upon events or experiences in a person’s life.

6. Example of Experiential Learning
Case Study 1: Shannon Shannon has been a software developer for 12 years. She entered the field after completing one semester of college when she was presented with a full time job offer from a local computer company. Shannon was always good with computers and needed the money to help with her father’s medical treatment. She has been instrumental in developing software requirements and implementing new products for the company. While in her current position as a developer, Shannon has mastered Visual Basic, Java, and programming language structures. Now, she realizes the importance of a college degree to advance in her field and has decided to return to school and pursue a bachelor of science in software development. Shannon believes she would be a good candidate for the portfolio assessment program at Kaplan.

7. Example of Experiential Learning
Case Study 2: James James has been working on his parent’s farm since the age of 6. He has learned how to use all of the farming equipment and has learned how to manage the business of the farm. James completed an associate degree in business at a local community college shortly after completing high school. Since then, he has worked on the farm and volunteered his time at the local children’s shelter. At the age of 45, James has decided to pursue a degree in business. He enrolls in the Bachelor of Science in Business program at Kaplan University and sends his transcripts to the PLAC for evaluation.

8. Portfolio development and Assessment at kaplan University
Students develop a portfolio of their experiential learning.
Students develop one portfolio for multiple courses.
Kaplan does not guarantee the award of college credit.
Students need to complete all requirements and document their experiential learning in order to be a candidate for credit for that learning.

9. Steps in the Portfolio Development and Assessment Process

10. Step 1: Students register for and complete EL 203
In EL 203, students will explore their prior learning and begin developing their portfolio.
Students will:
Explore their prior sponsored learning
Search the Course Explorer for courses that match their learning
Develop the Components of their Portfolio
Determine for which courses they will petition for credit
Write credit requests for the courses they select
Provide supporting documentation of their learning

11. 30-Day portfolio Submission window
Time to Complete the Portfolio
Develop multiple credit requests
Finishing touches on the portfolio
Student Assistance Provided
Portfolio Development and Assessment Team
and AOL Instant Messenger
Telephone chats with their Academic Advisors
Students must submit their portfolio by the deadline (30 calendar days after EL 203 ends)

12. Step 2: Portfolio Evaluation
Faculty evaluator(s) review and evaluate your portfolio for college credit using the evaluation criteria set forth by Kaplan University and developed according to CAEL standards.
Faculty Evaluator Characteristics:
Credentialed in their area of expertise
Recent college-level teaching experience
Experience teaching courses in their area of expertise for Kaplan University or another regionally or nationally accredited institution of higher education
Experience that aligns with Kaplan University’s departmental hiring policies for faculty

13. Step 3: Results Credit Recommendation Letter Sent to student via email
Includes:
Results for each credit request
Feedback on each credit request from the faculty evaluator
Credit recommendations are written to the student’s Kaplan University transcript before the student receives notification of the results.

14. Fees for Portfolio Assessment
Students who participate in portfolio assessment are required to pay:
Tuition for EL 203 – Current Kaplan University Tuition Rate
Portfolio Development Course Fee - $
The course fee is:
One-time fee
Billed to the student in the beginning of EL 203
Covers the cost of the evaluation and all administrative processes
Only refundable to students who do not submit their portfolio for evaluation
Reminder: Students must successfully complete (pass) EL 203 in order to submit their portfolio.

15. Portfolio Components Five Components of a Student Portfolio
Educational Goal Statement
Expanded Resume
Learning Autobiography
Credit Request
Supporting Documentation

16. Educational goal statement
Key Concepts
Goal setting is the first step in the prior learning assessment process.
Goal setting allows students to make informed decisions about their education.
A strong goal statement is clearly written and provides the reader with specific information on where the student plans to go.

17. Educational goal statement
Instructor’s Role in Goal Setting
Help students formulate a strong educational goal statement
A strong goal statement is:
clearly written
provides specific information on what the student intends to achieve or direction on where they would like to go

18. Educational goal statement
Clear goals will help students:
decide for which areas of learning to request credit
know where to spend their time and effort when deciding on the courses for which to petition for credit based upon their current degree plan.
Specific and clearly written goals will also help the faculty evaluator understand the student’s work and credit requests.

19. Unit 1 project Educational goal statement :
should be at least 150 words long
average = words in length
Chapter 2, pages offer some helpful tips and a sample. 
Consider the following questions:
Why did you decide to attend or return to college? 
What are you interested in learning about?  Why? 
What has happened to you in your life that has led you to want a college education?
Save your educational goal statement!
It will be part of your portfolio.

20. Unit 1 Project
Note: Once I have graded your Educational Goal Statement and you have revised it (if necessary), log in to the Portfolio Development and Assessment System (PDAS) and enter it into your electronic portfolio. You will be able to copy and paste the contents of your Educational Goal Statement into the text box in the system. Although this is not a requirement of this course to use the system, you are required to submit your final portfolio electronically through the system. Placing your Educational Goal Statement into the system after it has been graded will save you time later.

21. using the pdas to submit your portfolio
Review the PowerPoint Presentation in DocSharing
Kaplan_Elec_PDAS_Student
Create Your Account in PDAS
Week 2 – Receive an from “Do Not Reply” Address
Invitation to Create Your PDAS Account
Create Your Account Immediately
Save Your Account Information in a Safe Place
Discard Invitation After Account Creation

22. Next Seminar Expanded Resume
Using the PDAS to Create Your Expanded Resume

23. Questions?