Rene’ Massey, Associate DeanColumbia College

Academic Credit for Prior Learning

Adult Learners and Prior LearningAdult Learners and Prior Learning

“More and more adults are looking for ways to increase their marketability and expand their skills in an effort to retain their current jobs, find employment, and compete for higher-paying positions. Many adults are looking to their local colleges and universities to deliver quality education and training in a timely manner. But, ‘for too many adults who want to earn postsecondary credentials, the traditional structure and organization of higher education pose significant barriers to access and, particularly, to persistence and success.’ “”1

1 Jobs for the Future. Adult Learners in Higher Education: Barriers to Success and Strategies to Improve Results (Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, Office of Policy Development and Research, March 2007).

Lumina FoundationLumina Foundation

• 55% of American believe obtaining a college degree is the only way to succeed.

• Compared to 2000 – only 30% held that belief.

• Lumina Foundation for Education is the nation’s largest private foundation. It has as its mission to expand access and success in education beyond

• High school• Particularly among adults• 1st generation students• Low-income students• Students of color

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Advocates for Prior Learning believe:there is a significant link between persistence to

degree completion and PLA, which is underutilizedPLA assists students to earn credit faster less

expensively.Evaluation of knowledge gained by “non-academic”

learningMilitary trainingHobbiesPersonal interest and studyTravelJob knowledge/learning

What’s in a Name?What’s in a Name?

Non-Traditional Credit

Life Experience Credit

Prior Learning Assessment

Credit for Prior Learning

Experiential Learning

Types of Credit for Lifelong LearningTypes of Credit for Lifelong LearningTesting

AP examsAs stated from the college board web site: “The involvement of

college faculty at all levels of exam development and scoring ensures that the AP Exams truly reflect college-level achievement.”

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/public/courses/index.html CLEP, DSST, Excelsior

College/university determines its own credit-granting and placement policy for CLEP examinations.

There are credit-granting scores and credit hours recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE).

Institutional Test Out or Challenge ExamStudents “challenge” the content of the course Testing at a specific grade level (“C” or better, perhaps)These can be either actual final exams for current courses or

tests prepared for test-out.

Types of Credit for Lifelong LearningTypes of Credit for Lifelong Learning

Evaluated for Credit ACE/National Guide Credit

Military Training Basic Training MOS

Certificates Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Real Estate or Broker’s License

CPA Microsoft Certification

Institutional Review of Corporate or Career Training Corporate in-house training evaluated/equated to college credit Police or Corrections Academies

Prior Learning Assessment Portfolio Review Course enrollment with portfolio review

Credit for Prior LearningCredit for Prior Learning

Often there are:Limits on number of credit hours that an institution

will awardWhen credits will be transcripted

Set number of hours completed before put on transcriptOnly accepted after completion of English Composition I &

IIResidency issues

At CC these credits do not meet residency credits

...... Every institution handles it differently

Couple of ExamplesCouple of Examples

Minnesota State Colleges and UniversitiesRequires all system colleges and universities to

provide students with opportunities to demonstrate prior learning and earn UG credit for that learning.

Vermont State CollegeAdministers PLA for its five public colleges through

a centralized office. This office oversees portfolio assessment and standardized tests

Awards credits that are transferable to any school in the state system. http://www.americanprogess.org/issues/20011/09/pdf/pla_brief

Ways to evaluate for creditWays to evaluate for creditCourse which results in creation of portfolio

This is a more structured approach Interview

Department Chair interviews student to determine course content knowledge

Portfolio submissionCan be very involvedAdvising student on the process is keyDetermining which courses lend themselves to

methodology requires faculty inputAssessment of learning can be done with “untrained”

faculty

Challenge for Students with PLAChallenge for Students with PLA

Prior Learning credits are not universally available at all institutions

Credits are not always acceptedMay be accepted in a limited wayOften is not accepted in transfer to other institutions

CAELCAEL

The Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL), founded in 1974, is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to expand learning opportunities for adults. CAEL works to remove policy and organizational barriers to learning opportunities, identifies and disseminates effective practices, and delivers value-added services.

CAEL conducted a survey in 2006 with responses from 272 college and universities. Questions about the type of credit awarded for prior learning, how the students learned, what credit was available by request, fees.

http://www.cael.org/colleges_universities.htm

2006 CAEL Survey2006 CAEL Survey

The survey responses show that most institutions accept PLA methods such as CLEP Exams (87%) and AP Exams (84%).

The least used methods were Excelsior Exams (28%) and Local Training (38%).

As compared to data from surveys done in 1996 and 1991 there is evidence that acceptance of Experiential Learning Assessments is becoming slightly more common 66% in 2006 55% in 1996 50% in 1991

Challenge Exams may be becoming less common56% in 200672% in previous years

CAEL survey resultsCAEL survey results

http://www.cael.org/forum_and_news/sneak_peek_prior_learning_assessment.htm

CAEL Study FindingsCAEL Study Findings

Ways Prior Learning Credit is used: To meet elective requirements (94%)To meet general education requirements (88%)To meet program/major requirements (79%)To meet advanced standing (69%)To waive prerequisites (67%)

2010 CAEL Study2010 CAEL Study

2010 CAEL research study focusing on PLA and adult student outcomes. Funded by Lumina Foundation for Education who is working to ensure that 60 percent of Americans are college educated by 2025

Examined records of 62,475 students at 48 institutions in US and a few in Canada. Adults students (25 yrs or above)Matriculated in 2001-2002. Followed academic progress for 7 years.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/03/01/prior

http://www.cael.org/pdf/PLA_Fueling-the-Race.pdf

CAEL Study FindingsCAEL Study FindingsPrior Learning Assessed students had better

academic outcomes compared with non-PLA students. Credit for prior learning in and of itself is positive

influence on the self-esteem and self-confidence. It validates the student’s existing skills and knowledge.

Successful and highly motivated students seek various avenues to earn credit – therefore, these students may already hold the traits of students who are moving forward in degree completion.

CAEL Study FindingsCAEL Study Findings

PLA students had better graduation rates regardless of:institutional size or level or controlstudent’s academic ability or GPAstudent’s age, gender, race/ethnicityfinancial aid recipient

PLA students have higher degree-earning rates56% earned a post secondary degree within seven

years, while only 21% of non-PLA students did so.43% bachelors compared to 15% for non-PLA13% associates compared to 6% non-PLA

Military studentsMilitary students

Military students did not have higher graduation rates than non-PLA students with military status – exception to the findingsNot surprising – as there are no “non-PLA students

with military status”. This particular population of students earns these credits with no extra effort….they are no more motivated than any other student based strictly on military credit.

http://www.cael.org/pdf/PLA_Fueling-the-Race.pdf

CAEL Online Portal – “Learning Counts”CAEL Online Portal – “Learning Counts”

A joint pilot project of CAEL, the American Council on Education, and the College Board

Created an online portal where adult students can have "prior learning" assessed via portfolio.

LearningCounts.org is a national clearing house to promote credit by portfolio. About 100 colleges have agreed to send students its way to boost the number who earn transfer credit.

CAEL Online Portal – “Learning Counts”CAEL Online Portal – “Learning Counts”

Goal is:“….to help solve a growing national problem by

increasing the number of postsecondary credentials and degrees awarded in this country. …. Increase access to PLA opportunities on a national scale while modeling exemplary practice in portfolio-based PLA.” (Learningcounts.org)

Using independent faculty evaluators to facilitate the acceptance of that work by colleges.

Faculty award credit which is added to an ACE transcript and submitted for review to the college a student chooses.

CAEL Online Portal – “Learning Counts”CAEL Online Portal – “Learning Counts”

Participating adults take an online portfolio development course ($500)Tuition covers portfolio development and required textbook6-week online courseTeaches student the process and how to document

learningFees assessed based on number of credits requested

for review1-6 UG credits - $2507-13 UG credits - $50014-20 UG credits - $750ACE would transcript this credit (CAEL 100) Same transcript service it already does with military and corporate

training according to CAEL’s CEO Pam Tate

Columbia College, as an exampleColumbia College, as an exampleCC calls the broader category non-traditional

(NT) credit (maximum of 60 hours accepted)This NT credit is made up of:

Military credit, CLEP, DSST, Excelsior, etc.ACE creditInstitutional credit

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) - Create a portfolio that exhibits the connection between the MLOs and outside learning.

Credit for police academies, corporate training, etc.We no longer offer the challenge exam (test-out) option as

we have found that exams like CLEP are filling that need for our students.

Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)Credit for Prior Learning (CPL)

Faculty assess learning acquired outside college or university settings

EmploymentCommunityVolunteer

The focus is on the learning that takes place in these experiences – not the experiences themselves.

Faculty make a determination on whether to recommend college-level credits.

Portfolio PreparationPortfolio Preparation

Each course has it’s own portfolio (or section of portfolio, if appropriate)

Cover PageOne page summary of learning that is proposed for credit

Chronological Record (Resume)Lists all jobs held, including volunteer. Note duties, skills

and expertise used in performing job tasks.Life Experiences

List community/religious activities, club/organization memberships, training programs or non-credit courses, hobbies/recreation, cultural pursuits, independent research

Portfolio PreparationPortfolio Preparation

Goal Statement – one page in lengthDiscussion of how educational goals relate to professional

life and personal goals.Narrative (key component)

Student discusses what learning they have that equates to course content.

DocumentationLetters of verification

Employers, Supervisors, voluntary agency, etc.Job descriptions, job evaluations and military evaluationsSample workEducation and award certificates/licenses

Portfolio PreparationPortfolio Preparation

Subjects and Course DescriptionReview of course descriptions to determine what

course(s) appear to be in line with learning they have acquired.

Review the course syllabi for the course(s) to determine what the major learning outcomes (MLOs) are of the course.

Determine if the MLOs are covered, in large part, by the outside learning.

Faculty with content expertise reviews the portfolio and determines what, if any, academic credit may be awarded for the outside learning.

Portfolio PreparationPortfolio Preparation

Submit two formsMemorandum of Understanding

Outlines expectations and understanding of processOfficial request for a review

Fee paymentFee for portfolio review; no additional fee for credit

awarded This removes the idea of “paying for credit” - student pays

for review of learning experiences

Rene’ Massey – rlmassey@ccis.edu(573) 875-7650

Any Questions – Comments?