Implications for Professional Practice of Assessing Prior Learning

Geoff Peruniak, Ph.D., Athabasca University Building Tomorrow Today Conference April 30th 2008

Introduction Welcome and Introductions Purpose of Session

how to cope with wide-ranging experience base in CD

how to incorporate professional development into certification

PLA as potential help

Familiarity with PLA?

Heard about it but don’t know much? Read accounts of it? Have seen a completed portfolio?Have done a portfolio? Have implemented a PLA system?

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING1. Social Justice – Paulo Freire

2. Personal Development

3. Education – apprenticeships, internships, initiative

tests, role playing

4. Prior Learning Assessment

KINDS OF PORTFOLIOS

This is an Academic Portfolio, NOT a: Financial/Investment Portfolio Portfolio Album Government Portfolio Career Portfolio Electronic Portfolio Patent Portfolio Resume

ASSESSMENT OPTIONSBrent Sargent, Ph.D., Vermont State Colleges

Bridging Between Worlds What kinds of worlds? Whose worlds count?

MAIN QUESTIONS

Candidate: How do I show what I know?

Assessor: How can I tell what she knows?

Bow and Arrow Metaphor Target – assessors Bow – preparatory course Arrow - portfolio

MAIN THEMES

1. Why?

2. Where does it fit?

3. Learning not experience

4. Level of learning

5. Recency

6. Language

7. What is the target?

8. Boxing Knowledge

Assumptions

1. the accrediting agency has a standard against which experiential learning can be assessed

2. the university/certifying agency is an appropriate arbiter of standards What is appropriate to credit?

3. the evaluation done accurately reflects the candidate’s competence

4. this kind of education/training needs “certifying” – before I sit at your feet are you accredited?

5. a range of evaluations may be necessary to bridge a range of experiences

6. knowledge and competence can be bundled into meaningful packages

7. the onus for proof of learning rests with the candidate8. learning, not experience, is credited (note carefully)9. candidates are volunteering for the evaluation10. candidates are clear in their own minds about what credential

they want11. experiential learning can yield equivalent learning to that

obtained in the credentialing organization

Definition of PLA “A process and a series of tools that assist adults in

reflecting upon, articulating, and demonstrating learning for the purpose of having it measured, compared to some standard, and in some way acknowledged by a credentialing body.” (Sargent, 1999) [1]. The set of procedures can vary from the relatively straightforward, where a candidate writes a challenge examination, to a more complex form where a candidate is interviewed by a departmental panel of professors, to the very complex where an institution’s entire curriculum is based on a competence-based format. [1] Sargent, B. (1999). An examination of the relationship between completion of a prior learning assessment program and subsequent degree Program participation, persistence, and attainment. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of Sarasota, Sarasota, Florida.

Background

experiential learning is as old as humanity

the universities (11Century) apprenticeship training carried out by

the craft guilds chivalry training private learning in the nunneries,

monasteries, and courts the “calling” of people to roles through

divine intervention

Background (cont’d) late nineteenth century as the physical sciences,

medicine, and gradually other professions looked to real-world demonstrations and clinical practices to supplement prescribed textual learning

John Dewey emphasized the need for experiential learning or as it was later called “discovery learning”- 1900

the returning World War II veterans Advanced Placement Program and the College

Level Examination Program (US) U of Chicago offered challenge exams – 1930 CAEL - 1974

Background (cont’d)

Canadian Labour Force Development Board (CLFDB) in 1991

“New Directions for Adult Learning in Alberta” (AAECD, 1994)

Mysteries of Competence Measurement

Competence – skill, knowledge, attitude, value,

3-credit course – half-year course 36-40 hours in class 72-80 hours out-of-class Total = 108-120 hours 10 – 15 competence statements

(learning outcomes)

Figure 1. Portfolio Development in the Context of a Hierarchy of Objectives at Athabasca University

Study Questions Level Behavioural Objectives

Degree (B.A.) Level Objectives [Generic Competencies]

Program-Based Portfolio

Discipline (Psychology) Level Objectives [Enabling Competencies]

Course Level Objectives

Learning Outcome Level Objectives

Unit/Module Level Objectives

Course-Based Portfolio

Mission Level Objectives

Example of Competence Statement Define the working alliance and

describe its main components

Example of Course-Based Portfolio

Learning Outcome

Description of Experience

Learning From

Experience

Documentation

Define the working alliance and describe its main components

Learning Outcomes

1. Define the working alliance and describe its main components.

2. Describe the relationship between the working alliance and counselling.

3. Explain how client and counsellor characteristics influence the working alliance.

4. Describe strategies for enhancing the working alliance that address issues of (a) motivation and (b) client resistance.

5. (a) Discuss the potential problems, including role conflict and role ambiguity, associated with a working alliance that involves a boss and a subordinate and (b) outline strategies for dealing with these problems.

6. (a) Describe a taxonomy of communication skills for creating a working alliance and (b) demonstrate the use of such skills.

Learning Outcomes7. (a) Describe characteristics and of an effective

collaboration, (b) identify the benefits of such a collaboration and (c) suggest key skills for developing it.

8. (a) Outline a model for problem-solving and decision-making and (b) identify the purpose of each step and the skills associated with each.

9. (a) Outline the stages of group development and (b) the fundamental factors that enhance such a development.

10. (a) Discuss what is meant by partnerships, (b) the implications in terms of applicable skills, and (c) how partnerships relate to the working alliance and collaboration.

11. (a) Outline potential conflicts in a partnership, (b) the steps involved in solving them, and (c) the skills associated with each step.

12. (a) Outline your plan for the first meeting of a potential partnership, including the issues you would address and the skills you would use, and (b) justify your decisions.

PORTFOLIO COMPONENTS

Personal History TimelinePersonal History Timeline Career and Educational Goals Career and Educational Goals

Narrative Narrative Learning StatementsLearning Statements Learning SummaryLearning Summary Documentation of your Learning, Documentation of your Learning,

Including TranscriptsIncluding Transcripts Complete RésuméComplete Résumé

Is the student interested in submitting a portfolio for experiential

learning?

Student prefers to pursue PLA on his or her own.

Consult Director of Centre of Learning accreditation.

Proceed with PSYC 205 at AU

Identify key experiences Order transcripts Identify career goals Translate personal goals into educational or career objectives Identify career objectives and degree program and explain how

they relate Identify skills and knowledge needed for career Identify and list courses in degree program major Organize learning outcomes into clusters (knowledge clusters) Create a matrix that matches knowledge clusters with prior

learning experience Create learning statements Develop learning summary

Special Interests

Reading

Work

Travel

Seminars Workshops

Volunteer Work

Community Agencies

Which route should the student take?

(consult tutor)

Course-based Portfolio

See flowchart: Figure 3

Program-based Portfolio

See flowchart: Figure 2

Figure 1: Steps in the process of portfolio development for students at AU

The student has contacted the course tutor. The learning is relevant to an AU program. The learning is a balance of theory and practise.

See flowchart: Figure 4

Challenge for Credit

No

Does the student want help with the

portfolio process and credit?

No Yes

Yes

Has the student successfully completed the portfolio and PSYC

205?

Will the student

petition for further credit?

No

No Contact course tutor

Yes

Yes

Steps for Portfolio Petition

See flowchart: Figure 5

Psychology 205 Geoff Peruniak, Centre for Psychology

Date

Exit from PLA

Designed by Janice Robocon

Earn three credits

PRACTICE

Identify an important learning event that happened to you in the last year or so that is related to career development but that happened outside of formal schooling or courses.

Describe the learning that took place (not the experience!)

Describe how this learning fits into career development

CONCLUSION

Simple Question: What does she know?

Complex Answer – What criteria? According to whom? At what level? In relation to what standards?

Lots of work – self reflection You are more than an assessment

Narrow slice of experiential learning.

QUESTIONS????