Bitsy Cohn, Director

Prior Learning AssessmentTHE CHAMP GRANT AND COLORADO'S COMMUNITY COLLEGES

CHAMP Consortium

Nine colleges: curriculum development and equipment

Open resources

Credit for prior learning

Transfer and articulation agreements for students

Stackable credentials

Navigators for student success

Veterans

CHAMP Goals

To build off Colorado’s existing and emerging manufacturing sector

partnerships and career pathway work to develop

employer-driven curriculum

Use technology to accelerate training and reach a broad audience

Redesign the current Colorado Community

College System model for credit for prior learning to

accelerate certification

Develop stackable and latticed certificates with institutional agreements

between the participating community colleges and

Metropolitan State University at Denver (MSU

Denver)

Prior Learning Assessment Credit: Thinking it through

What is your work experience?

Do you have any national or local certifications?

Have you done on the job training outside of a classroom?

What course do you think you could challenge for PLA Credit?

How would you prove it?

ACE CREDIT

Prior Learning Assessment Credit

Prior learning assessment is a set of well-established, researched, and validated methods for assessing non-collegiate learning for college credit. It is a process that allows learners to demonstrate knowledge and skills in a particular field or fields

and have that learning evaluated for college credit. (CAEL)

Methods: Standardized Tests, Challenge Exams, Portfolios, Published Guides

Historically

Credit for Prior Learning: A well kept secret…

• Required by legislation

• Resisted – labor intensive, suspect, seen as a necessary evil – if they can find it they can have it

• Loosely managed, not tracked, 13 different methods/means/cost structures – ran the gamut, registrars know all

• Students earn through persistence,

Then we started to change…C

HA

MP

Gra

nt

Redesign the current CCCS credit for prior learning model to accelerate certification

Review current and develop new CPL policy

Include: college credit, standardized testing, challenge exams, portfolios -Focus on learning vs. experience

Significant elements that support Veterans i.e. ACE crosswalks

Review of current practices/procedures Professional development for advisors

CP

L C

om

mit

tee

Research and identify best practices in CPL and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)

Contribute to the process of expanding the current CCCS CPL handbook

Act in an advisory capacity to CAEL as they design the PLA for the CHAMP consortium

Identify training needs of colleges and partners

Support and contribute to the implementation process of the updated handbook

Now…PLA Credit Policy and

Procedures

State-wide PLA system

Outward facing

student friendly

Focused on using PLA as

a recruitment and retention

tool

Tawk amongst yourselves….

I would rate myself as a (newbee,

learner, expert) in PLA Credit.

My biggest challenge in moving PLA into the conversation at

my college is…

So far the best strategy I’ve seen or used to address the

challenge is…

I haven’t gotten past my challenge and I need to know more

about…

The PLA Credit Vision

A diversity of students can come to Colorado community colleges at various stages of their lives and careers and are able to validate the significant learning they bring with them, accelerating the process of reaching their academic and professional goals. College level prior learning is validated by academically sound and rigorous prior learning assessment methods.

Board Policy 9-42

• Credit for Prior Learning

• One credit in residency requirement

• Varied costs: <50% of tuition cost per credit

Previous

• Prior Learning Assessment Credit

• Credit transcripted when student applies/ declares major

• System –wide cost matrix

Current

BP 9-42 cont.

• Institutional assessment methods, vary by college.

• Handbook: specific to current policy. Most credit matrix information 2005 or earlier.

Previous

• PLA training and standards for assessors

• Manual: Expanded crosswalks; AP/ IB/ CLEP, UExcel, ACE Evaluated credit crosswalks, apprenticeships/industry credentials, challenge exam info, state/local industry training

Current

Standards for Awarding PLA Credit

PLA-C may be awarded if the following standards have been met

• Student has been admitted to the college

• Student has declared a course of study (certificate or degree).

• The learning is college level

PLA-C may be applied toward a degree program, certificate, general education requirements, concentration, and general electives that count toward the student’s elected course of study.

PLA-C may satisfy prerequisite requirements using the same policy that applies to other course equivalencies.

PLA-C cannot be used to satisfy college/program residency requirements.

All work assessed for PLA Credit must meet or exceed "C" level work.

PLA-C cannot duplicate any previously-awarded credit (to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning).

Standards for Awarding PLA Credit

PLA-C is awarded only for those courses directly applicable to the declared degree program or certificate.

PLA-C is specifically noted as such on the transcript (see Transcripting Procedures)

The credit is not calculated into the student’s grade point average (GPA).

If credit is denied or if the student does not pass an exam, the PLA-C does not appear on the transcript.

Once PLA-C credit is posted to the transcript, it cannot be removed.

The credit hours awarded for PLA are not included as a part of the student’s semester enrollment.

The credit will be transcribed on the transcript for the same semester in which it was earned, but the credit hours do not count as part of the student’s total enrollment for the purposes of financial aid or any other purpose predicated on total hours of enrollment for a given semester.

By policy all PLA-C credit awarded by a CCCS institution will transfer to all other CCCS institutions as applicable to the chosen program of study.

PLA Credit Manual

Portfolio development and evaluation guidelines

Creating efficiencies Online course Rubrics Faculty Training

Approved PLA methods and procedures:

Standardized tests

Challenge ExamsPublished

GuidesPortfolio

Locally Evaluated

Industry Training

Dept. of Corrections

Registrars Guidance

Banner Codes Increased Tracking Clean Data

Cost Matrix

System –wide Based on Actual Costs ROI

PLA and the Military

The Joint Services Transcript

PLA Credit Manual

PLA Credit Manual

Appendix

Research Glossary of Terms Marketing Tool Kit

Appeals process

Opportunity for alternate assessment

Prescribed/limited Timely

PLA Credit Matrix

•ACE Models

•Incentives to industry/employees

•Searchable Matrix

•PLA-Credit Report

•Used by students and staff

•Dynamic/updated

•Supported through CCCS

•Locally developed , administered, scored

•Promoted to students by institution/course

•Faculty Evaluated

•CCNS courses

•Grant supported

ACE ACP Crosswalks

Challenge Exams

Local Industry

EvaluationsDashboard

Who pays and how much does it cost?

Student “A” walks onto your campus and says “I’d like to see about earning credit for my work experience.”

What happens?

Who does it?

How much time does it take?

What do you estimate that time might cost?

What materials are required?

What we’re learning

Faculty have to be an integral part of adoption: focus on engagement, build consensus

Training needs to be offered to anyone who might have a chance to introduce PLA Credit to a student

The benefit to institutions that engage in PLA is great but the benefit to the students is greater

CHAMP:

www.cccs.edu/champ : Click on “Champ Resources” then Prior Learning Assessment

Current: CAEL PLA Training

Coming: PLA Manual and Matrix

PLA Dashboard

PLA PR ToolKit

PLA MOOC:

Prior Learning Assessment for Educators and Industry – Next session opens October 26, 2015

Council on Adult and Experiential Learning:

www.cael.org

American Council on Education:

www.acenet.edu

SUNY REAL:

https://www.esc.edu/suny-real/students/prior-learning-assessment/

Resources