TAACCCT 2 WISCONSIN Credit for Prior Learning: Advancing Efforts

Wisconsin Technical Colleges were awarded all four rounds of TAACCCT grants. Wisconsin Technical College System Round 1: Round 2: Round 3: Round 4:

16 Technical Colleges WTCS State-wide Credit for Prior Learning Policy #323 Strategic Leadership & Scaling CPL added as 10 th Outcomes Based Funding Metric Wisconsin Technical College System

Knowledge Building Initial assessment of where each college thought they were CAEL summary report and recommended opportunities 3 part Webinar series Development of Individual college process maps CAEL re-assessment report of what was accomplished Initial Training College staff attended CAEL National Conference CAEL Webinar series Military credentials and PLA Marketing and Language for PLA Intake Tool – Learning Counts Buy In

Additional Training College staff complete CAEL PLA 101 & 201 training WTCS holds State-wide CPL Summit 2 day Administrator Training 1 day Advisor Training Buy In

Executive and Senior Routine Communication and Engagement Distribution of CAEL reports to Presidents Quarterly updates to 16 Vice-Presidents Project Each college identified a CPL lead (outside of TAACCCT grant) Communication of project plan Development of clear expectations and timeline Identification of colleges champions Leadership

Vision Executive leadership identifying need to partner TAACCCT grant opportunities to develop shared elements Roadmaps CPL Technology components Intentionally brought in external expert (CAEL) to guide conversations Invested in specific training Seek out experts and peers doing similar work Peer mentors and networks Culture of Collaboration

Impact/Data WTCS added 10 th performance outcome measure Rounds 3 & 4 continuation of CPL work Statewide: welding CPL rubric developed WTCS identified education director lead Consortium sought out to present WTCS C3 Conference TAACCCT-ON DOL More to Come Upcoming WTCS registrar to focus on CPL WTCS expansion of faculty training Online MOOC for CPL Culture of Collaboration

Next Step After Process Mapping What we learned from Process Mapping

Starting Point with CPL Of the 9 CTC’s in West Virginia, only 4 institutions had a formal policy for “Credit for Prior Learning” – CPL With the 4 institutions, the Chief Academic Officer or Academic Affairs take responsibility for the CPL process New statewide PLA Policy – Series 59 – initiative to move institutions toward established policy

Challenges with CPL Once institutions started to take a look at the process that students would experience in learning about CPL – faced numerous obstacles Information on the process often buried deep in the catalog and website with little or no published information about the process. Very few advisors or faculty understand the CPL process or consider themselves knowledgeable enough to discuss with the student Lack of professional development to assist in the understanding and application of CPL – options other than CLEP or Portfolio

Moving Forward  Ensure that CPL is highly visible and easy for the Adult Learner to navigate – a pathway for knowledge gained through experience to equate to college credit  Arming institutions with Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Specialist

PLA Specialist Identified two individuals from each CTC to participate in a CAEL PLA Workshop 3 day customized workshop that covered: How to build, develop, implement and expand PLA programs How to assess portfolios for college credit Completion of Portfolio Assessments, PLA Examination and an Institutional Healthy PLA Self-Assessment Report led to a Certificate of Mastery in PLA

Role of the Specialist Specialist would serve as the first point of contact in many cases for the adult students to assist Program Chairs, Coordinators, Faculty, Advisors, Recruiters, etc.., in the understanding of the CPL process and provide professional development when needed Also serve as the Contact Person when “Life Experience Inventories” (LEI’s) are completed on the “Bridging the Gap” Credit for Prior Learning Website –

Clear Pathway to CPL Needed an avenue to inform the adult learner about the option of receiving credit for knowledge gained through experience Development of the “Bridging the Gap” Credit for Prior Learning Website Allows a potential student to investigate the option for CPL and complete a “Life Experience Inventory” (LEI) to match experiential learning to degree program of study and courses Information is sent to the nearest CTC PLA Specialist who then makes contact with the student

Interactive Website Provides student with information on CPL Allows the student to take inventory of the professional skills gained through experience and match them to degree programs, courses and certification programs Connects student to an advisor knowledgeable about CPL at the nearest institution to the student To assist the student in looking at options for earning credit either through testing, portfolio or evaluated training through ACE or other qualified sources. Assists students in the completion and submission of portfolio for credit

BTG Website

Questions? Contact Information: Anne Kamps | Dean, Learning Solutions Northeast Wisconsin Technical College 2740 West Mason St. | Green Bay, WI Phone: | Carol Perry, EdD Assistant Professor/ BTG Advanced Manufacturing Transformation Leader/Director of Assessment BridgeValley Community and Technical College 1201 Science Park Drive | South Charleston, WV Phone: | Judith Whipkey Associate Professor/ Department Chair- BOG and BTG Statewide Career Planning Coordinator BridgeValley Community and Technical College 2001 Union Carbide Drive | South Charleston, WV Phone: |