Degree Completion through Prior Learning Assessment and Competency Based Education October 31, 2014 Presenter: Pamela Tate, President & CEO Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

Meaningful Learning, Credentials, and Work for Every Adult CAEL links learning and work – for nearly 40 years CAEL’s Overarching Goal:

Council for Adult and Experiential Learning A 501(c)(3) non-profit, international organization with nearly 40 years of lifelong learning experience National leader in PLA best practices, research, and writing Dedicated to removing barriers to adult learning Standards for assessing prior learning recognized by regional accrediting bodies Who Is CAEL?

CAEL’s Unique Integrator Role Colleges & universities Corporations Labor unions Government, community and philanthropic entities Public Policymakers 4

 Approximately 55 million jobs are expected to open up in the economy by  65% of those jobs will require workers to possess postsecondary credentials. Why are Degrees Important? The U.S. Skills Gap 5 Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce

6 Some college, no degree Source: US Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey

7 Another Look at the Degree Completion Gap ** Best performance is the average of the top three states. 63,127,642 41,860, Degrees Needed to Meet Best Performance** (55%) Degrees* Produced from 2005 to 2025 with Current Rate of Production plus Population Growth Millions * Degrees includes both Associates and 4-year degrees. We need to increase the rate of degree production in the U.S. by 50.8%. Source: NCHEMS and JFF, Adding it Up, 2007

8 Illinois Residents with Some College, No Degree - Percent

9 Illinois Residents with Some College, No Degree - Count

10 The Goal for Illinois

Data PointIllinois Current % of Adults with College Degrees 42.5% Trend Projected for % Lumina Foundation Goal for % Gap10.4% Additional Number of Degrees Needed by , Illinois Degree Attainment Goals

Outreach to:  Adults with high school diplomas but no college  Adults with some college but no degree Success depends on assessing and accepting prior learning toward degrees and other credentials, and being adult learner-friendly Achieving the Completion Agenda

Prior Learning Assessment P rior L earning A ssessment (PLA) is a process for evaluating knowledge and skills in order to award college credit for learning from: On-the-job learning Corporate training Independent study, such as MOOCs Military service Volunteer service

14 Early History: PLA and Competency-Based Programs 1974 Research Project at ETS CAEL incorporates as a 501(c)3 1970s Pioneering colleges began PLA and competency-based programs for adults

Industry Recognized Certificates Evaluated Non- College Training Standardized Tests Student Portfolios The Variety of PLA Methods College Credit, College Completion 15

Credit is for LEARNING, not for experience Subject matter experts make credit recommendations Any fees are for assessment, not for the amount of credit awarded 16 Key CAEL Standards

Graduation and Completion of Adults with PLA Credit Baccalaureate students are 2½ times more likely to persist to graduation.

 Not enough colleges granting credit for prior learning, and even when they do, marketing to students is weak  Adult learners are not aware of PLA so they often repeat what they already know  Need for consistent application of CAEL standards  Need for a national, accessible online approach  Can use faculty experts nationwide for portfolio review using CAEL portfolio assessment rubric for high quality assessments 18 Getting to Scale with PLA

  On-line PLA service  Free PLA Credit Predictor  Complimentary student guidance on all forms of PLA  Courses to teach students how to discover and document their own college-level learning and build portfolios online Overview of LearningCounts

 LearningCounts becomes college’s PLA Department with student tracking, reports, administration, and coordination with Registrar’s office  CAEL provides free webinars and video training for frontline staff and leadership  LearningCounts course is listed in college’s catalog; student registers through college’s registration system  Logo and link to college’s website from LearningCounts.org  Annual Fee (plus one-time Implementation Fee)  CAEL Membership required 20 Featured Network

21 FEATURED PARTNER NETWORK LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG

Two choices for scale Do it yourself 1.Task Force with faculty representation 2.Departmental decisions 3.Faculty training 4.Advisor training 5.Hire PLA Coordinator 6.Define/price process 7.Market PLA service LearningCounts 1.CAEL-trained faculty assessors 2.Featured on LearningCounts website 3.Free training webinars for advisors 4.Free marketing tools 5.Refer students 6.Receive transcripts 7.Receive data summaries

23 Competency-Based Programs What students know and can do

 CBE Jumpstart – CAEL and Lumina The Incubator – Educause and Gates Foundation  C-BEN - Public Agenda and Lumina  Quality Collaboratives and GEMs – AAC&U and Lumina, Hewlett and Gates 24 Competency-Based Initiatives

 Purdue University  Cross-disciplinary bachelor’s degree  Contest for departments to propose three-year degree and competency- based programs 25 Competency-Based Ed Grows

 South Texas College, Texas A&M University–Commerce  Flat, seven-week rate and work through as many courses as their schedules allow  Revamped the faculty role, incorporates individual coaches, faculty teaching and evaluation  Student work in e-portfolio 26 Competency-Based Ed Grows

 Career and educational advising  Expanded online options  Flexible scheduling of courses and services  Have prior learning recognized for college credit where appropriate  Affordable options for PSE 27 What Do Adults Need?

 CAEL’s Adult Learning Focused Institution (ALFI) Self-Assessment  Adult Student Survey  Gap Analysis  Recommendations for Improvement 28 Becoming Adult-Friendly

(Research and Publications) Additional CAEL References

Pamela Tate President and CEO Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL)