PLA: Are You Ready? MICHIGAN COLLEGE SUCCESS NETWORK JANUARY 18, 2013

 Quick overview of CAEL  Prior Learning Assessment Overview  PLA case study  LearningCounts.org  Q & A, Discussion 2 GOALS FOR THIS MORNING

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 Recognized by regional accrediting bodies 3

WHAT IS PLA? P rior L earning A ssessment is a process for evaluating knowledge and skills in order to award college credit for college-level learning from: On-the-job learning Corporate training Independent study, such as MOOC’s Military service Volunteer service 4

5 PLA TAKES MANY FORMS Transfer credit ACE recommended credit Standardized tests Student Portfolio College Credit

FUELING THE RACE TO POSTSECONDARY SUCCESS  Background on LearningCounts.org  Reviewed over a 7-year period  Compared students with PLA credits to those without PLA credits  PLA increases graduation rates and persistence; decreases time to degree completion Funded by the Lumina Foundation, March 2010 A 48-Institution Study of Prior Learning Assessment and Adult Student Outcomes 6

HOW PLA CAN HELP: Graduation Rates Associate Degree students are twice as likely to persist to graduation. Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success, CAEL, March 2010 LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG 7

 Worker: Saves time  Employers: Increases pool of trained and educated workers  Regional Economy: Shorter time to a prepared workforce  Workforce System: Saves time AND money EVERYONE WINS WITH PLA The principle: Only pay once for college level learning Bottom line: It’s worth it!

THE NEW PLA TRADITIONAL PLA  Learning derived from past experiences  Many years of on- the-job learning from experience  Non-credit courses with for-credit content  For-credit tests PLA TODAY  Learning derived from 5 minutes ago  Just-in-time training  MOOCs, iTunes University, Khan Academy  More granular learning, competencies  Badges 9

SUCCESSFUL STUDENT PROFILE  Understands the time commitment involved in building a portfolio  Has selected portfolio development course with advising assistance  Has strong writing skills  Has access to a computer with Internet access and is a good candidate for online learning  Has a degree plan (no duplicate courses) 10

PATRIOTIC PAT A CASE STUDY 11

Military Veteran Volunteer Firefighter Works for pool company Speaks fluent Spanish No college courses 1.Does Pat have PLA? 2.What should Pat do to make sure his PLA is recognized? 3.What is the best pathway for Pat at your college? PATRIOTIC PAT CASE STUDY 12

 Not enough colleges granting credit for prior learning  Need for consistent standards  Adult learners are not aware of PLA so they often repeat what they already know  Need for a national, online approach with easy access  Ability to use faculty experts nationwide to review learning portfolios in various disciplines using the CAEL portfolio assessment rubric for high quality assessments WHY LEARNINGCOUNTS? 13

1.One-Stop shop for PLA portal 2.Free PLA advising 3.Individualized portfolio development and assessment 4.LearningCounts.org helps adult learners discover the multiple ways they can demonstrate their college-level learning acquired outside of traditional academia to earn college credit for what they already know. WHY LEARNINGCOUNTS? 14

Students have the option to speak one-on one with a PLA advisor to find out which PLA option is right for them

LEARNINGCOUNTS COURSES 16 Course NameCAEL 100 Develop Your Portfolio for College Credit (DYP) Credit Hours 30 Course Length 6 weeksSelf-paced Description This is an instructor-led, online course with weekly assignments. At the end of the course is an optional 2 week facilitated portfolio development workshop. Expect to dedicate hours per week to finish assignments and plan on additional hours for building your portfolio. This course delves into experiential learning theory, concepts, and models. This is a self-paced, interactive online workshop course that can be taken at any time and from any computer or tablet with an Internet connection. The course consists of 8 modules that can be completed in 4-6 hours. Expect to spend hours to research and develop the materials for the portfolio. The first two modules of the DYP course for are available online free here!here Start Dates 24 course starts each yearAny time, open enrollment Cost $500$129 Choose from two courses:

PARTNER NETWORK 17

EXAMPLES OF PARTNERSHIPS Seattle Apprenticeship Program PASSHE Employers 18

FOUNDATION SUPPORT 19

For more information, please contact: Amy Sherman & Gabi Zolla D: (Gabi Work) 20

QUESTIONS? DISCUSSION THANK YOU