1. SLIPPING THE CHAINS Geoff Peruniak, Ph.D., Athabasca University Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment Ottawa. November 7-9, 2010

2. Introduction n Welcome and Introductions n Background

3. Outline n learning not recognized - 612 n rules for being human n quality of life n definition n model n wrap up and questions G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

4. LEARNING NOT RECOGNIZED n Whole self shows up n Role n Transformational Learning – MDE612 G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

5. SIGNIFICANT LEARNING EXPERIENCE n Identify a significant learning experience that changed you in some fundamental way or at least provided an important set of lessons on life’s journey G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

6. LEARNING NOT RECOGNIZED n Teena n Point of Mismatch G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

7. INSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION n Entrance Requirements n Prerequisites n Transfer Restrictions n Limited Availability n Lack of a Program n Program Requirements n Graduation n Awards, Scholarships, Honour Lists G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

8. RULES FOR BEING HUMAN (1) 1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around. 2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a full- time informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid. 3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error; experimentation. The “failed” experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately “works”. G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

9. RULES FOR BEING HUMAN (CONT’D) 4. A lesson is repeated until it is learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. Then you can go on to the next lesson. 5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive, there are lessons to be learned. 6. “There” is no better than “here”. When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that, again, looks better than “here”. G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

10. RULES FOR BEING HUMAN (CONT’D) 7. Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself. 8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need; what you do with them is up to you. 9. The answers lie inside you. The answer’s to life’s questions lie inside you – all you need to do is to look, listen, and trust. (1) Author unknown G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

11. CAREER DEVELOPMENT n Donald Super n John Holland n Myers-Briggs n John Krumboltz n Anne Roe G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

12. Definition of Quality of Life (2) n The ongoing creation of an enduring state of well-being derived from a person’s experience in the realms of his or her life over his or her lifetime. n (2) from Peruniak, G.S. A quality of life approach to career development. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto.

13. Model of Quality of Life G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

14. Assumptions of Quality of Life 1. Quality of life begins, first, with ourselves. Quality of life is personal. 2. Within each person there is a capacity to know his or her quality of life 3. Life is ultimately holistic and should be studied holistically to complement other mainstream methods such as statistical analysis 4. Can be approached but not fully apprehended by words, concepts, or definitions 5. Reflections and dialogue on quality of life are useful and practical 6. Ultimately subjective and personal rather than objective and statistical

15. Assumptions of Quality of Life (cont’d) 5. Wonderment and awe 6. Beliefs, attitudes, and values “We don’t see things as they are, we see things as we are.” in Stern, Ellen Sue “Running On Empty: Meditations for Indispensable Women” 1992, New York: Bantam. G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

16. Relevance of Quality of Life to PLA Provides an alternative learner-controlled framework for progress Implicit Assumption in PLA Facilitation Backdrop to Interventions Goes Hand in Hand with the Reflection part of Portfolio Development and the Meaning of Life G. Peruniak, Athabasca University

17. Conclusion nWrap Up nQuestions

18. Contact Information n E-mail: geoff@athabascau.cageoff@athabascau.ca n Presentation at: bit.ly/aCaIRS n Username: CAPLA n Password: Quality of life G. Peruniak, Athabasca University