Prior Learning Assessment Content of Presentation Introduction to - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Prior Learning Assessment

Content of Presentation ♦ Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment

 Developing a Portfolio  Tips & Hints  Submission  Evaluation Process Awards & Applying Credits

What is Prior Learning Assessment?

• A process whereby college credit is awarded for

knowledge and skills students have gained through employment, training and/or life experiences.

• Learning must be demonstrated through a portfolio

with written self-assessments and documentation.

PLA HISTORY AT CMU

• CMU began offering PL credit in the 1970s for

military personnel.

• Over 10,000 portfolios have been submitted and

evaluated.

• CMU uses a competency model, not a course-

challenge model.

Prior Learning Philosophy

• College-level learning can occur in many settings:

work, training and/or life experiences.

• Students write an assessment of what they have

learned and how they have applied it in the workplace or in life.

• The learning must merit college-level undergraduate
• r graduate credit.

Eligibility

• Undergraduate: Experiences from date of high

school graduation to date on which the portfolio is notarized.

• Graduate: Experiences from date of undergraduate

degree to the date on which the portfolio is notarized but no more than the previous seven years.

Portfolio Sections

• Tabs I and II: General Information, transcripts, and transfer credit

evaluation (TCE)

• Tab III: Table of Contents
• Tab IV: Work Experience (if requesting credit)
• Tab V: Training Experience (if requesting credit)
• Tab VI: Life Experiences (if requesting credit)
• Tab VII: Signature Block (notarization required)
• Portfolio Checklist

Developing a Portfolio

• IMPORTANT!! Meet with an academic advisor to discuss

potential use of prior-learning credits towards a specific degree plan before you start your portfolio.

• Download and READ the Prior Learning Student Handbook

and forms from the web site: https://www.cmich.edu/global/prior-learning/

• Read the Student Handbook
• Review the online briefing session (as needed).

• View the sample portfolio for examples of satisfactory self-

assessments.

• Think about the various types of knowledge and skills you

gained through work, training, or life experiences.

• Consider the type of credits you want/need, and emphasize

the aspects of the experiences that correspond with those credits.

• Don’t wait until the last minute to start the process.

• The potential number of credits you could earn for each work

training, or life experiences is based on the duration of the experiences (years, months).

• The actual number of credits you could earn for each

experience depends on both the duration and the quality of your self-assessment.

• Depth and quality of the self-assessment are important. An

exhaustive list of every small area of increased knowledge and skill is not necessary.

Assembling the Portfolio

• Use only three-ring binders (no folders). You will need 2
• binders. You submit 1 and keep 1.
• Use tabbed dividers between:
• each major section (Section I, II, III, etc.)
• each experience Tab (e.g., IV-1, IV-2, V-1, V-2, etc.).
• DO NOT use plastic page protectors.

Organizing the Contents

• Use the required forms for Section I, II, and VII for each Tab in

Section IV, V and VI (see the Prior Learning web site).

• In each experience section (i.e., IV, V and VI), start with most

recent experience and work your way backwards (reverse chronological order).

• Use a separate form for each work, training, and life

experience section (e.g., IV-1, IV-2, etc. V-1, V-2 etc. VI-1, VI-2, etc.)

Self-Assessment

• We do not award credit for experiences submitted without a

self-assessment. (One exception: Courses from a regionally- accredited school that did not transfer to CMU - We need a transcript but no self-assessment.)

• Your self-assessment must:
• reflect college-level learning
• use Standard Written English
• provide adequate details and examples, i.e., show an analysis and

synthesis of what you learned and how you applied it.

• be supported by the adequate documentation.

The Quality of Your Self-Assessment: Our Expectations

• Don’t focus on what you did; focus on what you learned and

how you applied it. Examples and details are important! Poor self-assessment: “I was a landscaper. I planted trees.” Good self-assessment: “As a landscaper, I developed the ability to analyze soil moisture content and select appropriate plants for the environment. For example, ……” And so on.

Tab I: General Information

• Be sure the name on your portfolio is the same as it appears
• n your CMU transcript.
• Include your student CMU ID number.
• Do NOT include your social security number in any

documents.

Tab II: Education Background

• Complete the education form (undergraduate or graduate).

Be sure to:

• indicate the degree or certificate you are pursuing.
• indicate the date of your high school graduation

(undergraduate students) or bachelor’s degree (graduate students).

• Include a transcript for all college course work (CMU and
• ther institutions; unofficial copy is OK).
• Include a copy of your CMU Transfer Credit Evaluation (TCE)

form if applicable.

Tab III: Table of Contents

• VERY IMPORTANT!!
• TOC is the basis for organizing materials.
• TOC provides and overview of contents.
• Identify ALL tabs:
• List most recent (current) experience first.
• List different positions with the same employer as separate

experiences.

• List ALL documents included in each tab.

IV-Tabs: Work Experiences

• Create a separate IV tab for each position held, even when

working for the same employer.

• Organize tabs within the IV section in reverse chronological
• rder; list the current/most recent position as Tab IV-1.
• Include a Work Experience form for each work experience you

submit, and include the following information:

– Dates of employment (month & year, e.g., 10/94 to 6/99) – Exact title of position (and rank if applicable) – Full time/Part Time: #hours/week: ____ – Name of Employer (firm, organization, etc.) and address including zip code. – Contact Address of Supervisor (if different than company address)

IV-Tabs: Work Experiences

• If jobs overlap, be sure to identify the hours/times for each

position separately.

• Typically, most credits awarded come from work experiences,

so spend sufficient time developing the self-assessment for these tabs. And be sure to focus on what you learned, not what you did.

Instructions for the IV-Tabs Worksheet

• Complete a worksheet for each position you have held.
• List key job responsibilities.
• List knowledge and skills you acquired while doing this job
• List possible competency titles for the knowledge and skills you

acquired (one competency title for every 3 credits for which you are eligible).

• List forms of documentation you can provide that will support your

claims about your work experience.

• Convert your list of knowledge and skills into a 750-1,000 word

assessment of what you learned and how you applied it on the job.

Documentation for IV Tabs

• Possible sources for verification of employment include HR

records, letter from supervisor, pay stubs, W-2 form, and/or performance evaluations.

• Supervisor’s letter should verify dates of employment and the

accuracy of the self assessment; it does not have to be a letter

• f recommendation. This form is actually a verification of the

dates of employment.

Documentation for IV Tabs, continued

• Copy documents relevant to more than one experience (work
• r training); highlight information and insert the copy into the

relevant IV tab.

For example, if you have one letter from an employer verifying three positions held, include a copy of the letter with each of the three IV tabs.

• List documents in the Table of Contents only after you have

acquired, organized, and placed them in the correct section(s)

• f the portfolio.
• Cross-check all dates for accuracy.

If dates in your documentation do not match the dates in your Table of Contents or on the IV-Tab forms, then, depending on the seriousness of the discrepancy, you might not receive any credits for that Tab or your portfolio might be returned.

V-Tabs: Training Experiences

• Include required training, workshops, and/or courses attended

that gave you new skills or knowledge beyond those directly associated with your job.

• Submit each training as a separate V Tab, but don’t waste time

including V-Tabs for short trainings (see chart).

• You may include course(s) from an accredited or non-

accredited institution that did not transfer to CMU (include TCE form to verify denial of transfer credit).

• V-tabs for courses from a non-accredited institution must include a full

self-assessment.

• No self-assessment is necessary if the course was taken at a regionally-

accredited school.

V-Tabs: Training Experiences, continued

• Use the worksheet to inventory your knowledge and skills, then

convert the lists/statements into well-developed paragraphs for your assessment.

• Details in the self-assessment should correspond to the length of

the time for the training.

VI-Tabs: Life Experiences

• Any experience that does not fit into work or training might fit here.
• Must be for a significant amount/duration of time.
• Typically receive the least credit, usually only 1 – 3 credits.
• Tends to be the most difficult for students to self-assess because

most focus on their passion and the quality of the experience, rather than on the college-level learning they acquired and applied.

VII-Tab: Signature Block

• Re-check for accuracy between the Table of Contents and the

various work, training, and life-experience tabs.

• Be sure to insert all copies of transcripts and documentation in

the correct portfolio sections.

• Include the Portfolio Checklist. Be sure to indicate whether

any documentation is missing and why.

• Get the portfolio notarized.

Reminders

• Complete the self-assessment for one tab, then take a break

from writing. Use this time to

• collect documentation and have others read your self-

assessment and give you feedback.

• have a friend (not a co-worker or spouse) read the self-

assessment for clarity.

• have a co-worker read the self-assessment to provide

suggestions for additional responsibilities and/or learning.

• Use the CMU Writing Center (see handout, brochure, or web

site).

• Plan, draft, revise, proofread, and edit.

Reminders, continued

• Forms (Required)

— Fillable PDF forms are posted on Prior-Learning web site. (You must download and save them before they can be filled in.) — Complete the forms as instructed in the Student Handbook. — Do not alter the forms or submit any self-created forms.

• Be sure all information in the Table of Contents matches each of the

IV, V, and VI Tabs and the documentation.

• Proofread everything – twice or more!

Remember:

• Portfolio reviewers look for competencies (i.e., what you learned)

not for CMU course equivalency.

• Credits for competencies are based on duration of the experience,

quality and thoroughness of the self-assessment, and the acceptability of the documentation.

Portfolio Submission

• Complete the Portfolio Checklist and include it in your

portfolio.

• Enclose the $125 processing fee:
• This one-time fee covers evaluation, re-evaluation, and additional

submissions per degree

• Any PL credits used towards your degree will be charged $95/credit

hour.

• Prepare two (2) complete portfolios; send one along with the

processing fee; keep the original.

Re-evaluation (optional)*

• One (1) within 45 days from date on award letter
• Submit letter of request with additional information
• Credits may increase, decrease, or stay the same depending on

additional information and/or self-assessment

Additional Submissions (optional and unlimited)*

*further instructions on re-evaluations and resubmissions can be found in the Student Handbook.

Awards

• The length of employment, hours in training, and/or time

spent on life experiences determine the maximum possible credits, as established by the American Council on Education (ACE).

• The quality of the self-assessment is a key component in

determining the number and level of credits awarded.

• Once your portfolio has been evaluated by the evaluation

team, you will receive an email with the number of credits you have been awarded.

Applying Credits

• Undergraduate: UNV 297 or 497
• Graduate:

UNV 697

• 5 CMU credits must be posted on the transcript

before prior-learning credits may be applied.

• Undergraduate: 60 credits max.
• Graduate: 10 credits max; normally do not substitute for

core courses.

• A student might not be able to use all the credits awarded.
• Students pay only for credits posted to the transcript.

Summary

• A three credit-hour college course requires work on the part
• f the student; a portfolio also requires time and effort.
• The time and effort put into developing a quality portfolio,

especially a quality self-assessment, will be reflected in the number of credits and the level of the award.

• The number and level of credits awarded (297, 497, 697) are

determined by the duration of the experience and the quality

• f the self-assessment.

• Competency titles are based on the nature of the experience

and the quality of the self-assessment.

• Documentation must be included with each Tab.
• You are a professional: Show this in the quality of your self-

assessment and the overall portfolio.

• Many people feel good about developing a portfolio and feel

a real sense of accomplishment. Try to enjoy the process!

Contact and Resource Information We are here to help!

Hotline Assistance:

Phone: 866-774-1018 Option 1 E-mail - priorlrn@cmich.edu

Office: EHS Building 4th Floor, 421A

Brochures, Student Handbook, Forms, Samples and Templates are available at https://www.cmich.edu/Global/Prior-Learning/Pages/default.aspx To find out how to submit sections of your portfolio for review by the CMU Writing Center, visit https://www.cmich.edu/global/writingcenter/Pages/submission.aspx