Download - Bitsy Cohn, Director
CHAMP Consortium
Nine colleges: curriculum development and equipment
Open resources
Credit for prior learning
Transfer and articulation agreements for students
Stackable credentials
Navigators for student success
Veterans
CHAMP Goals
To build off Colorado’s existing and emerging manufacturing sector
partnerships and career pathway work to develop
employer-driven curriculum
Use technology to accelerate training and reach a broad audience
Redesign the current Colorado Community
College System model for credit for prior learning to
accelerate certification
Develop stackable and latticed certificates with institutional agreements
between the participating community colleges and
Metropolitan State University at Denver (MSU
Denver)
Prior Learning Assessment Credit: Thinking it through
What is your work experience?
Do you have any national or local certifications?
Have you done on the job training outside of a classroom?
What course do you think you could challenge for PLA Credit?
How would you prove it?
ACE CREDIT
Prior Learning Assessment Credit
Prior learning assessment is a set of well-established, researched, and validated methods for assessing non-collegiate learning for college credit. It is a process that allows learners to demonstrate knowledge and skills in a particular field or fields
and have that learning evaluated for college credit. (CAEL)
Methods: Standardized Tests, Challenge Exams, Portfolios, Published Guides
Historically
Credit for Prior Learning: A well kept secret…
• Required by legislation
• Resisted – labor intensive, suspect, seen as a necessary evil – if they can find it they can have it
• Loosely managed, not tracked, 13 different methods/means/cost structures – ran the gamut, registrars know all
• Students earn through persistence,
Then we started to change…C
HA
MP
Gra
nt
Redesign the current CCCS credit for prior learning model to accelerate certification
Review current and develop new CPL policy
Include: college credit, standardized testing, challenge exams, portfolios -Focus on learning vs. experience
Significant elements that support Veterans i.e. ACE crosswalks
Review of current practices/procedures Professional development for advisors
CP
L C
om
mit
tee
Research and identify best practices in CPL and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA)
Contribute to the process of expanding the current CCCS CPL handbook
Act in an advisory capacity to CAEL as they design the PLA for the CHAMP consortium
Identify training needs of colleges and partners
Support and contribute to the implementation process of the updated handbook
Now…PLA Credit Policy and
Procedures
State-wide PLA system
Outward facing
student friendly
Focused on using PLA as
a recruitment and retention
tool
Tawk amongst yourselves….
I would rate myself as a (newbee,
learner, expert) in PLA Credit.
My biggest challenge in moving PLA into the conversation at
my college is…
So far the best strategy I’ve seen or used to address the
challenge is…
I haven’t gotten past my challenge and I need to know more
about…
The PLA Credit Vision
A diversity of students can come to Colorado community colleges at various stages of their lives and careers and are able to validate the significant learning they bring with them, accelerating the process of reaching their academic and professional goals. College level prior learning is validated by academically sound and rigorous prior learning assessment methods.
Board Policy 9-42
• Credit for Prior Learning
• One credit in residency requirement
• Varied costs: <50% of tuition cost per credit
Previous
• Prior Learning Assessment Credit
• Credit transcripted when student applies/ declares major
• System –wide cost matrix
Current
BP 9-42 cont.
• Institutional assessment methods, vary by college.
• Handbook: specific to current policy. Most credit matrix information 2005 or earlier.
Previous
• PLA training and standards for assessors
• Manual: Expanded crosswalks; AP/ IB/ CLEP, UExcel, ACE Evaluated credit crosswalks, apprenticeships/industry credentials, challenge exam info, state/local industry training
Current
Standards for Awarding PLA Credit
PLA-C may be awarded if the following standards have been met
• Student has been admitted to the college
• Student has declared a course of study (certificate or degree).
• The learning is college level
PLA-C may be applied toward a degree program, certificate, general education requirements, concentration, and general electives that count toward the student’s elected course of study.
PLA-C may satisfy prerequisite requirements using the same policy that applies to other course equivalencies.
PLA-C cannot be used to satisfy college/program residency requirements.
All work assessed for PLA Credit must meet or exceed "C" level work.
PLA-C cannot duplicate any previously-awarded credit (to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning).
Standards for Awarding PLA Credit
PLA-C is awarded only for those courses directly applicable to the declared degree program or certificate.
PLA-C is specifically noted as such on the transcript (see Transcripting Procedures)
The credit is not calculated into the student’s grade point average (GPA).
If credit is denied or if the student does not pass an exam, the PLA-C does not appear on the transcript.
Once PLA-C credit is posted to the transcript, it cannot be removed.
The credit hours awarded for PLA are not included as a part of the student’s semester enrollment.
The credit will be transcribed on the transcript for the same semester in which it was earned, but the credit hours do not count as part of the student’s total enrollment for the purposes of financial aid or any other purpose predicated on total hours of enrollment for a given semester.
By policy all PLA-C credit awarded by a CCCS institution will transfer to all other CCCS institutions as applicable to the chosen program of study.
PLA Credit Manual
Portfolio development and evaluation guidelines
Creating efficiencies Online course Rubrics Faculty Training
Approved PLA methods and procedures:
Standardized tests
Challenge ExamsPublished
GuidesPortfolio
Locally Evaluated
Industry Training
Dept. of Corrections
Registrars Guidance
Banner Codes Increased Tracking Clean Data
Cost Matrix
System –wide Based on Actual Costs ROI
PLA and the Military
The Joint Services Transcript
PLA Credit Manual
PLA Credit Manual
Appendix
Research Glossary of Terms Marketing Tool Kit
Appeals process
Opportunity for alternate assessment
Prescribed/limited Timely
PLA Credit Matrix
•ACE Models
•Incentives to industry/employees
•Searchable Matrix
•PLA-Credit Report
•Used by students and staff
•Dynamic/updated
•Supported through CCCS
•Locally developed , administered, scored
•Promoted to students by institution/course
•Faculty Evaluated
•CCNS courses
•Grant supported
ACE ACP Crosswalks
Challenge Exams
Local Industry
EvaluationsDashboard
Who pays and how much does it cost?
Student “A” walks onto your campus and says “I’d like to see about earning credit for my work experience.”
What happens?
Who does it?
How much time does it take?
What do you estimate that time might cost?
What materials are required?
What we’re learning
Faculty have to be an integral part of adoption: focus on engagement, build consensus
Training needs to be offered to anyone who might have a chance to introduce PLA Credit to a student
The benefit to institutions that engage in PLA is great but the benefit to the students is greater
CHAMP:
www.cccs.edu/champ : Click on “Champ Resources” then Prior Learning Assessment
Current: CAEL PLA Training
Coming: PLA Manual and Matrix
PLA Dashboard
PLA PR ToolKit
PLA MOOC:
Prior Learning Assessment for Educators and Industry – Next session opens October 26, 2015
Council on Adult and Experiential Learning:
www.cael.org
American Council on Education:
www.acenet.edu
SUNY REAL:
https://www.esc.edu/suny-real/students/prior-learning-assessment/
Resources