Recognition of Prior Recognition of Prior LearningLearning

RPLRPL

Presentation at Holland CollegePresentation at Holland CollegeFebruary, 2006February, 2006

Dr. Ingrid CrowtherDr. Ingrid Crowtheringridc@athabascau.caingridc@athabascau.ca

DefinitionsDefinitions

• Prior Learning Assessment and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) or RPL – new Recognition (PLAR) or RPL – new terminology in the literatureterminology in the literature

• various meanings according to the various meanings according to the different organizations or different organizations or associations associations

• One of the most frequently used One of the most frequently used definitions is, “What I value, what I definitions is, “What I value, what I know, and what I can do.” know, and what I can do.”

Gateways DefinitionGateways Definition

Recognition and RewardRecognition and Reward

• knowing what we knowknowing what we know

• informing others what we knowinforming others what we know

• Awarded credit for what we know Awarded credit for what we know from institutions - secondary schools, from institutions - secondary schools, colleges, universities, employers, and colleges, universities, employers, and professional organizationsprofessional organizations

Gateways DefinitionGateways Definition

Prior to PresentPrior to Present• Before formal study - childhood, adolescent, adultBefore formal study - childhood, adolescent, adultLearning from LifeLearning from Life• from Elders, mentors, family members, and from Elders, mentors, family members, and

colleaguescolleagues• from life experiences – challenges and opportunitiesfrom life experiences – challenges and opportunities• from leisure time activities, and recreationfrom leisure time activities, and recreation• self studyself study• from raising familiesfrom raising families• from places of employmentfrom places of employment• from the world around usfrom the world around us• from healingfrom healing

Gateways DefinitionGateways Definition

Assessment and AccreditationAssessment and Accreditation

• need to value our beliefs, skills, and ways need to value our beliefs, skills, and ways of knowingof knowing

• evaluate our learningevaluate our learning

• show what we knowshow what we know

• earn credit for our learningearn credit for our learning

• demonstrate what we can dodemonstrate what we can do Assessment and AccreditationAssessment and Accreditation

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Types of PLAR Types of PLAR

• Course –by –course – Course –by –course – challenge for creditchallenge for credit

• Program-based Program-based – SemesterSemester– Up to certificateUp to certificate– Up to diplomaUp to diploma

• Expensive and time Expensive and time consumingconsuming

• Discreet unitsDiscreet units

• More efficient in time More efficient in time and costand cost

• Increased Increased transformation and transformation and transfer of knowledge, transfer of knowledge, skills and attitudesskills and attitudes

Types of Demonstrations of Types of Demonstrations of LearningLearning

• PortfoliosPortfolios

• Checklists of skills, knowledge and Checklists of skills, knowledge and attitudeattitude

• Demonstration exercisesDemonstration exercises

• EssaysEssays

• Test/examinationsTest/examinations

• Group/individual approachGroup/individual approach

• Video tapingVideo taping

Rigorous ProcessRigorous Process

• Skill sets developed in a Skill sets developed in a collaborative consensus building collaborative consensus building process involving all partners – post process involving all partners – post secondary institution, related secondary institution, related government licensing agency, government licensing agency, employersemployers

• Development of resourcesDevelopment of resources

• Training of mentors and assessorsTraining of mentors and assessors

PortfolioPortfolio

• Collection of materials to identify learning Collection of materials to identify learning obtained from a variety of sources such as obtained from a variety of sources such as work, workshops, conferences, research, work, workshops, conferences, research, or personal readings; or personal readings;

• Self-evaluation to demonstrate Self-evaluation to demonstrate understanding of learning; understanding of learning;

• Analysis of learning to demonstrate Analysis of learning to demonstrate understanding of and competency as understanding of and competency as related to a specific skill set; andrelated to a specific skill set; and

• Validation of learning from external Validation of learning from external sources. sources.

ValidationValidation

• attestation that individual has attestation that individual has performed the duties, activities, or performed the duties, activities, or product as outlined product as outlined

Type of ValidationType of Validation

• Examples – newsletter, program plans, Examples – newsletter, program plans, observations documentations, workshop handouts, observations documentations, workshop handouts, letters, published articles….letters, published articles….

• Work place related documentation – references, Work place related documentation – references, performance evaluations, job descriptions, awardsperformance evaluations, job descriptions, awards

• Formal credentials – certificates, awards, course Formal credentials – certificates, awards, course outlines outlines

• Third party validation – reference letters, letters of Third party validation – reference letters, letters of supportsupport

• IT – photographs of activities, room arrangements, IT – photographs of activities, room arrangements, special events, milestones; video clips; audio clips special events, milestones; video clips; audio clips such as language samplessuch as language samples

External ValidationExternal Validation

• Often when references are given, the Often when references are given, the reference refers to general reference refers to general competencies of the individual. competencies of the individual. Validation needs to be much more Validation needs to be much more specific. A statement of:specific. A statement of:

•understanding about the skills that the referee understanding about the skills that the referee is responding tois responding to

•the validator’s background to support the claimthe validator’s background to support the claim

•documentation to support the skills. documentation to support the skills.

Added InformationAdded Information

• http://gateways.athabascau.cahttp://gateways.athabascau.ca

• http://gateways-plar.athabascau.cahttp://gateways-plar.athabascau.ca

Rigorous ProcessRigorous Process

• Higher level of skill requirement of Higher level of skill requirement of participants within the process participants within the process – critical analysis of skills as related to a critical analysis of skills as related to a

skill setskill set– transfer of knowledge across the transfer of knowledge across the

curriculumcurriculum– transformation of learning using a transformation of learning using a

variety of sources – experience, formal variety of sources – experience, formal learning, application of learning and learning, application of learning and independent studyindependent study

Development of System Development of System RequirementsRequirements

• Course-based approach and course Course-based approach and course outline for PLARoutline for PLAR

• Program-based outcomes Program-based outcomes • Policies and proceduresPolicies and procedures• Grading systemGrading system• Financial considerationsFinancial considerations• System-based awareness activitiesSystem-based awareness activities