prior learning assessment (pla) pilot project at vsu prepared by the pla assessors group
DESCRIPTION
3 VSU now offers six ways to receive college credit from Prior Learning Assessment: CLEP ( The College-Level Examination Program®) AP ( Advanced Placement ) DANTES Testing ( Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Educational Support ) ACE Credits Departmental Examinations Prior Learning Documentation Explanation of PLA At VSUTRANSCRIPT
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Pilot Project At VSU
Prepared by the PLA Assessors Group
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PLA Fit with VSU Strategic Goals
From VSU’s Strategic Planning Goals: 5 Goals in 5 Years Enrollment & Retention
Assess and implement changes in faculty load, facilities, course offerings & class scheduling to enhance the use of university resources in support of planned growth.
Increase number of students seeking certification and licensure renewal.
Develop a proposal for programs and program delivery strategies that meet the needs of non-traditional degree seeking students.
Financial Support Improve profile in the Valdosta community, by continuing to
develop external/community partnerships.
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VSU now offers six ways to receive college
credit from Prior Learning Assessment: CLEP (The College-Level Examination Program®) AP (Advanced Placement) DANTES Testing (Defense Activity for Non-Traditional
Educational Support) ACE Credits Departmental Examinations Prior Learning Documentation
Explanation of PLAAt VSU
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Documentation provides
alternative formats
for candidates to provide evidence
they have the knowledge and skills
for a specific course’s learning outcomes.
Explanation of PLA Documentation
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Many ways to provide evidence of learning: Work products Performance simulations Interviews Oral or written exams Skills demonstrations Original fine art Computer software Poems, books, stories
Evidence of Prior Learning
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Assessment focuses on learning – not just experience
Learning is based on experience and academic theory
Explanation of PLA Documentation
Learning
Experience Theory
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Learning outcomes: Define expectations for the target course Must be clear and explicit Should include all valued components
(including process skills)
If learning outcomes are not explicit,students cannot be held accountable.
Learning Outcomes Are Critical
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Students convince assessors that They have relevant and appropriate experiences They learned from those experiences
The learning is aligned with learning outcomes for the target course
The learning is grounded on relevant theory
What Students Do
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Students provide evidence to document
relevant experiences.
Relevant experiences could include: Courses Training programs (e.g. military) Work experience Community service Personal study
Evidence of Relevant Experience
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Assessment approach depends on the course
Exam e.g. Mathematics Essay e.g. English Portfolio e.g. Science Performance e.g. Education
Evidence of Learning From Experience
Traditional Performance-based
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Mathematics
Science
Education
Examples
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Assessment of open-ended mathematical tasks Mathematical Knowledge: Knowledge of
mathematical principles and concepts Strategic Knowledge: Identification and use
of important elements of the problem that represent and integrate concepts (e.g., models, diagrams, symbols, algorithms).
Explanation: Written explanation of the rationales and steps of the solution process. A justification of each step is provided.
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Students will solve non-routine problems and construct knowledge through problem solving.
Students will investigate, develop, and evaluate mathematical arguments.
Students will understand how mathematical ideas interconnect and build on one another and will apply mathematics in other content areas.
Students will create and use technology, pictures, manipulatives, models, and symbols to organize, record, and communicate mathematical ideas.
Process Standards for the Mathematics courses
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Possible Scoring Categories
Sources of Learning (Experiences) Evidence of Competencies (aligned with
learning outcomes) Competencies aligned with Experiences Competencies aligned with Theory Breadth / Depth / Significance Introduction / Conclusion Citation of Source Material Documentation Sentence Structure, Mechanics, and Overall
Presentation
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Possible Scoring Categories
Sources of Learning (Experiences) Evidence of Competencies (aligned with
learning outcomes) Competencies aligned with Experiences Competencies aligned with Theory Breadth / Depth / Significance Introduction / Conclusion Citation of Source Material Documentation Sentence Structure, Mechanics, and Overall
Presentation