LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG: A NEW PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT INITIATIVE

PRESENTED BY MARK CAMPBELL & DOROTHY WAX

ABOUT CAEL

CAEL is the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning

A 501(c)3 non-profit organization with 37 years of lifelong learning and workforce development experience

Mission to remove barriers to learning for the adult workforce

CAEL connects learning and work

CAEL has national network of hundreds of colleges and universities

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CAEL’S INTERMEDIARY ROLECAEL is unique in its knowledge of adult/employee learning practices and in its ability to work as an active intermediary between :

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WHY DOES COLLEGE COMPLETION MATTER TO OUR NATION?

U.S. position as a world leader in education has slipped in recent years, from 4th place in 1997 to 11th place in 2009

By 2018, 62% of jobs will require some college or above

But only 40% of adults 25-34 have attained a post secondary degree

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Source: Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018, Georgetown University, Center for Education and the Workforce, June 2010

CAEL’S RESPONSE:

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Grant Credit for College Level Learning from Work and Life Experience

CAEL’S HISTORY AS LEADER IN PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA)

For 37 years, nationally recognized as the leader in the assessment of learning from life and work experience

Wrote the standards and best practices followed by colleges and universities

Trained hundreds of faculty and colleges in how to assess learning

Recognized by regional accrediting bodies

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LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG BASED ON CAEL RESEARCH

48-institution study of PLA and academic outcomes (funded by Lumina Foundation)

62,475 total adult students in sample (adult = age 25 or older)

PLA increases graduation rates and persistence; decreases time to degree completion

Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success,Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, March 2010

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HOW CAN PLA HELP?

PLA’s Effect on Graduation Rates

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Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success, CAEL, March 2010

GRADUATION RATE BY INSTITUTION LEVEL

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SUMMARY – GRADUATION RATES

PLA students in this study had better graduation rates than non-PLA students:•regardless of institutional size, level (two-year or four-year) or control (private for-profit, non-profit, or public)

•regardless of the individual student’s academic ability or grade point average

•regardless of the individual student’s age, gender, or race/ethnicity

•regardless of whether or not the individual student receives financial aid

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TIME TO BACHELOR’S DEGREE

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SUMMARY – TIME TO DEGREE

PLA students earned bachelor’s degrees faster, compared with non-PLA students – between 2.5 and 10.1 months faster, depending upon the number of PLA credits earned.

PLA earners with associate’s degrees saved on average between 1.5 and 4.5 months in earning their degrees, compared to non-PLA students earning associate’s degrees.

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WHY CAEL CREATED LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG

Not enough colleges granting credit for prior learning

Need for consistent standards

Adult learners are not aware of PLA so they often repeat what they already know

Need for a national, on-line approach with easy access

Ability to use faculty experts nationwide to review learning portfolios in various disciplines

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LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG

LC.org educates students (adult learners), colleges, universities, employers and workforce organizations about the various ways individuals can earn college credit for college level learning acquired from work and life experience

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PARTNERS

Partners in LearningCounts.org are the American Council on Education (ACE CREDIT) and the College Board (CLEP)

ACE CREDIT will transcript credit recommendations made by LearningCounts.org faculty. To view a list of colleges and universities that accept ACE CREDIT transcripts, please visit http://www2.acenet.edu/programs/ccrs/adult_learners/

The College Board provides students the opportunity to receive college credit for what they already know by earning qualifying scores on any of 33 examinations. To view a list of examinations offered by the College Board/CLEP, please visit http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/clep/exams.html

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LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG FACT SHEET

Website and first online class launched January 24, 2011

Three sections completed, two currently running with another to begin before July

Over 500 LearningCounts.org faculty

Over 80 pilot institutions have agreed to send students to LC.org for assessment and to accept the credit recommendations in transfer

We are recruiting more colleges, universities and community colleges as pilot institutions, and in reaching agreements with state systems

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HOW STUDENTS USE LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG

1. Talk to an Advisor - students have the option to speak one-on one with an advisor to find out which LearningCounts.org PLA option is right for them LearningCounts.org – an online process to demonstrate learning

by creating a portfolio and having it reviewed for credit

The College Board - students can take a CLEP exam to demonstrate learning outcomes in a particular subject

ACE CREDIT – evaluates training offered by the military, employers, government agencies, and professional associations

Cost: No Charge

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HOW STUDENTS USE LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG

2. Enroll in CAEL 100: Prior Learning Assessment Theory and Practice

A six-week, three credit, online course

Course will teach students how to document their college level learning and lead them through the development of their portfolio.

Courses start every few weeks

Cost: $500

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HOW STUDENTS USE LEARNINGCOUNTS.ORG

3. Create and Submit Your Portfolio

Compile a portfolio for up to six (6) credits to be evaluated by a faculty expert, or multiple portfolios in numerous subject areas

Faculty from colleges and universities from across the country will evaluate the portfolios and make a credit recommendation

Credits will be recorded on an American Council on Education (ACE CREDIT) transcript

Cost: $250 for 1-6 credits attempted in the same discipline

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SAMPLE PILOT INSTITUTIONSOver 80 colleges and universities serving as LearningCounts.org

pilot institutions and over 1,000 schools accept ACE CREDIT transcripts

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OUTREACH AND MARKETING EFFORTS

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COLLABORATION WITH EMPLOYERS

2nd quarter, 2011—Launching campaign to educate employers about LearningCounts.org

Pilot launched in February 2011 with Starbucks

Working with McDonald’s Corporation , Brunswick, BJC Healthcare, Verizon Wireless and Verizon to bring LC.org to their employees and pay for the costs from their tuition benefit programs

Interested in working with more employers in targeted urban areas

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OUTREACH & MARKETING:BACK TO COLLEGE INITIATIVES

Graduate! Philadelphia

Back To College (Chicago)

Louisville: 55,000 Degrees

Northeast Ohio Talent Dividend

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS URBAN STRATEGY:

Select 6-8 urban areas /regions for a targeted outreach campaign to promote LearningCounts.org

To date: San Antonio, El Paso, Houston, Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia, Chicago are candidates

Approach regional and local foundations for support

Open to other urban areas where there are active pilot colleges

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NEW DEVELOPMENTS: WALMART LEARNING STIPENDS

114 stipends to cover cost of CAEL 100 and assessment fees for 1-6 credits

Targeting low-income, underserved adults

Working with Veterans Upward Bound and The Cara Program

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NEXT STEPS

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DISCUSSION OF NEXT STEPS NEEDED TO WORK TOGETHER

Mark Campbell, Ed.d

Vice President, LearningCounts.org

mcampbell@cael.org

312-499-2360

Dorothy Wax

Senior Director of CAEL Career Services and H.R.

dwax@cael.org

215-731-7168

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