Practicing PLAR at Practicing PLAR at Athabasca University: Athabasca University: Overviewing a Complex Overviewing a Complex
SystemSystem
ACAT WorkshopACAT Workshop
May 16, 2007May 16, 2007 Dianne ConradDianne Conrad
Centre for Learning Centre for Learning AccreditationAccreditation
Athabasca UniversityAthabasca University
ProcessProcess
Why PLAR?Why PLAR?
What [kind of] PLAR?What [kind of] PLAR?
How [do we do] PLAR?How [do we do] PLAR?
PrinciplesPrinciples
Issues and Sticky StuffIssues and Sticky Stuff
Why PLAR?Why PLAR?Knowledge is what you have after you’ve Knowledge is what you have after you’ve forgotten all the facts.forgotten all the facts.(Howard Gardner, (Howard Gardner, Multiple IntelligencesMultiple Intelligences))
AU mandateAU mandate PLAR is mandated by AU’s Strategic Plan.PLAR is mandated by AU’s Strategic Plan.Accommodates issues of access and Accommodates issues of access and flexibility for AU’s ODL learners.flexibility for AU’s ODL learners.Part of a suite of approaches that Part of a suite of approaches that includes credit transfer and challenge-includes credit transfer and challenge-for-credit.for-credit.
What [kind of] PLAR?What [kind of] PLAR?
Mandated, centralized PLARMandated, centralized PLAR
University-wide PLARUniversity-wide PLAR
Program-contextualized, program-Program-contextualized, program-specific PLARspecific PLAR
CAEL-supported PLAR CAEL-supported PLAR [[http://http://www.cael.orgwww.cael.org//]]
Policy-protected PLARPolicy-protected PLAR
Academically engaged PLARAcademically engaged PLAR
How [do we do] PLAR?How [do we do] PLAR?
Very carefully!Very carefully!
With rigorWith rigor
With structureWith structure
With consultationWith consultation
With program criteria With program criteria [example] [example] and and learning outcomes.learning outcomes.
Principles: PLAR in the Principles: PLAR in the university contextuniversity context
Universities embrace PLAR pedagogically:Universities embrace PLAR pedagogically:
““The beginning of instruction shall be made The beginning of instruction shall be made with the experience learners already have…with the experience learners already have…this experience and the capacities that have this experience and the capacities that have been developed during its course provide been developed during its course provide the starting point for all further learning.”the starting point for all further learning.”
(Dewey, (Dewey, Experience and EducationExperience and Education, 1938, p. , 1938, p. 74)74)
““Society sustains itself through the Society sustains itself through the sharing of knowledge and sharing of knowledge and information and, in so doing, lives information and, in so doing, lives beyond the lifespan of the individual. beyond the lifespan of the individual. Not only does social life demand Not only does social life demand teaching and learning for its own teaching and learning for its own permanence, but the very process of permanence, but the very process of living together educates.”living together educates.”
Dewey (1916, p. 4)Dewey (1916, p. 4)
Conceptual issues around Conceptual issues around PLARPLAR
Who has the knowledge?Who has the knowledge?
How is it spread around?How is it spread around?
Who is responsible for it?Who is responsible for it?
Learning through PLARLearning through PLAR
The educator’s role involves three interrelated The educator’s role involves three interrelated activities.activities.
(1)(1) helping self and others engage in helping self and others engage in reflection.reflection.
(2)(2) helping self and others redefine helping self and others redefine premises.premises.
(3)(3) helping self and others decide how to act helping self and others decide how to act on on new insights and understandings. new insights and understandings. (Transformation theory of adult learning. In (Transformation theory of adult learning. In M. Welton, (Ed.) M. Welton, (Ed.) In Defense of the lifeworld: In Defense of the lifeworld: Critical perspectives on adult learning. Critical perspectives on adult learning. New New York: State University of New York Press.)York: State University of New York Press.)
Learning through PLARLearning through PLAR
AU uses the portfolio method:AU uses the portfolio method:
Program-basedProgram-based
Course-basedCourse-based
Fundamental principles:Fundamental principles:
There are many ways to learn.There are many ways to learn.
PLAR is for KNOWING, not doing.PLAR is for KNOWING, not doing.
PLAR is a learning activity.PLAR is a learning activity.
PLAR credit is assessed, not transferred.PLAR credit is assessed, not transferred.
PLAR credit is program-relevant and PLAR credit is program-relevant and program-related.program-related.
What learners doWhat learners do
Once engaged in an AU program, learners Once engaged in an AU program, learners decide the appropriateness of PLAR to decide the appropriateness of PLAR to them.them.
Ideally, they should contact CLA.Ideally, they should contact CLA.
With guidance and materials supplied by With guidance and materials supplied by us, they create a portfolio.us, they create a portfolio.
Portfolios are demonstrations of learning Portfolios are demonstrations of learning in text, well organized, lengthy, and in text, well organized, lengthy, and carefully documented.carefully documented.
Good portfolios take a long time to Good portfolios take a long time to prepare.prepare.
What CLA doesWhat CLA does
Answers program-related, course-related, Answers program-related, course-related, PLAR-related queries and requests from PLAR-related queries and requests from AU students and potential students.AU students and potential students.Guides, directs, instructs, and mentors Guides, directs, instructs, and mentors PLAR participants through the process.PLAR participants through the process.Locates assessor expertise for all Locates assessor expertise for all undergraduate courses that are PLAR-able.undergraduate courses that are PLAR-able.Maintains assessors database.Maintains assessors database.Instructs, trains, mentors and guides Instructs, trains, mentors and guides content experts through PLAR’s content experts through PLAR’s assessment process.assessment process.
What CLA does…2What CLA does…2
Receives and vets official letters of Receives and vets official letters of documentation arriving from PLAR documentation arriving from PLAR participants’ attestors.participants’ attestors.Adds vetted and copied documentation Adds vetted and copied documentation material to 3 copies of PLAR portfolio. material to 3 copies of PLAR portfolio. Receives 3 copies of portfolio material.Receives 3 copies of portfolio material.Vets portfolios to determine Vets portfolios to determine completeness .completeness .Determines appropriate assessors and Determines appropriate assessors and distributes portfolios accordingly.distributes portfolios accordingly. Requests necessary student records from Requests necessary student records from RO to accompany portfolio materials.RO to accompany portfolio materials.
What CLA does. . .3What CLA does. . .3
Handles shipping, mailing, and return Handles shipping, mailing, and return mailing procedures.mailing procedures. Receives, edits, compiles, clarifies Receives, edits, compiles, clarifies assessors’ comments.assessors’ comments.Prepares final paperwork for PLAR Prepares final paperwork for PLAR participant and University, in consultation participant and University, in consultation with:with: Program advisors/chairProgram advisors/chair AssessorsAssessors Registrar’s Office personnelRegistrar’s Office personnel
What assessors doWhat assessors do
Physically receive huge boxes of binders and Physically receive huge boxes of binders and papers that constitute portfolios.papers that constitute portfolios.Read learners’ narratives, goal statements, Read learners’ narratives, goal statements, educational histories, resumes, learning educational histories, resumes, learning statements, and documentation material.statements, and documentation material.Familiarize themselves with the learner’s program Familiarize themselves with the learner’s program and program history.and program history.Apply their content knowledge to learners’ Apply their content knowledge to learners’ expression of “prior” knowledge, making many expression of “prior” knowledge, making many assessments on knowledge-based criteria relative assessments on knowledge-based criteria relative to learners’ programs.to learners’ programs.Assign scores and offer comments to support Assign scores and offer comments to support decisions.decisions.Return materials to CLA.Return materials to CLA.Be available for follow-up, consultation or appeal.Be available for follow-up, consultation or appeal.
Assessment!Assessment!
Evaluation is about learning.Evaluation is about learning.
““Evaluation is shot through with issues of Evaluation is shot through with issues of power, responsibility, sensitivity, and even power, responsibility, sensitivity, and even personal taste. . . Everyone who wishes to personal taste. . . Everyone who wishes to study evaluation must first grapple with study evaluation must first grapple with important and fundamental questions important and fundamental questions about teaching, learning, and evaluation.”about teaching, learning, and evaluation.”
((The Art of Evaluation: A Handbook for The Art of Evaluation: A Handbook for Educators and TrainersEducators and Trainers, Fenwick and , Fenwick and Parsons, 2000, p. 13)Parsons, 2000, p. 13)
About learningAbout learning
““The distinction between formal and The distinction between formal and informal learning is important in order to informal learning is important in order to emphasize that learning is not to be emphasize that learning is not to be equated with education. Education offers equated with education. Education offers explicit, theoretical knowledge- so-called explicit, theoretical knowledge- so-called propositional knowledge. This can go on propositional knowledge. This can go on without the participants learning anything without the participants learning anything that can be used in a practical way in that can be used in a practical way in everyday life or at work.”everyday life or at work.”
(Ellstrom, 1996, quoted in (Ellstrom, 1996, quoted in Antonacopoulou, E., Jarvis, P., Andersen, Antonacopoulou, E., Jarvis, P., Andersen, V., Elkjaer, B., Hoyrup, 2006)V., Elkjaer, B., Hoyrup, 2006)
Two different ways of Two different ways of approaching evaluationapproaching evaluation
1. One way is focused on programs as 1. One way is focused on programs as objects objects or “thing-like” entities with or “thing-like” entities with identifiable identifiable properties that be properties that be categorized and categorized and measured… measured…it centres on standards and it centres on standards and criteria. criteria.
(Stake, 2004)(Stake, 2004)2. “the other way attends to programs as 2. “the other way attends to programs as
multifaceted compositions of multifaceted compositions of lived human lived human experience permeated with experience permeated with meanings” meanings”
(from Schwandt, & Burgon, (from Schwandt, & Burgon, Evaluation Evaluation and and the study of lived experience the study of lived experience, p. 99), p. 99)
Vygotsky’s (1978) learning processes- Vygotsky’s (1978) learning processes- patterning and puzzlingpatterning and puzzling
1.1. patterning – learn by comparing to and building patterning – learn by comparing to and building on on similar experiences.similar experiences.2.2. puzzling – new situations give us no reference puzzling – new situations give us no reference point:point:
cannot reach back to existing generalizations cannot reach back to existing generalizations ““learning by surprise, exception, learning by surprise, exception,
contradiction.”contradiction.”
Puzzling requires more social support than Puzzling requires more social support than patterning. Epistemological tradition in evaluation patterning. Epistemological tradition in evaluation favours patterning. favours patterning.
Quantitative assessments treat “exceptions” as Quantitative assessments treat “exceptions” as random noise “rather than as an opportunity for random noise “rather than as an opportunity for learning.” learning.”
Hands-on assessmentHands-on assessment
HandoutHandout
Issues and Sticky Stuff: The Issues and Sticky Stuff: The Bigger PictureBigger Picture
StakeholdersStakeholders
LearnersLearners
Academic facultyAcademic faculty
EmployersEmployers
Other institutionsOther institutions
IssuesIssuesQualityQuality
TraditionTradition
ReputationReputation
EconomicsEconomics
PedagogyPedagogy
DiversityDiversity
Academic EngagementAcademic Engagement
In conclusion….In conclusion….
PLAR is a learning experience.PLAR is a learning experience.
The best PLAR successes arise from The best PLAR successes arise from learners’ realization of valuable learning learners’ realization of valuable learning experience through the PLAR process.experience through the PLAR process.
This occurs (in spite of them or to their This occurs (in spite of them or to their great surprise) when they enter into a great surprise) when they enter into a well-managed, well-documented and well-managed, well-documented and mentored process.mentored process.
ContactContact
Centre for Learning Centre for Learning AccreditationAccreditation
www.priorlearning.athabascau.cwww.priorlearning.athabascau.caa
(780) 675 6924(780) 675 6924
[email protected]@athabascau.ca
