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Today’s Agenda
• Identifying the Scope of the Problem• Background on Prior Learning Assessments
• What it is• How it can help• Who is CAEL?
• Why LearningCounts.org• How it works• Who uses it• Its impact on recruiting and graduation rates
• Questions
About Your Presenters
Cathy Brigham, Ph.D.Director of Academic ProgramsCAEL, LearningCounts.org
Jo-Carol Fabianke, Ed.D.Associate Vice ChancellorAlamo Colleges
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning
A 501(c)(3) non-profit, international organization with nearly 40 years of lifelong learning experience
National leader in PLA best practices, research, and writing
Dedicated to removing barriers to adult learning
Why College Completion Matters
U.S. position as a world leader in education has slipped from 4th –11th (1997 – 2009)
By 2018, 63% of jobs will require some college or above
Source: Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements through 2018, Georgetown University, Center for Education and the Workforce, June 2010
Tools to Meet these Workforce Needs
Common core initiatives / Transferability
2+2 programs create alliances between affordable community colleges and strong four-year programs
Dual-enrollment programs encourage a more prepared K-16 pipeline
But these are traditional approaches to a nontraditional problem.
Finite number of traditional students –Focus on adult learners
Increase the numbers of highly-trained, college-educated individuals in the workforce
Prepare for emerging industries
Build on transferable skills
Focus On Adult Learners
Increase the numbers of highly-trained, college-educated individuals in the workforce
Prepare for emerging industries
Build on transferable skills
Barriers to Participation
AccessAffordabilityAspiration
What is PLA?Prior Learning Assessment is a process for evaluating knowledge and skills in order to award college credit for learning from:
On-the-job learning
Corporate training
Independent study
Military service
Volunteer service
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How PLA Can Help:Graduation Rates
Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success, CAEL, March 2010
How PLA Can Help:Persistence
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
Why LearningCounts.org
1. One-Stop Shop for PLA
2. Free academic advising
3. Individualized portfolio development and review
Why LearningCounts.org
LearningCounts.org educates adult learners about the multiple
ways people can
earn college credit forwhat they already know.
Why LearningCounts.org
Students have the option tospeak one-on one with a PLA advisor
to find out which PLA option is right for them
Individualized PortfoliosCAEL 100: Prior Learning Assessment Theory and Practice
Six-weeks, credit-bearing, online course
Facilitated by an instructor
Asynchronous
Courses start every few weeks
Teaches students how to recognize and document college level learning; leads them through the development of their portfolio.
Cost: $500
Create and Submit Portfolios
Each portfolio may contain up to 6 credits in any one discipline
Faculty from colleges and universities from across the country will evaluate portfolios and make credit recommendations
Two week turn-around
Credits will be recorded on an American Council on Education (ACE CREDIT) transcript
Cost: $250 for 1-6 credits attempted
Individualized Portfolios
Portfolio Credits
Portfolio Credits
Recommended, 75%
Portfolio Credits Denied,
10%
Portfolio Credits
Pending, 15%
Business / Mktg/ Finance
Trade Fields
Core Liberal Arts
Human Resources
Education
Criminal Justice
Public Admin
Portfolio Disciplines
Faculty Assessors
Nearly 800 faculty applications, 71 faculty assessors trained
Online training for assessors(example?, screenshot?)
Who Uses LearningCounts.org
Learners (matriculated and non)
Institutions – marketing, accreditation, retention and completion improvement plans
Corporations
Workforce boards
Professional associations
Military to Medicine
Veterans Upward Bound
Achieving the Dream
Sample Partner Institutions
Student Benefits• Access to free academic advising
• Information on all major forms of PLA
• Online – accessible – affordable
• National roster of faculty ensure coverage of all disciplines
• Credit-bearing course guiding them through portfolio
• Timely review of portfolios
• Transcription of results by ACE
• Fast, convenient, and reputable
• Access to philanthropic support
Foundation Support
Walmart Foundation StipendsThe Walmart Learning Assessment Stipends program will ensure services offered by LearningCounts.org are available to low-income students.
The stipends will fully support:
1. Enrollment in CAEL 100 (a $500 value)
2. Evaluation of one (or more) portfolio(s)
For requests greater than six credits or across multiple disciplines, students may submit additional portfolios for a fee of $250/portfolio.
Achieving the Dream and LearningCounts.org have partnered to remove obstacles that face adult students and accelerate the pace their learning.
Achieving the Dream
• 33 years old• Completed
Associates Degree• 7 years experience in
Finance• Saved > $3000 in
tuition• Graduating May 2012
Jeff Reardon
Here, a student testimonial was played during the live presentation. To access all of our student testimonials, please visit:
http://www.youtube.com/learningcountsorg
BenefitsBenefit your institution, faculty, and students
Instant capacity to recruit, serve, and retain more adult learners
Administer a PLA program simply and cost-effectively
Refer your students to CAEL 100 and the portfolio process
Eligible for Walmart Foundation stipends
RequirementsAgree to accept credit recommendations
Institutional-level membership in CAEL
Become a Partner
PartnerPlus ProgramBenefits
Turn-key service with administrative and training support
Option to list CAEL 100 in your academic catalog
Flexibility to set your own tuition and assessment rates
Ability to transcribe assessment results directly
RequirementsInstitutional-level membership in CAEL
Annual service fee
Linking to Us
Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/LearningCountsORG
Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Learning_Counts
Join us on LinkedIn: http://linkd.in/mRTm0s
Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/LearningCountsORG
