Recognizing Prior Learning Assessment Best Practices for Evaluators: An Experiential Learning Approach

Abstract

The marketplace continues to move working adults toward completing their college degrees at an expeditious rate. Prior learning assessment has been shown to aid retention efforts. As with any assessment tool, reliability and validity are key to quality assurance. Given the student-centered nature of prior learning assessment, evaluators have looked to traditional guidelines to frame their credit decision-making process.

The researchers would like to offer their sincere appreciation to all of the institutions and evaluators who participated anonymously in this study. We would also like to thank Career Education Solutions Inc. and PLA Consulting for providing resources for this study.

Theresa Hoffmann, MA, LCPC, NCC directed University of Maryland University College's (UMUC) award winning Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) Program for 14 years, and her career specializing in higher education spans over 25 years. Her contributions to PLA and adult learners include faculty training, instructional materials, distance education, consulting, and published research. She teaches PLA and social science courses online and in the classroom and counsels adults in private practice. Visit her Web site at PLAConsulting.com.

Kevin A. Michel, EdD, NCC, has been working with adult learners in higher education since 1981. His roles have included university professor, prior learning instructor and evaluator, educational counselor, and library volunteer. He currently serves as the executive director of Career Education Solutions Inc., a Maryland nonprofi t organization.