2019 Annual Conference

Colleges and Universities

Shared Concurrent Session (Approx. 12 or 20 minutes)

Our team will share how adult undergraduate students can use prior learning assessment (PLA) as an economic empowerment tool. PLA leverages and credentials college-level learning in the workplace and accelerates time to degree completion. Longitudinal data and best practices will be shared.  

Prior learning assessment (PLA) offers economic empowerment by leveraging and credentialing college-level learning in the workplace and accelerates time to degree completion. Those interested in prior learning assessment (PLA) will benefit from this session, including administrators, faculty, and students. New to PLA and seeking resources? Experienced with PLA and interested in dialog and resources to enhance current practices? Join us to unleash the economic power of PLA!    

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to accomplish the following:
• Describe how students may utilize PLA to credential college-level learning from the workplace.
• Explain how students may utilize PLA to accelerate time to degree
• Identify PLA best practices for administrators, faculty, and students.
• Discuss national and program-specific PLA data trends.
• Identify at least one idea for application using a mini-action plan.

Our approach to prior learning assessment (PLA) is important because employment across the US increasingly requires a 4-year college degree. As college becomes more expensive and requires a significant outlay of time and resources, our approach to PLA has significant impact as it accelerates time to degree and reduces the cost of a college degree.

Our innovative approach to PLA enables learners apply for college credit for college-level learning and knowledge gained outside traditional academic settings.  We believe adults acquire learning and knowledge in a variety of ways, including work, training programs, military service, independent study, volunteer or community service, and open source courseware.

This topic is timely as it is important to respond to the needs of learners to leverage their economic power in today’s increasingly competitive environment.

How do we measure college level learning for a PLA practice? This session features PLA as a tool for students to leverage credential college-level learning from the workplace and to accelerate time to degree.  The session also includes a discussion of PLA best practices for administrators, faculty, and students and an analysis of national and program-specific PLA data trends.  A mini-action plan will encourage participants to implement at least one new idea from the session.

Session facilitators will share and lead inclusive group discussion about the results of a systematic and integrative literature review of PLA in the US,  original longitudinal research, and best practices from theory and practice. Participants will be encouraged to implement at least one new strategy as a result of attending the session.