Innovation:
Prior Learning Assessment
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) or the Assessment of Prior Learning (APL) are the terms used by colleges to “describe the process of earning college credit from learning acquired through a student’s work, training, volunteer and personal life” (Colvin, 2006). Colleges and universities nationwide have adopted a number of different assessment practices to help students determine what they already know and what they still need to learn through coursework. The process of assessing what students already know from life and work experiences may also involve awarding college credit to that knowledge and competency.
A variety of assessment methods are used at various institutions, depending on the college and/or the subject matter. Assessment methods include:
- Credit by Examination
- Development of a Portfolio of Prior Learning with Artifacts
- Transfer Credit Evaluation
- Training and Certifications Evaluation
- Placement Exams
- Simulations
- Interviews
- Work Sample Evaluation
- Demonstration
- Prepared speeches
- Oral Interviews (Colvin, 2006)
Generally, the awarding of college credit for prior learning is available only to students who are enrolled in a degree or certificate program. The subject areas where PLA has been used include business, English, communications, arts, computer science, social sciences, and education. Often, colleges place a limit on the number of credits that can be earned through PLA. Other practices and policies related to PLA can vary significantly from college to college. There is typically a fee for PLA, but it is often as much as 70% less than tuition fees (Colvin, 2006). The main benefits of PLA are that it:
- Validates the worth of learning that students have achieved on their own
- Identifies what students need to learn in order to achieve their personal, career or academic goals
- Shortens the time necessary to earn a college credential
- Saves tuition by reducing the number of required courses
- Enhances pride and self-esteem for what students have accomplished as learners
- Enhances students’ understanding of learning as a lifelong process (Flint & Associates, 1999)