PLA with a PurposeIdentifying What’s Important and Prioritizing Next Steps

History• Supported by the Lumina

Foundation

• Survey of campus practices

• PLA with a Purpose kick-off meeting last June

• Launch of the PLA with a Purpose report today

Project Structure

PLA with a Purpose Report

www.ohiohighered.org/PLA-resources

PLA with a Purpose Report

Credit by Examination: A Preferred Model

• Transparent institutional policies

– Types of CBE; degree programs that accept CBE; specific policies for awarding credit, including course equivalencies

• Credit transcripted in a way that is applicable to the student’s educational pathway and transferable among public institutions

• Accessible to all students regardless of location or cost

• Consistency and quality ensured through institutional requirements for administering and assessing exams and state mechanisms that assess impact on student progress

PLA Reality CheckMyth: PLA is less rigorous than college classwork.

Reality: PLA is a set of established, researched, and validated methods for assessing non-collegiate learning for college credit.

• Students follow a process that allows them to demonstrate their knowledge and have it evaluated by appropriate subject matter experts.

Credit for Military Training and Experience: A Preferred Model

• To the greatest extent possible, the process will reflect ACE recommendations, CTAG, OTM, TAGs.• Included in institution's transfer articulation database/degree audit system, u.select (or successor) & statewide online course reporting systems.• For ACE recommendations that fall outside the statewide guarantees (e.g. physical

education, leadership, logistics, maintenance), a new statewide transfer credit category will be established for military credit, beginning with the courses for which credit is most often awarded.

• Each USO institution will identify a faculty point person for facilitating course equivalences for military credit.

• Should credit not be captured through ACE recommendations, veterans can apply for PLA via another recognized mechanism (i.e. credit by exam or portfolio, assessment); and statewide standards should be developed for such review.

• A regional representative from ACE will be available to conduct training sessions in collaboration with the Ohio Board of Regents, with training available throughout the academic year at USO institutions.

PLA Reality CheckMyth: PLA reduces classroom enrollment.

Reality: PLA increases credit earned at the institution.

• CAEL’s 2010 study found that PLA students (both degree and non-degree earners) completed an average of 54 credits in institutional coursework, compared to 44 credits completed by non-PLA students.

Portfolio-Based Assessment: A Preferred Model• Standardized, consistent written policies and processes

for assessment

• Portfolio process is transparent, clearly written and easily accessible

• Trained content experts, usually faculty, assess and validate portfolio for college credit

• Institution assures consistency, quality control and fairness

• Portfolio credit should be transferrable and accepted across all USO institutions

PLA Reality CheckMyth:

PLA is not an accepted practice

Reality:

PLA is awarded at many colleges and universities

• ACE’s 2012 survey found that 92% of the 414 institutions surveyed granted credit for one or more PLA methods

PLA is growing in popularity

• A 2012 Lumina/Gallop poll indicated that 87% of Americans think students should be able to receive credit for prior learning and 75% said they would be more likely to enroll in higher education if they could receive credit for what they already know

Recommendations• Defining the processes and procedures governing PLA

on USO campuses

• Improving students’ access to PLA opportunities

• Ensuring the quality and rigor of PLA processes

• Providing training and professional development to participants in the assessment process

• Clarifying the state’s role and responsibilities

Recommendations• Defining the processes and procedures governing PLA

on USO campuses

• Improving students’ access to PLA opportunities

• Ensuring the quality and rigor of PLA processes

• Providing training and professional development to participants in the assessment process

• Clarifying the state’s role and responsibilities in the assessment process

Recommendations• Defining the processes and procedures governing PLA

on USO campuses

• Improving students’ access to PLA opportunities

• Ensuring the quality and rigor of PLA processes

• Providing training and professional development to participants in the assessment process

• Clarifying the state’s role and responsibilities in the assessment process

Recommendations• Defining the processes and procedures governing PLA

on USO campuses

• Improving students’ access to PLA opportunities

• Ensuring the quality and rigor of PLA processes

• Providing training and professional development to participants in the assessment process

• Clarifying the state’s role and responsibilities in the assessment process

Recommendations• Defining the processes and procedures governing PLA

on USO campuses• Improving students’ access to PLA opportunities• Ensuring the quality and rigor of PLA processes• Providing training and professional development to

participants in the assessment process• Clarifying the state’s role and responsibilities in the

assessment process

Recommendations• Defining the processes and procedures governing PLA

on USO campuses• Improving students’ access to PLA opportunities• Ensuring the quality and rigor of PLA processes• Providing training and professional development to

participants in the assessment process• Clarifying the state’s role and responsibilities in the

assessment process

Identifying What’s Important and Prioritizing Next Steps

Aligned ActivitiesWith flexibility provided for campuses’ institutional missions and the learning needs of their students

Prioritizing Next Steps• Current Activities

– LearningCounts pilot – CAEL institutional survey– Governor’s Executive Order (Military Credit)

• Upcoming Activities– Reconvene PLA Network– Revisit Proposed 2011 CLEP directive– Explore HEI tracking mechanism– Develop statewide PLA marketing campaign