Standing on Common Ground

Enhancing the Prior Learning Assessment Experience Through Partnership and Service

Lindsay H. Rice III, M.B.A. – Wilmington University

Lauren M. Haas, M.S.M. – Wilmington University

National Institute on the Assessment of Adult Learning, June 2016

• Wilmington University• Creation of a new college / Vision• Why focus on PLA• Strategic Interventions• Data Tracking• Results• Final Thoughts / Next Steps

Agenda

Wilmington University• Founded in 1968, regionally accredited by MSCHE• Private, non-profit, non-sectarian, non-residential, open

enrollment university with 14 sites in DE, NJ, and MD• Main campus located in New Castle, DE• Over 20,000 non-residential students • Over 130 program options at the associate’s through

doctoral level including minors, certificates, and concentrations

• Over 100 program options are also available 100% online• Offers flexible transfer credit and extensive credit for prior

learning options

Where we were four years ago:

• Lack of consistent information about PLA/experiential learning opportunities

• No PLA data tracking• No central contact for students• Inconsistent policies, procedures, and

usage of PLA

New College: College of Online and Experiential Learning (COEL)

• Spring 2013, University President created new college, COEL

• Combined Online Learning with PLA and Cooperative Education (Co-op) for a focus on Experiential Learning

• Initial focus on creating systems to define and increase PLA and co-ops.

Identify the Needs of our Adult Students

Recognizing Prior Learning for College Credit

Educational Advising & Understanding Student

Motivation for Returning to School

Leverage Online Learning Options & Convenient

Student Support Services

Partner with Students to find the right academic

pathway according to their timeline and unique needs

COEL Vision

The College of Online and Experiential Learning will provide unique pathways to accelerate student graduation and career achievement by creating and validating innovative learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom.

PHOTO OPTION

Strategic Interventions

• Increasing PLA Awareness among faculty and staff

• Leveraged collaborative relationships across the institution• Faculty, Registrar, Advisors,

Admissions, Sites, University Relations, Web Communications, Recruiters, Financial Services

• Emphasizing the benefits of PLA• Internal PLA reference materials • Regularly attend departmental

staff and faculty meetings

Baccalaureate students are 2.5 times more likely to persist to graduation if they have earned PLA credits1.

Why Increase Prior Learning Assessments (PLA)?

1Klein-Collins, R. (2010). Fueling the race to postsecondary success: A 48-institution study of prior learning assessment and adult student outcomes. Chicago, IL: Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.

National Higher Education Data

2 U.S. Census Bureau. (2014). Educational attainment in the United States: 2013 - Detailed Tables - People and Households - U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved from http://www.census.gov/hhes/socdemo/education/data/cps/2014/tables.html3 Ewart, S., & Kominski, R. (2014, January). Measuring alternative educational credentials: 2012. Retrieved from https://www.census.gov/prod/2014pubs/p70-138.pdf4 Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., & Strohl, J. (2013, June). Recovery: Job growth and education requirements through 2020. Retrieved from https://cew.georgetown.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Recovery2020.FR_.Web_.pdf

Over 55 million (2014) in U.S. 25 years or older with some college, but no

bachelor’s degree2

66% of all U.S. jobs will require a post-secondary degree or credential by 2020 and currently only 40% of U.S. achieved

that status4

Over 30 million (2012) in U.S. held a professional license, certification, or

educational certificate3

(≥ high school diploma < bachelor’s degree)

Added pressure on the credential gap are the 31 million baby boomers set to

retire between 2015 and 20204

Industry recognized credentials

Portfolio Assessments

Standardized/Challenge Exams

Extra-institutional Course Assessments

PLA Consists of a Variety of Ways to Assess Prior Learning

New PLA Policies• Identified opportunities and barriers of

existing PLA practices and policies

• Refined to make it more student-friendly and easier to access this type of credit

• Ensures that the equivalences were determined through a rigorous review process

• Collaboration with - and approval from –faculty

Strategic Interventions

• Increasing institutional acceptance and awareness of PLAo Updated PLA policy and terminology changes to the Academic Affairs Policy

Manual, and Course Catalog.o Gained approval for two new types of PLA assessments through Academic

Council and Curriculum Committee.– Industry Recognized Assessments– National College Credit Recommendation Service (NCCRS)

• Created an industry recognized credentials database with evaluated credit recommendations

o Increased industry recognized assessments 112% during FY 2014-2015.– 33 approved industry recognized assessments in FY 2013-2014 – 37 additional industry recognized assessments in FY 2014-2015 – 20 approved (90 total) industry recognized assessments in FY 2015-2016

Strategic Interventions

• Increasing PLA Awareness among students• Added PLA information request to admissions

application• Automated communications• Created Google Form for student self-

navigation from the admissions application (auto-generated email).

Strategic Interventions

• Increasing PLA Awareness among students• Updated the Credit for Prior Learning webpage

for easier student self-navigation of PLA offerings.

• Created informational videos that explain to student the opportunities and processes for PLA

• Created print marketing materials that explain PLA offerings

Credit for Prior Learning webpage

Credit for Prior Learning webpage

Informational Videos - Example

Videos embedded into webpages that explain PLA options

Marketing Materials

Marketing Materials

Personalized PLA Advising

• Personalized advising builds trust and partnership• Probing questions uncover a lot!• Use of the resume• Student contact guide• Holistic view of the student as a person• Filling a service gap• Validation, confidence

Data Tracking

• Created expansive data tracking for PLA utilization, student retention, and student attainment for reportingo Established baseline by accumulating 2 years of prior PLA data.o Measured areas of PLA strengths from utilization changes from

baseline.o Focused resources on areas of greatest impact on student success.

– Industry Recognized Assessments – Student utilization of industry assessments increased 239%

– Challenge/Standardized Exams– Student utilization of standardized exams (CLEP, DSST, etc.)

increased 76%– Military Courses/Experience (ACE/JST)

– Military student utilization of military credits increased 59%– Student acclimation to college, and developing personalized

pathways for individual students

Results

• Increased PLA student utilization 64% during FY 2014-2015o 310 students used PLA in FY 2013-2014 o 507 students used PLA in FY 2014-2015o 540 (est.) students used PLA in FY 2015-2016o Data tracking has also facilitated an evaluation of retention for

students at Wilmington University earning PLA credit.– 87% of students retained or graduated at Wilmington University that

earned PLA credit during the six months (January 1, 2014 – June 30, 2014). This was a measurement one year after students earned PLA credit at Wilmington University.

• We were recognized as LearningCounts Co-Ambassadors at the 2015 CAEL Conference!

Next Steps

• Support the creation of new and innovative academic program offerings that incorporate credit from prior learning.

• Increase industry recognized assessments.• Broaden opportunities to demonstrate prior

learning through the portfolio or project methodology.

• Increase marketing and awareness of credit for prior learning options.

Thank you!

• Questions?• wilmu.edu/COEL