An effective system of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) requires assessment processes that are appropriate for the nature of the experiential learning being assessed. Otherwise, potential candidates may be discouraged from engaging in RPL applications and therefore not benefit from the lifelong learning opportunities available. It has been…

Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a term for various methods by which universities accredit student experiential learning. One such method is the academic portfolio, a written reflective process in which students demonstrate that their personal or professional learning fulfills university outcomes. Proponents of academic portfolios claim that…

In efforts to encourage student recognition of greater connections between their experiential learning and college-level learning, the author has developed a model comprising four key areas towards a method he calls 'thresholding'. These key areas are: situating experience, reflecting on experience, understanding college-level learning, and…

Purpose: Knowledge exchange networks are critical to farmer success and help reduce barriers to entry and growth for new farmers. This study explores informal and formal knowledge exchange networks among two growing industries in Maine: maple syrup production and beekeeping. We increase understanding of the mechanisms through which knowledge…

The CAEL (Council for Adult and Experiential Learning) and the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) announce the inaugural winners of the Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) Equity Awards, recognizing strategies that have been proven to put CPL in reach of key adult learner populations and/or increase their CPL credit-earning.…

For adult students who have committed anew to completing a four-year bachelor's degree, prior learning assessment (PLA) can be a surprising bonus that affirms their previous life experiences, shortens the degree completion pathway, and ultimately lowers tuition dollars. What students typically do not realize as they enter the process, however, is…

Purpose: This article reports on a critical race theory (CRT) analysis of the perspectives of providers of employer-supported educational opportunities and adult learners, who identified as Black, indigenous or as a person of color, and were employed in service industries. Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature was used to shape…

For more than 50 years, colleges and universities have used a range of different methods to award college credit for learning that takes place outside of the classroom--particularly learning from work, life, and military experiences. These methods--often called prior learning assessment (PLA) or credit for prior learning (CPL)--value the learning…

Adult students--whether just starting college or returning after stopping or dropping out--often have significant college-level learning they have acquired outside of academia. Postsecondary institutions have the option to evaluate that learning for the purpose of awarding credit or otherwise recognizing the learning so that it can count toward a…

For more than 50 years, colleges and universities have used a range of different methods to award college credit for learning that takes place outside of the classroom--particularly learning from work, life, and military experiences. These methods--often called prior learning assessment (PLA) or credit for prior learning (CPL)--value the learning…

This report describes the adult student's experience with prior learning assessment (PLA) using student record data from 72 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States, primarily focusing on the data from 69 of those institutions based on the more detailed data provided by those institutions to the study. Researchers from the…

This report describes the adult student's experience with prior learning assessment (PLA) using student record data from 72 degree-granting postsecondary institutions in the United States, primarily focusing on the data from 69 of those institutions based on the more detailed data provided by those institutions to the study. Researchers from the…

This brief highlights examples of career pathway models funded by TAACCCT [Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training] that were designed for adult students who require accelerated timelines because they are often under pressure to enter or reenter the workforce quickly to support their families. In each of the cases chosen,…

Within the next few years the majority of jobs in the U.S. will require some type of postsecondary credential. However, less than half of adults in this country currently possess a credential beyond high school. Though they may not have a college degree to show for it, most adults have likely gained significant and valuable learning through their…

Basic education is essential if societies and economies are to thrive and become sustainable in challenging times. However, many people have never had an opportunity to benefit from education and many others leave the initial phase of education without attaining the level of proficiency in literacy and numeracy needed to participate fully in…