from Inquiry, Volume 1, Number 2, Fall 1997, 57-60
© Copyright 1997 Virginia Community College System
Abstract
NOVA’s PLACE (Prior
Learning Activity for Credit Evaluation) is described as well as
Ms. White’s grant-related activities of revising
PLACE’s workbook and teaching material.
As early as 1972, Northern Virginia Community College began talking about adult students returning to or attending college for the first time and how we could help them capitalize on their experiences and earn college credit for these experiences. However, it was not until 1986 that a firm decision was made to develop and implement a program to enable adults to obtain credit for experiential learning.
Commencing with the winter quarter of 1987, the PLACE program began. PLACE (Prior Learning Activity for Credit Evaluation) is Northern Virginia Community College’s experiential learning portfolio program. It is for the adults who have gained college level learning through work, volunteer activities, participation in civic and community assignments, travel, independent study, and similar life experiences. A process was developed for the teaching of the necessary skills to document learning; the faculty were briefed on the concept, on what their responsibilities and rewards would be. The NVCC administration approved the concept, and the Chancellor of the VCCS gave his approval for the awarding of credit for experiential learning, adequately documented, and for the process for implementation as developed.
I’d like to describe the basic PLACE components. The course requirement for STD 298, the course the student enrolls in, is the submission of the minimum of one portfolio. Each portfolio consists of six parts:
1. A life history (mainly work history) paper to introduce the student to the faculty evaluator and to help the student remember all the many lifetime accomplishments;
2. A chronological record which is a short synopsis of year-by-year major happenings in the student’s adult life;
3. A goals’ paper which helps the student focus and shows the faculty evaluator where the student plans to go in the short-term and long-term future;
4. A narrative of competencies which describes where learning took place and a very detailed description of that learning based on the college’s course content summary;
5. A copy of the course content summary;
6. Documentation which is tangible proof of each statement made of major accomplishments and learning experiences (transcripts, letter of verification, job description, performance evaluations, pictures, tax statements, audio tapes, video tapes, samples of work produced, computer programs written, etc.).
When the student submits a portfolio to the PLACE instructor, a special section of the class, STD 198, PLACE workshop, is created in the computer. The student then registers for that class, pays for it, and is assigned a faculty reviewer. Faculty reviewers determine whether the portfolio demonstrates learning comparable to what would be taught in the classroom. Sometimes reviewers will require that students complete additional exams, papers, or speeches to meet requirements. Once the faculty reviewers have evaluated the materials, they assign a grade of “P” for approval or “W” for non-approval. If seeking associate degrees, students may be awarded up to fifteen credits through PLACE, plus the three-credit STD 298. Students in certificate programs may receive up to ten credits.
As stated earlier, in order for students to obtain credit for their work and life experiences, enrolling in a three-credit course, STD 298, is required to teach students how to develop, prepare, and assemble a portfolio, a requirement to obtain credit for life-long learning. A workbook was needed for the portfolio course, and one was quickly put together with help from Sinclair Community College in Dayton, Ohio. Although this PLACE workbook was used for eight years, I was never completely happy with the formatting and content of it.
For my VCCS Professional Development Research Grant, I proposed a major revision of the PLACE workbook and the related course materials in order to keep pace with growth and reputation of the program. In order to revise the workbook, I researched current state-of-the-art skills and techniques for granting credit for life-long learning as used by other accredited colleges in the state and country. I used the evaluations of past PLACE courses as the basis for my development of a new workbook and course materials. I also used the existing network of prior learning programs in the U.S. to identify new approaches to instruction, to portfolio development, and to the use of classroom materials. My research was done primarily by telephone and by reviewing portfolio development materials used at other institutions. I paid particular attention to applications of technology in the portfolio development process and on techniques that could be used by faculty in assessing portfolios submitted for review and approval for experiential learning credit.
I accomplished my first goal: rewriting the PLACE workbook so that it would better serve the students and better reflect the changes that have occurred in the program over the years since its inception in 1987.The PLACE workbook now reflects the class exactly as it is being taught, covering each aspect of the portfolio: namely, the life history, chronological record, goals paper, narrative of competencies, and documentation. The workbook presents a very professional appearance, is easy for the students to use, gives examples of each and every step of the portfolio development process, and enhances the PLACE program.
My second goal was to develop new course materials that would reflect the needs of the class as it has evolved over the years. In revising and redoing all of these materials, I used the following methodology. I talked with many students in the PLACE program, past and present, and discerned from them what they liked and disliked about the existing materials and gratefully followed many of their suggestions. Secondly, I spent time meeting with and talking to the other instructors of PLACE at Northern Virginia Community College and implemented their suggestions for revisions, changes and additions to the course materials. Thirdly, I obtained materials from other community colleges, regionally and nationally, to discern their methodology for teaching experiential learning courses. Fourthly, I talked with faculty who have been evaluating PLACE portfolios for a number of years to ascertain their comments and concerns about the course materials.
As a result, I developed not only a new workbook, but also a revised syllabus; new sample life history, chronological records and goal papers; and some value clarification exercises. I am hoping that other colleges in the VCCS will ask to see the new workbook and materials and perhaps begin an experiential learning program of their own. I will be happy to share my expertise and materials.
I went into the process thinking that I might completely change the program based on what I might learn from other colleges. After reading their tests and studying their processes, I realized that the basic structure of PLACE here at NVCC was sound; the process was as good or better than at most institutions. Only the workbook and other materials were of poor quality. The time I gained from the professional development grant enabled me to produce an effective workbook and professional classroom materials.
After the completion of my VCCS professional development research, I became even more convinced that PLACE provides an excellent opportunity for students. The program now serves well over 100 students per year at the College and has been taken into the community through on-site instruction at area agencies. The validation of prior learning through PLACE has proven to be an important factor in helping adults achieve their goals. The program can be expected to continue to grow as increasing numbers of adults come to the community college to further their educational and career goals.
One of the most fun and rewarding aspects of teaching PLACE and working with PLACE students is that the program attracts some of the more exciting, unique, motivated, accomplished students at the college. Their accomplishments are truly astounding. One PLACE student is a survivor of the Holocaust, and her life history, developed from PLACE, is now a part of the National Holocaust Museum. She challenged courses in Modern European History. At the age of 74, she received her B.A. degree this spring from Marymount University. Another student had started years ago working in the records in the basement of the White House. At the time of his retirement, he was head of all records for the White House and flew to California with the Reagans to set up the Reagan Library when their term of office was over. His documentation consisted of letters from four Presidents of the United States! Challenging PLACE credits in speech and acting was yet another highly accomplished student. A Shakespearian actress, she had appeared on the stage with Sir Lawrence Olivier, had been in a movie with James Mason, and acted often at the Folger Theater in Washington, D.C. Many former PLACE students report they now have master’s degrees and most go on for the bachelor’s. I truly believe that the recognition of life’s accomplishments and the awarding of credit for these accomplishments have been the impetus needed for many students to obtain the associate’s, bachelor’s, and even master’s degrees.
Cammy White has been a counselor at Northern Virginia Community College since May of 1968. In addition, Ms. White is assigned as a counselor to the Science and Technologies Division.