1. A Proposal for Development of a Prior Learning Assessment
program for Adult Education at Grace Bible College
by: Shaelyn Joy Baas
Master’s Project
Submitted to the College of Education
At Grand Valley State University
In partial fulfillment of the
Degree of Master of Education
Grand Valley State University
August 2016

2. ii
Acknowledgements
Throughout the development of this project I have received invaluable support
and direction from Dr. Andrew Topper. I have also gained extensive knowledge on
the topic of Prior Learning Assessment through my participation in the Prior Learning
Certification courses at DePaul University in collaboration with the Council for Adult
and Experiential Learning (CAEL). Dr. Henry Merrill provided significant feedback
and guidance as I completed the PLA certification along with the completion of this
project. I give my heartfelt thanks to these individuals and many more that have been
instrumental in my completion of this project. Last, but certainly not least, I thank
my husband, Dirk, and my children, Landon and Grayson, for their patience, support,
and motivation.
Shaelyn Baas

3. iii
Abstract
Research has shown that Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) is a valuable tool
for adult learnings to persist to degree completion; however, many institutions have
yet to develop and implement effective PLA programs. This project reviews the
empirical and anecdotal research on PLA, the changing landscape of higher education
and highlights best practices in PLA. Additionally, this project outlines suggested
development of a PLA program for Grace Bible College including policy, practice,
and plans for implementation. The PLA program proposal for Grace Bible College
fills a gap and addresses the needs of adult students who can have prior knowledge
validated as legitimate, valuable, college-level learning.

4. iv
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements…………………………………………………………….……..ii
Abstract……………………………………………………………………………….iii
Table of Contents……………………………………………………………………..iv
List of Tables…………………………………………………………………...…….vi
Chapter One: Introduction
Problem Statement………………………………………………………….....1
Importance and Rationale of Project………………………………………….2
Background of the Project………………………………………………….....6
Statement of Purpose……………………………………………………..…...8
Objectives of the Project………………………………………………..……..8
Definition of Terms………………………………………………………..…..9
Scope of Project………………………………………………………..…….10
Chapter Two: Literature Review
Introduction……………………………………………………….…………12
Theory/Rationale………………………………………………….………….12
Research/Evaluation…………………………………………………………17
Summary……………………………………………………………………..23
Conclusions…………………………………………………………………..24
Chapter Three: Project Description
Introduction………………………………………………………………….26
Project Components………………………………………………………….27
Evaluation…………………………………………………………............…41
Conclusions…………………………………………......................................41

5. v
Plans for Implementation…………………………………....……………….42
References……………………………………………………………………………44
Appendices
Appendix A – The Ten Standards for the Assessment of Prior Learning…...49
Appendix B – Grace Bible College List of Stakeholders………...………….52
Appendix C – Stakeholder Surveys…………………………………..……...54
Appendix D – Formal Presentation...………………………………………...57
Data Form……………………………………………………………………………76

6. vi
List of Tables
Table 1: Equivalency Based on Course Outcome Match……………………………39

7. 1
Chapter One
Project Proposal
Problem Statement
Many adult students enter higher education with a knowledge base formed
through personal and professional experiences, many of which may be considered
equivalent to college level learning. With the influx of adult students returning to
school to obtain a college degree (Colvin, 2006), there is an increased demand for a
consistent and high quality means for assessing experiential learning. Currently,
Grace Bible College (GBC) advertises credit for prior learning to prospective students
without the ability to evaluate the prior learning, making GBC unable to meet the
educational desires of some adults.
Despite the reality that students have experiential learning which may
translate into college level learning, many colleges and universities are not equipped
to assess prior learning in a supportive, consistent and credible way (Klein-Collins,
2010). Most often, students are recommended to a third party for evaluation. GBC
currently is able to offer credit for College Level Examination Program (CLEP) and
American Council on Education (ACE) military evaluations. While these options are
certainly helpful for adult students, they do not encompass all types of prior learning.
Music performance or theory, medical training, or other specific areas of knowledge
are not covered by the specific tests offered by CLEP. ACE evaluations accepted by
GBC are limited to military personnel. There are clear gaps in GBC’s ability to
follow through with the PLA promises marketed to prospective students.

8. 2
In order to support the increasing non-traditional student population entering
higher education, the Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) program at GBC walks
students through the process of creating a case for credit to be awarded based on
outcomes achieved through experiential learning and deemed equivalent to the
college’s academic standards by qualified faculty or content experts. The program
aims to provide GBC with the ability to support the adult student population seeking
validation of their experiential learning as applicable to a college degree.
Even though adult learning theory depicts adult learners as self-directed and
problem-solving focused, PLA has not been universally adopted by higher education
institutions. The development of a replicable PLA program for GBC will provide the
adult student with the opportunity to explore the possibility of receiving credit for
experiential learning without having to rely on a third party. The program will offer
support, direction, advising, and assessment for the student seeking prior learning
credit while developing a relationship between a prospective student and GBC. In
addition, the PLA program will encourage self-reflection, aid in the development of
educational goals, set a foundation for future learning and create confidence for adult
students beginning a new journey in higher education.
Importance and Rationale of Project
The higher education landscape appears to be changing drastically in the 21st
century with increased opportunities for personalized learning through widely
available online resources and advanced technology. Perhaps now more than ever,
students are looking for ways to save money by completing a degree quicker and less

9. 3
expensively than before. On-the-job training, professional development, Massive
Open Online Courses (MOOCs), TED talks, and independent exploration are some of
the ways an individual can quickly and freely acquire knowledge. PLA offers the
opportunity for an institution to compete in the higher education market by offering a
student the opportunity to have experiential learning evaluated for credit toward a
degree program as a part of the initial admission process. Since GBC is a Bible
college, there may be a significant number of adult students with credible prior
knowledge surrounding Bible, theology or ministry developed through years of
independent Bible study or work in ministry. Adult students in particular may believe
that they have significant prior experience and knowledge; however, the key is
determining what experiential learning constitutes college level learning. Before the
assessment of prior learning takes place, a PLA program involves helping a student
reflect on life experiences and examine what areas of knowledge could equate to
college-level learning.
In addition, orientation to learning is one of the hallmarks of adult learning
theory as described by Knowles, Holton III and Swanson (2005):
Adults are motivated to learn to the extent that they perceive that learning will
help them perform tasks or deal with problems that they confront in their life
situations. Furthermore, they learn new knowledge, understandings, skills,
values, and attitudes most effectively when they are presented in the context
of application to real-life situations. (p. 67)

10. 4
Dewey (1997) stated that a key objective in examining an experience is to
determine if the experience is worthwhile educationally or not. For a PLA program,
the goal is to isolate an experience to determine if college level learning has resulted
from a particular experience. A well-designed PLA program, complete with the
opportunity to evaluate areas in one’s life where there potentially has been
experiential learning equivalent to college level learning, can offer a consistent and
reliable way to both encourage the adult learner and evaluate prior learning for
college credit. Prior learning assessment can help a student build a framework of
current knowledge and help the student clearly see how additional learning in the
classroom can support and build upon existing knowledge to benefit the student
personally and professionally.
In February 2009, President Barak Obama called for an increase of five
million community college degree graduates and certificate earners by the year 2020
which has been termed the American Graduation Initiative; the goal of the initiative is
for America to lead the world in college degrees (Office of the Press Secretary, 2009).
According to Klein-Collins & Wertheim (2013), not only has PLA gained momentum
in recent years, but state and local governments are also showing greater acceptance
of, and respect for, credit awarded through prior learning. The awarding of credit for
prior experiential learning has many benefits that can support President Obama’s call
for additional degree earners by 2020.
In addition, the Lumina Foundation has adopted a goal that aligns with the
American Graduation Initiative dubbed Goal 2025; the goal states, “Lumina

11. 5
Foundation is committed to increasing the proportion of Americans with high-quality
degrees, certificates, and other credentials to sixty percent by 2025” (Lumina
Foundation, 2013, p. 1). According to Klein-Collins’ (2010) study of 48
postsecondary institutions including 62,000 adult students, recipients of credit for
prior learning through PLA were two and a half times more likely to persist to degree
completion than those who had not received PLA credit; Klein-Collins reported that
this statistic was not dependent on factors such as race, ethnicity, age, financial status
or gender. Klein-Collins (2010) also reported that students who are recipients of PLA
credit have been found to have better academic outcomes in terms of retention and
persistence to graduation compared to non-PLA recipients. The method of awarding
credit for adult learners through prior learning assessment supports both Obama and
The Lumina Foundation in the quest for increased degree earners in the coming years.
PLA provides an opportunity for adult students to capitalize on knowledge
that they already have rather than, in certain cases, duplicating the process of learning
in the classroom. One example of where prior experiential learning may commonly
exist among today’s college student is that of computer skills. For example, GBC’s
Adult Education program requires BUS 115 Introduction to Computers for all
associate and bachelor degree seeking students. Many adults come to college
requiring additional computer skills to be successful; on the other hand, there are
adults who have learned the necessary computer skills through workplace
development or through their own interest. Allowing those who have already

12. 6
acquired the necessary computer skills, regardless of where or how, would benefit in
students in time and financial savings.
At GBC, students are encouraged to pursue prior learning credit through the
Learning Counts program developed by the Council on Adult and Experiential
Learning (CAEL) (Grace Bible College, 2016). The enrollment staff at Grace Bible
College has indicated that since the program’s 2010 beginning, many students have
indicated significant interest in PLA, but none have submitted a credit
recommendation from learning counts to receive credit at GBC. The consistent
statements from the enrollment staff acknowledge the assumption that PLA has been
viewed by many adult learners as a high-risk endeavor (Leiste & Jensen, 2011).
There have been numerous instances in my role as the Registrar for Adult Education
and my engagement with enrollment advisors where discussion of the development
an in-house PLA program has led to evidence that a PLA program could significantly
impact the Adult Education program’s enrollment, retention, and time-to-graduation.
Background of the Problem
Historically, methods of PLA, primarily credit by exam or credit evaluation as
recommended by the American Council on Education (ACE) for military experience,
have been widely accepted by higher education institutions since the mid-1900’s
(Travers, 2012). More recently, CAEL and ACE have each developed a prior
learning assessment program (Learning Counts and CREDIT, respectively) available
to students; however, students have to be willing to engage a third-party in the
evaluation, pay for the process, and trust that institutions are willing to accept the

13. 7
credit recommendation. Furthermore, without an institution’s faculty as an active
part of the equation, the faculty may be less inclined to support credit for prior
learning as equivalent to traditional academics.
CAEL, one of the leaders in prior learning assessment, developed ten
standards for assessing learning in 1989 (Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006).
While PLA has gained tremendous recognition in recent years due to the federally
funded degree completion initiatives (Travers, 2012), traditional faculty buy-in
continues to present a potential hurdle for institutions who have not previously
implemented a prior learning program. Educating faculty on the standardization of
PLA, including faculty in the decision making process and creating a content expert
pool for in-house assessment can potentially increase faculty acceptance of PLA. In
addition, faculty training should emphasize that one of the key principles of PLA rests
on the requirement of separating an experience (the input) from learning (the output)
(Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006) since an experience can, but does not always,
result in learning.
In addition to difficulties surrounding faculty buy-in, students often have a
difficult time separating what they know from what they have done and translating
that knowledge into written form (Travers, 2012). According to Leiste and Jensen
(2011), part of the responsibility for the PLA program personnel is to provide
students with the tools to determine their own competence during the PLA
exploration prior to assessment. Scholars have developed tools to assist students with
concept mapping to help identify what an individual knows versus an experience.

14. 8
Such tools are critical to the prior learning assessment process and should be utilized
by educated faculty and staff to assist students in the process of evaluating potential
knowledge for college-level learning as a part of prior learning assessment program.
Not only would students be able to be assured of the acceptance of credit
recommendations made by the GBC PLA program assessors, the students would also
be developing a relationship with the college and likely experience increased self-
esteem, recognition of their own knowledge, and a developed framework for future
learning regardless of whether or not the determination of college-level learning is
made.
Statement of Purpose
The purpose of this project is to gain acceptance and approval for
development of a PLA program from institutional administration and faculty at GBC.
The goal in developing a PLA program is to build upon GBC’s desire to serve adult
students, improve the affordability of the degree programs offered, and enhance the
rate of retention and persistence to graduation. The overarching goal of this project is
to develop action steps for the development of a PLA program to prepare for the
implementation of the program once approval is granted.
Objectives of the Project
The objectives of this project include:
 Provide a rationale and evidence to support the development of PLA at GBC.
 Identify the key stakeholders to be involved in the PLA program development and
implementation.

15. 9
 Create an action plan with the steps and framework for PLA policy as it pertains
to GBC.
 Address future action and recommendations for the PLA program.
 Obtain approval to develop and implement a PLA program at GBC.
Definition of Terms
Adult Learner – An adult learner may be a learner of any age who also carries the
responsibilities of an adult such as a full time job or caring for dependents. The term
adult learner and non-traditional student are often used interchangeably.
Adult learning theory – The idea that an adult learns in an increasingly self-directed
way as age and experience increases.
Andragogy – The study of the way that adults learn as opposed to pedagogy, the way
children learn.
College-level learning – Learning that is equivalent to the scope and level of an
undergraduate level course or higher. Remedial and vocational level learning is not
college-level learning.
College credit – Credit for prior learning that is considered applicable to a degree
program at a college or university (greater than 100 level courses, not remedial or
vocational).
Experiential Learning – A way of acquiring knowledge or mastery through
personal, professional, or life experience often in the reverse steps of information
assimilation.

16. 10
Information Assimilation – Four steps to acquiring knowledge outlined by Keeton
(1976) as receiving information, assimilating or organizing the information,
understanding of a practical application, and actual application.
Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) – A course offered online through an
institution or organization that is free to anyone who is not using the course for his or
her degree program.
Non-traditional student – Any learner who is not considered a traditional college
student. Typically, a non-traditional student has not begun college the semester
following high school graduation.
Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) – The process of formally evaluating experiential
learning to determine college level learning equivalency by subject-matter experts.
Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR) – A term for credit awarded
for prior learning commonly used in Canada and other international countries.
Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) – A term for credit awarded for prior learning
commonly used internationally.
Transformative Learning – “Making meaning out of one’s experiences” (Merriam
& Bierema, 2013, p. 84); learning that results in a distinct change or transformation in
one’s perspective and action.
Scope of the Project
This project will present and synthesize evidence surrounding PLA and its
value for GBC based on existing PLA programs in the form of a proposal to be
presented to GBC faculty and administration. This project will identify key

17. 11
stakeholders and outline the steps necessary for the development of a PLA program.
Lastly, this project will include the creation of a survey to be used to evaluate the
success of the PLA program proposal according to faculty and upper administration.
This project will not evaluate current prior learning assessment programs
being used by other institutions. Additionally, this project will not evaluate the
effectiveness of the currently used processes to evaluate credit by exam, other
standardized tests or other types of assessment at GBC. Future recommendations
could include recommendations that GBC develop a mentoring course for students
designed for prior learning exploration, portfolio development, and faculty feed-back,
but this project will not involve the creation of such a course.
There do not appear to be significant barriers present for the development of
the proposal for a PLA program. However, there are possible factors that could delay
the formal launching of the PLA program at GBC. The development of the PLA
program could be hindered by GBC’s faculty or upper-level administration resistance
to the acceptance of learning that has occurred outside of the traditional academic
institution environment despite the proposal. The actual implementation of the
developed PLA program could also be obstructed by financial limitations impacting
the training, hiring, or contracting of appropriate program managers or assessors.

18. 12
Chapter 2
Literature Review
Introduction
Presently, GBC advertises credit for prior learning to prospective students
without the ability to evaluate the prior learning in-house. This inability to directly
serve the needs of a significant population of degree-seeking students puts GBC at a
disadvantage in a competitive market of educational institutions. The PLA program
aims to provide GBC with the ability to support the adult student population seeking
validation of their experiential learning as applicable to a college degree. Prior
Learning Assessment originated as a way for veterans to receive college level credit
for their training and experience in the military after World War II. PLA quickly
expanded after the 1970’s with the development of CAEL which was born out of a
thorough examination of non-traditional education by the Educational Testing
Services (ETS) and the College Board (Travers, 2012). Researchers and scholars
soon began to develop the theories of adult learning that are the foundation for
expanded practice of PLA among colleges and universities today.
Theory, Rationale and Perspective
Awarding college credit for prior learning is supported by the theories of adult
learning. The theories regarding how adults learn have been studied extensively in the
last several decades. Kolb (1984), Knowles (1980), and Kidd (1973) are a few well-
known theorists associated with adult learning theory. Andragogy focuses
specifically on the study of adult learning as opposed to pedagogy, which examines

19. 13
the method of teaching and learning in general. Adult learning theory has been
characterized in several ways due to the diversity of adult learning styles. However,
many theorists emphasized the concept of learning through experience as a common
and consistent method of learning. Kidd (1973) stated that perhaps the key factor in
adult learning is the fact that adults tend to have a greater number of diverse
experiences organized differently than children. The change in a life role, from single
to married for example, has the opportunity to foster new knowledge in the areas of
communication, teamwork, financial management, planning, or leadership. A change
in a life role does not guarantee new learning; however, the change does offer the
opportunity for learning.
Adults begin or return to education with significantly different expectations,
assumptions, and experiences than a traditional first-time freshman directly out of
high school. Knowles (1980) articulated the distinctions between andragogy and
pedagogy by documenting that adults, more-so than traditional students, need to
know how learning will benefit one’s future, adults tend to have a psychological
desire to be self-directed, their experience is tied to their personal value, they have a
readiness to learn and adults are motivated to the extent that their learning can be
applied to real-life. Sheckley and Keeton (1999) summarized the six principles of
adult learning they drew from prior research which they suggest work in harmony
with one another: rich experience, reflection, goal setting and strategizing, real
problem solving as a basis for learning, an initial understanding of what is to be
learned and deliberate practice. Clearly, there is significant value believed to be

20. 14
derived from personal and professional experience. According to Knowles (1980),
adults have richer, more diverse experiences which can be organized as a point of
new learning. The process of prior learning assessment itself creates a new learning
experience for the student.
Traditional teaching styles have been known to minimize the role of the
learner and focus on the owner of the knowledge, the professor. On the other hand,
adult learning theory emphasizes that adults learn by being active participants in their
own educational journey rather than inactive receivers of information (Merriam &
Cafferella, 1991). Even in many programs, active learning is required to complete a
degree in order to give the student experience. Personal or professional experiences
outside of the traditional college curriculum can be compared to active learning
courses in traditional education such as the practicum, internship, or service learning.
Kolb (1984) framed the concept of experiential learning as requiring four processes,
known as the learning cycle. According to Kolb (1984), experience, reflection and
observation, recognizing abstract concepts and experimentation must each be present
in order for one to learn. The processes described by Kolb are clearly learner focused
as opposed to the teacher centered traditional method of teaching.
While experience certainly can be a medium for learning, experience does not
always equate to new knowledge. The process of the assessment of prior learning
includes separating the input (experience) from the output (learning). Prior learning
assessment aligns with five tenants of adult-oriented assessment as outlined by
Fiddler, Marienau and Whitaker (2006):

21. 15
Learning is derived from multiple sources. Learning engages the whole
person and contributes to that person’s development. Learning and the
capacity for self-direction are promoted by feedback. Learning occurs in
context; its significance relates in part to its influence on those contexts.
Learning from experience is a unique meaning-making event that creates
diversity among adults. (p. 10)
In thinking about learning as outlined by the tenants of adult-oriented assessment,
experience outside of the academic classroom clearly has the potential to equate to
college level learning.
In order for the assessment and recognition of prior learning to be a logical
and applicable route for a student, there should be a clear distinction of
transformation or learning that has occurred. Mezirow initially examined
transformative learning theory in his 1978 study of women returning to school after a
significant period of time outside of a school environment. Since then, Mezirow has
been the lead theorist associated with transformative learning theory. Mezirow (2000)
identified that learning occurs in several ways, “…by elaborating existing frames of
reference, by learning new frames of reference, by transforming points of view, or by
transforming habits of mind” (p.19). Since his initial study, Mezirow (2000)
highlighted the significance that the role of class, culture, and ethnicity (context) play
in experience and adult learning. Transformational learning theory suggests that there
has been the experience of something new, an opportunity for reflective discourse and
a level of critical reflection, a supportive mentoring relationship, and the creation of

22. 16
new perspective leading to changed behavior or action. PLA challenges the learner to
assign value to one’s experiences by critical reflection and thorough articulation of
that reflection upon examination of one’s experience. PLA assists the learner with
identifying where and how transformation has occurred. The action of reflection can
be truly transforming for the learner as he or she is not only reiterating the learned
knowledge, but gaining insight into his or her own style of learning (Stevens, Gerber
& Hendra, 2010).
I can attest to the characterizations of adult learners provided by scholars of
adult learning since I graduated with my bachelor’s degree in liberal studies ten years
after my high school graduation as a married mother of two working full time.
Because I was balancing many responsibilities as an adult, I required the flexibility
and self-directed learning option provided through online and hybrid courses. Having
spent several years working for different employers in various settings, becoming a
partner and having children, I felt that I had a great deal to offer my classmates as
much as they had to offer me in sharing our experiences. Together we learned about
communication, team work, critical thinking, strategizing, and problem solving by
pairing our study of the topic at hand with skills we had begun to develop as busy
adults. My experiences as a middle-class, Caucasian, Christian, female child in a
stable home with a mother and father living in a suburban area was the context for my
perspective; the course LIB 100, Introduction to Liberal Studies, offered me the
opportunity for transformation by introducing me to ideas and perspectives that I had
not previously recognized. My experience in the College of Interdisciplinary Studies

23. 17
was truly transformational; I did not leave the same as I began my program. For me,
the experience of transformation occurred in the classroom; however, the same
transformation could have occurred in a personal pursuit through a book club,
mission or service trip, or personal exploration.
Research and Evaluation
The Changing Higher Education Landscape
The research surrounding PLA supports the assertions that learning can be
accomplished through many methods or means. Given that learning is not dependent
on time, space, or age, learning assessment holds significant value for adult students.
Teaching students to articulate their knowledge creates tangible skills and provides
lifelong benefits to the learner, equipping the student with the ability to promote
oneself as valuable to future employers. PLA is similar to other experiences outside
of the classroom in that it bridges the gap between traditional learning and application
(Kamentz, 2011).
Market. The age demographic of students in higher education continues to
become increasingly more non-traditional. Institutions are enrolling students with
more diverse backgrounds than ever before. Ross-Gordon (2011) cited The National
Center for Education statistics 2002 report and Choy (2002) whose findings indicate
that when the non-traditional student group includes the following seven
characteristics, 73 percent are considered non-traditional: delayed entry to college,
having dependents, being a single parent, full-time employment, financial
independence from parents, part-time college attendance, and not having a high

24. 18
school diploma. According to Complete College Today (n.d.), between 1970 and
2009, the number of students in higher education doubled, while the graduation rate
for degree attainment remained unchanged. PLA is one proven method to meet the
needs of the diverse student entering higher education today and help move the
needle to progress students toward degree completion.
Model. The learning model is shifting from solely seat time, or how many
hours a student spends in class, toward the competency-based model. PLA is a type
of competency based model; however, a true competency-based model uses
assessment throughout the degree program as well. According to the U.S.
Department of Education (n.d.), competency based models allow for personalized,
flexible progression through education, creating the opportunity for increased
effectiveness resulting in financial and time savings. The seat time model guarantees
that a student has spent a specified number of hours in class with the opportunity to
learn; the competency-based education models allow for progression through a
program upon the student’s ability to demonstrate that specific outcomes have in fact
been met.
Next Generation Learning Challenge (NGLC) is an initiative strategically
working toward helping colleges and universities create innovative, breakthrough
programs to help improve the United States’ college completion rate. Excelsior
College, Antioch University, University of Maryland College, Western Governor’s
University and Empire State College are several examples of schools who have
embraced a competency-based model program option in order to meet the needs of

25. 19
diverse students seeking to find an affordable and flexible option for degree
attainment. Western Governor’s University has embraced a student-centered
personalized learning model that allows students to progress at their own pace once a
competency has been reached (Andersen & Leasure, 2016). Andersen and Leasure
(2016) cited a 2015 Harris Poll survey of 305 employers of WGU graduates which
found that 94 percent of employers reported that WGU graduates had equal to or
better soft skills than their employees from other colleges. In addition, 100 percent of
employers reported WGU graduates were prepared for the workforce and 98 percent
reported that their employees from WGU met or exceeded their expectations. This
satisfaction study further supports the point that the evidence of learning is more
important than the how learning is achieved.
According to NGLC (n.d.), the U.S. higher education system will be five
million graduates short of filling the estimated 65 percent of all jobs that will require
a level of postsecondary education in 2020. The traditional model of education is not
a one-size fits all solution for a student demographic that is continuing to diversify.
Competency-based programs and PLA are two personalized learning models that
offer a solution to help make education accessible to those who are seeking validation
of knowledge through presentation and assessment.
Method. Technology has created numerous opportunities for free learning
through innumerable venues online. Open access online courses, called MOOCs,
provide students access to the classroom virtually; however, only the students who
pay for the course receive credit toward a degree program. EdX and Coursera, two

26. 20
separate resources, provide students free access to courses from MIT, Dartmouth,
Cornell, Duke, Stanford, and more (Patel, 2015). With access to endless scholarly
articles through free resources online such as Google Scholar, intentional learning
doesn’t require a trip to the library. Technology allows for business to utilize free
training tools such as TED Talks or other recorded educational resources to support
professional development. Clearly, the method of learning is less important than
one’s ability to articulate or demonstrate a specific learning outcome or competency.
What the Data Tells Us
Several research studies on the effectiveness of prior learning assessment
suggest that recipients of credit for prior learning have decreased degree completion
time, an increased graduation rate, and numerous personal benefits (Aarts, et. al.,
1999; Klein-Collins, 2010; Barry, 2013; Hayward & Williams, 2015).
Empirical Evidence. A 1996-97 study completed by the Cross-Canada
Partnership on PLAR examined data from seven Canadian institutions. The study
involved data from over 3,000 PLAR students who have had at least one assessment
done and over 11,000 traditional students. Approximately 54 percent of PLAR
students were over age 30. The 20-24 age group represented nearly twenty-four
percent of the sample group which represents the fact that many students use PLA in
order to receive credit for recent learning. Some examples of where learning may
have occurred but credit is not able to be granted based on transfer policy include
unaccredited or occupational coursework, certification programs, courses where the
student’s grade was below the threshold for transfer (since grades do not always

27. 21
represent accurately the amount of learning that a student has experienced), or job
training. According to the study results, students who sought PLA on average
completed 16 percent of their program using credit from PLAR (Aarts, et. al., 1999).
This suggests that those who used the PLAR services did so multiple times resulting
in a shortened program completion time, reduced workload, and cost savings.
Furthermore, anecdotal evidence from the PLAR participants confirmed that the
PLAR experience improved self-confidence and self-esteem and enhanced interest
and motivation to complete one’s degree. To summarize Aarts’, et. al. extensive
findings, PLAR participants were found to be equal or higher than traditional students
academically overall and in the comparison of passing grades. Generally, the
graduation rates and grade point averages of PLAR learners were also higher than
traditional students.
Recently, CAEL conducted a study with the intent to determine if student
record data would uphold the claim that PLA is an advantage for adult students.
CAEL studied a group of 62,475 students who matriculated in 2001-02 from 48
institutions in the United States and two in Canada over a period of seven years. The
study found that 56 percent of PLA credit recipients graduated within seven years
compared to only 21 percent of non-PLA seeking students (Klein-Collins, 2010). The
data also indicated that PLA students earned an average of ten more institutional
credits and also decreased their time to degree completion by 2.5 to 10.1 months. A
recent study by The College Board compared students who earned credits via CLEP
exam to those who had not; the findings support both the Canadian and CAEL

28. 22
research that PLA students graduated in less time, maintained a higher grade point
average, and graduated with fewer overall credits than non-PLA students (Barry,
2013).
Another recent study compared the graduation rates of PLA earners and non-
PLA earners from four community colleges. The results of the study indicate that
those who are considered PLA learners are nearly two and a half times more likely to
graduate than non-PLA learners; the difference jumped to approximately five times
more likely for Hispanic PLA learners (Hayward & Williams, 2015).
Anecdotal Evidence. Stevens, Gerber and Hendra (2010) compiled responses
from the adult learners who completed the University Without Walls adult degree and
PLA program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst who shared their
thoughts on how PLA changed their perspective on learning. The responses from the
PLA participants such as PLA “…reinvigorated my desire to matter…” (p. 384) and
“…the actual writing helped me clarify my own direction” (p. 394), were common
among respondents. Clearly, PLA can improve one’s self-confidence as a learner and
an individual, reorient one in line with his or her own personal and professional goals,
as well as create additional knowledge, learning, and skills.
With the increase of institutions offering distance education across the United
States, adult students are able to shop schools for just the right fit in program and
cost. In my role as the Registrar for Adult Education, I am consistently asked to
evaluate credit that does not align with our current policy; unfortunately, I have to
send students inquiring for prior learning credit to a third party. The enrollment staff

29. 23
has indicated many times that the opportunity to receive credit for prior learning is a
deciding factor for prospective students. Both enrollment and academic advising staff
have emphasized the value that they believe PLA would add to the Adult Education
program at GBC.
Key Elements of a Successful PLA Program
A successful PLA program is one that encourages and inspires learners to
engage in the process of investigating, articulating and expressing prior learning in a
way that is assessable. CAEL has taken great care in establishing and upholding the
Ten Standards for Assessing Learning (See Appendix A) in order for institutions to
maintain quality assurance. The Ten Standards for Assessing Learning ensure
transparency by requiring that institutions make criteria for assessment public, require
subject matter experts with PLA training as assessors, provide substantive feedback to
students, and regularly assess the program (Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006).
Western Governor’s University has embraced overlapping principles to ensure quality
in their personalized learning program: WGU measures learning, not experience or
time; clear competencies are established; student-centric resources and support is
provided; there is no waiting to learn; and students are strongly encouraged to make
full time progress each term (Andersen & Leasure, 2016).
Summary
The theories surrounding the adult learner, andragogy, experiential learning
theory, and transformative learning theory indicate that adults learn differently than
children. Adults tend to be experiential learners who learn best when a significant,

30. 24
valuable experience is reflected upon. With the landscape of higher education
experiencing the changing student market, shifting from the traditional model of
teaching to competency based learning, and increasing accessibility to learning
opportunities online, learning can no longer be defined by time and place. Both
empirical and anecdotal evidence support the notion that PLA has the opportunity to
support the adult learner in pursuit of degree completion in an affordable, flexible,
legitimate way. The research shows that PLA students are hardworking, dedicated
individuals who have higher rates of persistence, retention, and graduation than non-
PLA students (Klein-Collins, 2010). PLA offers an adult learner the opportunity to
have his or her experiential learning validated as a valid means of acquiring
knowledge. By adopting the Ten Standards for Assessing Learning, institutions can
ensure that students are awarded credit for the learning outcomes and not the
experience itself as well as promote consistent and quality assessment.
Conclusions
Based on the theory, rationale, perspective, research, and evaluation
presented, PLA is an opportunity for GBC to meet the specific needs of adult
students. PLA has the potential to improve the persistence, retention, and graduation
rates of students in the Adult Education program at GBC. Furthermore, PLA would
be a significant point of interest for many prospective adult students seeking credit for
prior learning. By offering PLA, GBC will have the opportunity to help meet the
goals set by the Michigan College Access Network, National College Access

31. 25
Network, Lumina Foundation, and President Obama to increase the number of
college graduates and degree earners by 2025.

32. 26
Chapter 3
Project Description
Introduction
Currently, Grace Bible College (GBC) is not currently equipped to meet the
needs of the increasing adult student population seeking college credit for prior
learning (Colvin, 2006). With the advances in technology and the accessibility of
knowledge on the internet and other venues, combined with the fact that learning can
take place in a variety of non-academic settings, today’s students will find education
in whatever capacity available to them, regardless of existing formal institutions
(Kamentz, 2011). Additionally, the market of students seeking higher education is
changing drastically. Ross-Gordon (2011) cited the National Center for Education
Statistics 2002 report and Choy (2002) who suggest that 73 percent of today’s
students are considered nontraditional. The ability to assess prior learning is crucial to
meet the needs of students in today’s world and essential for the growth of the Adult
Education program at GBC.
The proposal developed seeks to provide a wholesome look at prior learning
for those who are skeptical of leaning that occurs outside of the academy. The outline
of how a PLA program could look for GBC will include a both a starting point and
foundation for the development of policy and practice and the formation of a PLA
committee. The proposal will also include a review of the history and current
practices surrounding prior learning assessment at GBC in order to showcase how
prior learning has evolved since its beginning to inform skeptics of how prior learning

33. 27
has and continues to be validated by higher education institutions. With support of
credit for prior learning based on relevant literature, the proposal for prior learning at
GBC aims to assist key stakeholders in recognizing the value PLA holds for its
prospective students as well as its retention and graduation rates. Suggestions for
policy and practice surrounding prior learning assessment at GBC will enable the
administration and faculty to be able to envision their role or responsibility within the
proposed program as well as estimate costs.
This chapter begins with an overview of the current state of prior learning
assessment at GBC as well as the identification of key stakeholders and decision
makers who should review the proposal. It will then cover the information to be
presented in the formal PLA presentation. Following will be further recommendations
for the development of a PLA program and plans for the evaluation of the proposal
success. Ultimately, plans for the formal presentation of the proposal to key
stakeholders will be addressed.
Project Components
First, the proposal examines the current PLA practices at GBC and examine
what is known about the prospective adult learners in order to set a foundation for the
proposed program. Currently, Grace Bible College is divided into divisions geared
toward meeting the needs of three distinct student populations. The Undergraduate
Education division serves the traditional on-campus or local commuter students, the
Graduate Studies division supports online graduate degree seeking students and the
Adult Education division works with online or onsite nontraditional students.

34. 28
Historically, the Undergraduate Education division has offered transfer credit for
credit by exam options such as CLEP and AP, credit for ACE recommendations for
military training, and challenge exams for Bible knowledge resulting in advanced
standing. The Adult Education program has also accepted the same transfer credit as
the Undergraduate Education division with the exception of the challenge exams.
However, the Adult Education program has consistently marketed its acceptance of
credit for prior learning without being able to actually assess and award credit.
Students have been directed to work with a third party organization, Learning Counts
(http://www.learningcounts.org), in order to have any prior learning assessed for
potential credit. While emphasis has been placed on PLA in theory, the Adult
Education program has not supported students who are interested in seeking
assessment. The proposal for an in-house prior learning assessment program is
intended to support the Adult Education division’s desire to authenticate prior
learning that many prospective adult students have gained through previous personal
and professional experiences. While this proposal may be focused on its ability to
meet the needs of the students in the Adult Education program, there may be
opportunities for all three divisions to participate and benefit. Given that GBC
desires to be one united institution, the key stakeholders for this proposal include
faculty and administrators from all three divisions as identified in Appendix B.
According to the Directors of Enrollment for Adult Education at GBC, no
students have actually invested in a third party like Learning Counts to seek credit for
prior learning. Whether the reason is because it’s risky to assume credit will result

35. 29
and be accepted by GBC or that students do not know how, the reality is that there is
a desire and a need that is not being met with GBC’s current practice. The Adult
Education enrollment advisors have consistently mentioned student after student with
the desire to receive credit for prior learning. Several Enrollment Advisors
acknowledged that whether or not we offer a program to assess prior learning is a
deciding factor for students’ college of choice.
While administrators and staff may readily accept PLA as a useful, beneficial
option for current and prospective students, the reality is that the faculty has
historically held traditional, in-class learning above all other modes of acquiring
knowledge. Often times, traditional faculty and members of the academy find it
difficult to accept learning that has occurred outside of the traditional academic
environment as equivalent (Fain, 2012). Because of that common resistance to the
acceptance of credit for prior learning, there is a necessity to address what prior
learning assessment is not. PLA is not a fool-proof or guaranteed way to receive
credit for experience. One of the ten standards set by CAEL for prior learning
evaluation is that credit is only to be granted for learning and not experience alone
(Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006). Academics often believe that granting credit
for prior learning is lowering the bar set by the faculty (Fain, 2012). However, PLA
is not necessarily quick and effortless. Part of the PLA process involves the work of
reflection and written expression of the learning that the student believes has occurred
through a prior experience. The goal of PLA is not to minimize the role of the
academy or academic instruction and rigor, but rather to validate learning that can and

36. 30
does occur intentionally and unintentionally through sponsored or unsponsored
activity. When PLA is conducted following the standards set by CAEL, the PLA
experience not only encourages students to reflect on and reexamine learning, but the
process promotes new learning (Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006).
Additionally, the proposal outlines current nationwide initiatives, goals of the
Adult Education division and the vision of GBC to highlight how a PLA program can
support these objectives according to the literature. The current nationwide initiative,
as set by President Barak Obama, aims for an increase of five million college degree
graduates and certificate earners by the year 2020 in order for the United States to
lead the world in college degree holders as well as to meet the workforce demands
(Office of the Press Secretary, 2009). The Lumina Foundation
(http://www.luminafoundation.org) also has a goal, dubbed Goal 2025, to increase the
proportion of high-quality degree and certificate earners to sixty percent by 2025
(Lumina Foundation, 2013). The Adult Education program itself has challenging
goals set for enrollment into start dates beginning every five weeks year round.
GBC’s institutional vision is to become a university with a population of over 1,000
students by 2020. These goals and initiatives align with the outcomes of several
studies that have examined prior learning assessment students.
The proposal addresses relevant literature in order to provide a theoretical
knowledge of adult learning theory, followed by two studies on PLA recipients. The
study of the way adults learn has been termed andragogy as opposed to pedagogy, or
the general way of learning for children. Differentiating the study of learning by age

37. 31
is important due to the numerous, diverse experiences of adults compared to children
(Knowles, 1980). Furthermore, the context of experiences from class to race and
ethnicity are significant points of examination and reflection for adult learning
(Mezirow, 2000). Several noteworthy theorists associated with andragogy have
defined adult learning as experiential learning (Kidd, 1973; Knowles, 1980; Kolb,
1984), or transformative learning (Mezirow, 2000). Both experiential learning and
transformative learning highlight the importance of reflection as a part of the learning
process for true growth to take place. According to Kolb (1984), there are four parts
to the learning cycle that must be present in order for true learning to take place:
experience, reflection and observation, recognizing abstract concepts and
experimentation. Prior learning assessment aligns with five tenants of adult-oriented
assessment as outlined by Fiddler, Marienau and Whitaker (2006):
Learning is derived from multiple sources. Learning engages the whole
person and contributes to that person’s development. Learning and the
capacity for self-direction are promoted by feedback. Learning occurs in
context; its significance relates in part to its influence on those contexts.
Learning from experience is a unique meaning-making event that creates
diversity among adults. (p. 10)
Essentially, because of the diverse experiences adults have in both their personal and
professional lives, there is a significant chance that some level of learning has
occurred. PLA affords a student the opportunity to examine and reflect upon an
experience or a set of experiences to evaluate if the outcome equates to college level

38. 32
learning. The process of PLA in and of itself builds upon already existing framework
and acts as scaffolding to build new knowledge through critical reflection and
thorough examination (Mezirow, 2000).
In the late 1990s a Canadian study on several institutions offering prior
learning assessment and recognition (PLAR), the Canadian equivalent of PLA,
examined the records of 14,000 students including both PLAR recipients and non-
PLAR students. The researchers found that overall PLAR recipients had shortened
program completion time, reduced workload and cost savings, combined with higher
graduation rates and grade point averages (Aarts, et. al., 1999). A recent large-scale
study by CAEL designed specifically to determine if the claim that PLA is a benefit
for adult learners is accurate, found similar outcomes. CAEL examined the records
of students from forty eight U.S. institutions and two Canadian institutions totaling
over 62,000 students. The findings indicated that PLA earners had decreased time to
graduation and a higher rate of completion (Klein-Collins, 2010). Furthermore,
anecdotal evidence from students in several PLA or PLAR programs suggest that the
PLA experience itself improved students’ self-confidence, reinvigorated a desire to
learn, and provided direction for future learning (Stevens, Gerber and Hendra, 2010).
Clearly, the research supports the claim that PLA supports adult student success.
Effective PLA programs exist to serve as a model for the development of a
student centered, successful program. Several competing Christian colleges,
including Liberty University and Ohio Christian University, have developed PLA
programs. Western Governor’s University has embraced a competency-based model

39. 33
for student learning. As a competency is mastered, the student advances in the
program to focus on the next learning outcome; essentially, there is no waiting to
learn since each student advances at his or her own pace (Andersen & Leasure, 2016).
Competency-based learning hinges on the same standard as PLA; credit is awarded
for learning, rather than experience or time in a classroom. Capella University has
developed a PLA lab to assist students with writing resources, portfolio samples, and
one-on-one access to the PLA lab facilitator. The staff of the PLA program has
worked to ensure that their program is centered on motivating students, promoting
student success, and helping students effectively use their time and resources (Leiste
& Jensen, 2011). PLA can appear to be a high-risk effort for some students.
However, with adequate resources in place, clear measures of success articulated,
transparency and thorough feedback provided throughout the process, PLA can be as
beneficial as the empirical and anecdotal evidence has shown.
The proposal emphasizes the desire for the PLA program to uphold quality
and consistent assessment of learning as opposed to the academic-feared, impromptu
credit for life experience. GBC is currently a member of CAEL, with access to
numerous resources and recommendations for PLA programs in practice.
Additionally, I have completed a four course training resulting in a certificate of
mastery in prior learning assessment through DePaul University, partnering with
CAEL, which has provided me with a significant amount of knowledge and resources
for program development. This proposal has been reviewed by several PLA experts
from several different institutions throughout the United States, as well as the PLA

40. 34
certification course instructor, Dr. Henry Merrill. CAEL has taken great care to
create a thorough guide for prior learning assessment titled Assessing Learning:
Standards, Principles, and Procedures to encourage institutions to uphold quality
PLA practices. CAEL has developed ten standards for prior learning assessment that
hinge on the principles, tenants, and theories of adult learning to ensure that PLA
programs remain consistent and transparent (see Appendix A). The Ten Standards for
Prior Learning Assessment exist as the most consistent way to adhere to best
practices and will serve as the guidelines for the process of program development.
The program will offer support, direction, advising, and assessment for the student
seeking prior learning credit while developing a relationship between a prospective
student and GBC. In addition, the PLA program will encourage self-reflection, aid in
the development of educational goals, set a foundation for future learning and create
confidence for adult students beginning a new journey in higher education. We also
believe that supporting the desire of adult students to have prior learning validated
will improve retention and time to graduation for current and prospective students.
Next, the proposal outlines the suggested PLA program components in order
to develop a working PLA program at GBC. I will include my recommendation for
the development of a PLA Committee to include the Registrar for Adult Education to
serve as the Program Chair, with the Dean of Adult Education, Director of Academic
Advising, Director of Enrollment and the program Department Chair for Business,
Human Services, and Leadership and Ministry to serve as committee members. If the
Undergraduate Education division desires to be involved, the committee seats would

41. 35
be extended to their department chairs and dean. The purpose of the PLA Committee
will be to build upon the current practices at GBC to develop additional challenge
exams, clearly identify credit by exam equivalencies, select assessors to be formally
trained, and approve policy and procedures related to the PLA program. Once the
program has been approved for development and planning, the designated faculty
assessors will likely participate in the initial program development and committee
meetings and continue to serve on the committee until the committee deems it
unnecessary. The Registrar for Adult Education (I) will drive the PLA program
proposal and serve as the initial PLA Program Chair or Co-Chair. The Registrar will
be responsible for documenting and tracking the student progress, hiring faculty
assessors, leading meetings, and processing the credit in the SMS. The Dean for
Adult Education will serve on the PLA Committee and may be a co-chair. The
Director of Advising will be instrumental in communicating PLA opportunities with
current students as well as bringing his knowledge and understanding of current
student needs for PLA to the committee. A Director of Enrollment or the Vice
President of Marketing will be instrumental in communicating the PLA opportunities
to the Enrollment Team to be able to encourage prospective students to enroll in the
PLA orientation course (to be developed) and seek credit for prior learning. The
Department Chairs will also have the final approval of how the assessor’s
recommendation of college level learning translates to a specific or elective course
equivalency. If the Department Chair is also the assessor, the Registrar or Dean will
have the final say.

42. 36
The proposal includes a basic overview of common assessment charges with
the recommendation for further examination and cost analysis once the determination
is made to whether the program is to be created within the Adult Education division
or expanded to additional divisions. Based on the current Adult Education tuition
costs, PLA Portfolio reviews could competitively cost $200 per assessment.
Assessors will be paid $100 for assessing each portfolio. The remainder of the PLA
Portfolio review cost would cover overhead costs. For comparison, the University of
Phoenix charges a one-time submission of $150 per portfolio and the fee per credit
hour assessed is $75 (University of Phoenix, 2016). Regionally accredited Thomas
Edison State University’s PLA portfolio fee is $379 for the first 12 credits reviewed,
and then $215 for each additional 6 credits reviewed (Thomas Edison State
University, 2016). At Capella University, the cost for undergraduate prior learning
assessment is $75 per credit hour (Capella University, 2016). According to the Ten
Standards of Prior Learning Assessment (Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006),
caution must be taken to ensure that the charges for PLA services are based on the
number of assessments or hours of service rather than for credits granted.
The intention of the proposed PLA program is to begin with two or three
faculty assessors with different education and professional experience in order to
offer several different routes for students. One suggestion is to have one
Undergraduate Education division Faculty and one or two Special Appointment
Faculty for Adult Education to serve as the initial assessors for the program as it is
developed and rolled out. As the GBC team tracks student interest and learns where

43. 37
the demands for PLA exist, the intent is to expand the PLA opportunities for GBC
students. Initially, the recommendation is to begin with challenge exams and
portfolio assessment in the areas of Bible, Theology, Ministry, Business, and Human
Services. With the cost of higher education increasing, adult students consistently ask
how they can decrease the cost of education and the time to graduation. Based on
feedback from the Enrollment Team, many students express significant interest in
credit for prior learning. The interested students are directed to Learning Counts
(www.learningcounts.org); however, GBC has not had any students complete the
process of prior learning assessment with Learning Counts and transfer the credit.
The Adult Education division desires an in-house PLA program because there is a
need to begin to develop a partnership with students seeking credit for prior learning
as the student works through the process of examining prior learning experience,
creating a portfolio, and working with the faculty or professional assessors to evaluate
the prior learning for college level equivalency.
The proposal presentation will also include recommended policy and
procedures for PLA. GBC will not recognize PLA credit granted by a third party
other than Learning Counts (CAEL) or CREDIT (American Council on Education)
unless an official document outlining the specific PLA policy and procedure of the
institution is submitted with the official transcript at the time of the initial transcript
evaluation. The third party’s policy must be reviewed and approved by the Chair of
the PLA Committee before credit will be granted. Credit for prior learning will
follow the same limitations as credit by exam (CLEP). Portfolio assessment or

44. 38
challenge exams must be complete one semester prior to the student’s degree
completion. The Adult Education program confers degrees three times per year:
April, August, and December. The number of credits to be applied to a degree is
dependent on what degree program a student chooses and the nature of the prior
learning credit awarded (direct equivalent or elective credit); however, the maximum
non-traditional credit applied to a degree program is twenty four credits. In addition,
thirty credits must be completed at GBC for either an Associate or Bachelor degree
program.
GBC’s Adult Education program offers credit in multiples of 3. If experiential
learning is deemed college level and is equivalent to a number of credits that are not a
multiple of 3, PLA credits can be combined with other transfer credit in order to
count toward a student’s degree program as elective credit. The PLA program will
use the following models to assign credit for prior learning, as applicable to the
degree program and curriculum available at GBC. The block model applies to
sponsored learning activities involving documented learning outcomes.
Documentation may include a transcript or test score verifying that the student has
satisfactorily completed the learning outcomes. The block model applies to GBC’s
established articulation agreements with specified organizations where the sponsored
learning activity and learning outcomes have been evaluated in advance. The
articulation agreements are based on the premise that the sponsored learning
program’s outcomes are significantly related to the objectives of the Adult Education
division’s degree program offerings. The equivalency model follows that once the

45. 39
learning outcomes have been deemed college level the learning outcomes will be
evaluated according to a percentage of objectives matching a specific GBC course to
determine equivalency. If there is not a GBC course corresponding with the nature of
the learning outcomes, credit may be granted as an elective provided that the learning
outcomes are determined to be college-level.
Equivalency Based on Course Outcome Match
Equivalency: Equivalency Definition: % of Course Objectives Met:
Elective credit
criteria:
The student may receive credit
to replace open electives in the
student’s degree program.
0-74%
Substitution
credit criteria:
The student may receive credit
to substitute a program course.
However, the course is not
similar enough to be considered
a repeat.
75-89%
Specific credit
criteria:
The student may receive specific
course credit; the student has
met the course objectives of a
specific course which would be
considered a repeat of content.
90-100%
Table 1
Currently, there is not a time limit on transferrable credit to the Adult
Education program at GBC. This policy will need to be reviewed specific to
experiential learning credit. As long as the student is able to articulate that learning
outcomes have resulted from the sponsored or unsponsored activity, the date of
origination may not be necessary, applicable, or appropriate.
A student may offer the following types of primary and secondary evidence as
a part of the prior learning portfolio: challenge exam, a test or evaluation from an
employer, a letter of recommendation or verification from a supervisor, employer, or

46. 40
sponsored learning coordinator, interview, presentation or performance. An
interview, presentation or performance must be live or via a virtual meeting platform
mutually agreed upon by the assessor and the student. Each piece of evidence
submitted as part of a portfolio or as a part of the assessment process is subject to
review for authenticity, plagiarism, or other method of falsification. Techniques used
to ensure legitimacy of evidence may include, but are not limited to, a signed
statement by the student testifying authenticity, GBC issued login requirement,
security questions, using a plagiarism detection tool, internet search, or a second
assessor or administrator opinion.
Assessors are required to provide clear and concise feedback to the student
regarding the criteria used, outcomes identified, and the recommendation for credit
following the assessment using language that represents the institution well.
Language used should be able to be interpreted, understood, and “heard” by the
student. If a resubmission or edits are required of the student, the assessor will
communicate the feedback directly to the student. If a final credit recommendation is
reached, feedback should be sent to the Registrar for Adult Education who will
package the results and feedback to the student within 7-10 business days from the
submission of the portfolio or artifacts for review. Assessors must have a Master or
Doctoral level degree in the subject requiring assessment. Additional requirements
may apply as required by the institution. In addition, the assessor must have
completed the PLA assessment training through CAEL or an equivalent training.

47. 41
Finally, the proposal includes recommendations for future development. The
intention of the program is that there will be a PLA orientation course designed to
walk students through the following steps: evaluate prior learning experiences that
may translate to college level learning, create a portfolio, portfolio assessment and
working with an advisor, and adequate feedback and follow up. Both a for-credit and
non-credit orientation to prior learning assessment course should be available for
desiring students as needed.
Evaluation
Success of this proposal will initially be determined by formal approval by the
GBC faculty and administration to begin the development and implementation of a
PLA program at Grace Bible College. The stakeholders will be given a brief survey
to determine the state of approval and support after the proposal (see Appendix C) has
been presented. Success of the program itself will be measured by student and
assessor evaluations using SmartEvals, the current system used by GBC for students
to evaluate faculty. Additionally, an increase in the number of students pursuing use
of the PLA program and a notable improvement in retention and/or time to graduation
will demonstrate further success.
Conclusions
As previously stated, implementing a PLA program as a part of the Adult
Education program at GBC has many encouraging benefits for the college as it seeks
to become a university with steady enrollment growth each of its three divisions,
Undergraduate Education, Adult Education and Graduate Studies. A positive

48. 42
program to market to students combined with an opportunity for improved retention
and graduation rates will encourage the growth and sustainability of the Adult
Education program and positively impact the college as a whole. With a national
focus on increasing the number of degree graduates into 2025, GBC will be able to
contribute to the goal as a student centered, adult-friendly institution desiring to fulfill
its mission to “graduate Godly individuals prepared to serve Christ in church and
society” (Grace Bible College, 2016).
For the student, benefits such as decreased time to graduation and tuition cost
savings will be extremely valuable. The acknowledgement and validation of prior
learning will provide students with motivation and improved self-esteem as a new
educational journey begins. Whether the student receives college level credit or not,
the process of assessment involving comprehensive reflection, critical examination,
and detailed articulation of prior learning has the potential to construct important soft
skills that will benefit the learner beyond higher education and into the professional
realm.
Plans for Implementation
The initial goals for implementation of the proposal and the proposed PLA
program at GBC include a complete, approved proposal outline ready for presentation
to GBC stakeholders by the end of August, 2016. The proposal will be presented to
the Adult Education faculty meeting attendees by the end of September, 2016. Initial
attendees should include the Special Appointment Faculty for Adult Education, the
Dean of Academics and Provost. A follow-up presentation will be scheduled to

49. 43
include the deans of Undergraduate Education and Graduate Studies as directed by
the provost. Ideally, approval and financial support to implement the program would
be obtained by December, 2016. Development of the formal PLA Committee will
follow in early January, 2017, followed by six to nine months of regular meetings to
draft policy and procedures for implementation. By mid-summer 2017, the PLA
Committee should be ready to finalize a formal program policy and procedure
handbook for approval with the program ready to be rolled out with the 2017-18
Adult Education academic catalog. While the timeline is rapid, the desire of the Adult
Education division is to meet the needs of its current and prospective students. The
addition of the PLA program will be an asset to GBC’s ability to meet its goals and
vision for the future.

50. 44
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& Van Kleef, J. (1999). A slice of the iceberg: Cross-Canada study of prior
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Anderson, M.H., & Leasure, D. (2016). Personalized learning at WGU. EDUCAUSE.
http://er.educause.edu/articles/2016/4/personalized-learning-at-wgu
Barry, C. L. (2011). A Comparison of CLEP and non-CLEP students with respect to
time to degree, number of school credits, GPA, and number of semesters.
Summary of research study by Robert Henson. New York: College Board.
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feb_2011.pdf
Caffarella, R. S., & Barnett, B. G. (1994). Characteristics of adult learners and
foundations of experiential learning. New Directions for Adult and
Continuing Education (62), 29-41.
Capella University (2016). A straightforward approach to program costs. Retrieved
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Colvin, J. (2006). Earn College Credit for What You Know. Chicago, IL: CAEL.
Dewey, J. (1997). Experience and Education. New York: Simon & Schuster.
Fain, P. (May 2012). Prior learning assessment catches quietly. Inside Higher Ed.
Retrieved from https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/05/07/prior-
learning-assessment-catches-quietly

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Fiddler, M., Marienau, C., & Whitaker, U. (2006). Assessing Learning: Standards,
Principles, & Procedures. Chicago: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.
Grace Bible College. (2016, March 12). Prior Learning Assessment. Retrieved from
Grace Bible College: http://www.gbcol.edu/aoe/admissions/prior-learning-
assessment
Hayward, M. S., & Williams, M. R. (2015). Adult learner graduation rates at four
U.S. community colleges by prior learning assessment status and method.
Community College Journal of Research and Practice, 39(1), 44-54. DOI:
10.1080/10668926.2013.789992
Kamenetz, A. (2011). The transformation of higher education through prior learning
assessment. Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning, 43(5), 7-13. DOI:
10.1080/00091383.2011.599293
Keeton, M. T. (1976). Experiential Learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Kidd, J. R. (1973). How Adults Learn. New York: Association Press.
Klein-Collins, R. (2010). Fueling the race to postsecondary success: A 48-institution
study of prior learning assessment and adult student outcomes. Chicago: The
Council for Adult and Experiential Learning. Retrieved from The Council for
Adult and Experiential Learning.
Klein-Collins, R., & Wertheim, J. B. (2013). Growing importance of prior learning
assessment in the degree-completion toolkit. New Directions for Adult &
Continuing Education, 51-60.

52. 46
Knowles, M. S. (1980). The Modern Practice of Adult Education: From Pedagogy to
Andragogy. New York: Cambridge Books.
Knowles, M. S., Holton III, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2005). The Adult Learner: The
Difinitive Classic in Adult Education and Human Resource Development.
Burlington, MA: Taylor and Francis.
Leiste, S. M., & Jensen, K. (2011). Creating a positive prior learning assessment
(PLA) experience: A step-by-step look at university PLA. International
Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 61-79.
Lumina Foundation. (2013, February 3). Goal 2025. Retrieved from Lumina
Foundation: https://www.luminafoundation.org/files/file/2013-lumina-
strategic-plan.pdf
Marienau, C. & Fiddler, M. (2002). Bringing students' experience to the learning
process. About Campus, 13-17.
Mezirow, J. S., & Associates. Learning as Transformation: Critical Perspectives on a
Theory in Progress. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L. (2014). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and
Practice. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Next Generation Learning Challenges. (n.d.).
http://nextgenlearning.org/breakthrough-models-incubator-0
Office of the Press Secretary. (2009). Excerpts of the President's remarks in Warren,
Michigan and fact sheet on the American Graduation Initiative. Washington,
D.C.: The White House.

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Patel, S. (2015, March 16). 10 free online resources that will make you more
successful. Retrieved from Business Insider:
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-best-free-online-learning-resources-2015-
3
Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2011). Research on adult learners: Supporting the needs of a
student population that is no longer nontraditional. Peer Review, 13(1).
Sheckley, B.C., & Keeton, M.T. (1999). Perspectives on key principles of adult
learning. Chicago: CAEL.
Stevens, K., Gerber, D., & Hendra, R. (2010). Transformational learning through
prior learning assessment. Adult Education Quarterly, 60(4), 377-404.
doi:10.1177/0741713609358451
Thomas Edison State University (2016). PLA and portfolio help.
http://www.tesu.edu/degree-completion/PLA-and-Portfolio-
FAQs.cfm#faq_1469502916879_2589
Travers, N. L. (2012). What is next after 40 years? Part 1: Prior Learning Assessment:
1970-2011. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 43-47.
Travers, N. L. (2012). What is next after 40 years? Part 2: Prior Learning Assessment:
2012 and After. The Journal of Continuing Higher Education, 171-121.
University of Phoenix (2016). Prior learning assessment. Retrieved from
http://www.phoenix.edu/admissions/prior_learning_assessment.html

54. 48
U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). Competency-based learning or personalized
learning. http://www.ed.gov/oii-news/competency-based-learning-or-
personalized-learning
Vogt, K. (2015). Prior learning assessment and competency-based education.
EDUCAUSE Review. http://er.educause.edu/blogs/2015/3/prior-learning-
assessment--competencybased-education

55. 49
Appendix A
Ten Standards of Prior Learning Assessment

56. 50
The 10 CAEL Standards for Assessing Learning
1. Credit or its equivalent should be awarded only for learning, and not for
experience.
2. Assessment should be based on standards and criteria for the level of acceptable
learning that are both agreed upon and made public.
3. Assessment should be treated as an integral part of learning, not separate from it,
and should be based on an understanding of learning processes.
4. The determination of credit awards and competence levels must be made by
appropriate subject matter and academic or credentialing experts.
5. Credit or other credentialing should be appropriate to the context in which it is
awarded and accepted.
6. If awards are for credit, transcript entries should clearly describe what learning is
being recognized and should be monitored to avoid giving credit twice for the same
learning.
7. Policies, procedures, and criteria applied to assessment, including provision for
appeal, should be fully disclosed and prominently available to all parties involved in
the assessment process.
8. Fees charged for assessment should be based on the services performed in the
process and not determined by the amount of credit awarded.
9. All personnel involved in the assessment of learning should pursue and receive
adequate training and continuing professional development for the functions they
perform.
10. Assessment programs should be regularly monitored, reviewed, evaluated, and
revised as needed to reflect changes in the needs being served, the purposes being
met, and the state of the assessment arts.
(Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006, p. xi)

57. 51

58. 52
Appendix B
List of GBC Stakeholders

59. 53
GBC Stakeholders
Kim Pilieci Provost and Chief Academic Officer
Brian Sherstad Executive Vice President
Dr. Amie Anderson Dean of Adult Education
Dr. Mat Loverin Associate Dean of Graduate Studies
Tim Rumley Associate Dean of Undergraduate Education
Zak Sorensen Associate Vice President of Marketing and Enrollment for
Adult and Graduate Studies
Linda Siler Registrar
Dr. Shane Johnson Special Appointment Faculty for Faculty and Student
Development
Dr. Robert Talley Special Appointment Faculty for Assessment
Mark Sooy Special Appointment Faculty for Curriculum Development
& Leadership and Ministry Department Chair
Matt DeYoung Business Department Co-Chair
R. Wayne Downing Business Department Co-Chair
Dr. Scott Shaw Human Services Department Chair

60. 54
Appendix C
Stakeholder Surveys

61. 55
Pre-Presentation Survey:
1) Briefly express your current understanding of Prior Learning Assessment
(PLA).
2) What experience do you have with PLA?
3) In your opinion, what are the positives associated with PLA?
4) In your opinion, what are the negatives associated with PLA?
5) Given what you know about PLA, do you believe an in-house PLA program
would be a good fit for GBC?

62. 56
Post-Presentation Survey
1) What new information have you learned about PLA?
2) Has your opinion or understanding of PLA changed since hearing the PLA
program proposal?
3) Do you believe the Adult Education program is ready to move forward
with the initial development of a PLA committee?
If not, please provide your reasoning or recommended next step(s).

63. 57
Appendix D
Formal Presentation

64. 58
Proposal for a PLA program at Grace Bible College
PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT
Please take the pre-
presentation survey!
KEY STAKEHOLDERS
 Administrators
 Provost: Kim Pilieci
 Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment: Zak
Sorensen
 Deans: Dr. Amie Anderson, Tim Rumley, Dr. Mat Loverin
 Faculty
 Department Chairs: Dr. Scott Shaw, Matt DeYoung,
Wayne Downing, Mark Sooy
 Special Appointment Faculty: Dr. Shane Johnson, Dr.
Robert Talley

65. 59
INTRODUCTION
 Current State of PLA at GBC
 Undergraduate Education: Credit by Exam, ACE
Military Evaluations, Challenge Exams for Advanced
Standing in Bible
 Adult Education: Credit by Exam, ACE Military
Evaluations, Articulation Agreements, PLA through
learningcounts.org
 CAEL/Learning Counts
 How many students ask for PLA?
 How many seek PLA through Learning Counts?
STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
 There is an influx of adult students returning to school to
obtain a college degree (Colvin, 2006).
 Ross-Gordon (2011) cited The National Center for Education
statistics 2002 report and Choy (2002): When the following
7 characteristics are included, 73% of students are
considered non-traditional:
 delayed entry to college
 having dependents
 being a single parent
 full-time employment
 financial independence from parents
 part-time college attendance
 not having a high school diploma

66. 06
STATE OF HIGHER EDUCATION
 According to NGLC (n.d.), the U.S. higher education system will be
five million graduates short of filling the estimated 65 percent of all
jobs that will require a level of postsecondary education in 2020.
 According to Complete College Today (n.d.), between 1970 and
2009, the number of students in higher education doubled, while the
graduation rate for degree attainment remained unchanged.
 Changing model: The seat time model guarantees that a student has
spent a specified number of hours in class with the opportunity to
learn; the competency-based education models allow for
progression through a program upon the student’s ability to
demonstrate that specific outcomes have in fact been met.
 Increasingly available free, online learning opportunities (MOOCs)
The 10 Standards for Assessing Learning
1. Credit or its equivalent should be awarded only for learning, and not for experience.
2. Assessment should be based on standards and criteria for the level of acceptable learning that are both
agreed upon and made public.
3. Assessment should be treated as an integral part of learning, not separate from it, and should be based on
an understanding of learning processes.
4. The determination of credit awards and competence levels must be made by appropriate subject matter and
academic or credentialing experts.
5. Credit or other credentialing should be appropriate to the context in which it is awarded and accepted.
6. If awards are for credit, transcript entries should clearly describe what learning is being recognized and
should be monitored to avoid giving credit twice for the same learning.
7. Policies, procedures, and criteria applied to assessment, including provision for appeal, should be fully
disclosed and prominently available to all parties involved in the assessment process.
8. Fees charged for assessment should be based on the services performed in the process and not determined
by the amount of credit awarded.
9. All personnel involved in the assessment of learning should pursue and receive adequate training and
continuing professional development for the functions they perform.
10. Assessment programs should be regularly monitored, reviewed, evaluated, and revised as needed to reflect
changes in the needs being served, the purposes being met, and the state of the assessment arts.
(Fiddler, Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006, p. xi)

67. 61
WHAT PLA IS NOT
 PLA is not a fool-proof or guaranteed way to receive
credit for experience.
 Standard 1: Credit is only to be granted for learning and
not experience alone.
 Academics often believe that granting credit for prior
learning is lowering the bar set by the faculty.
 Part of the PLA process involves the work of reflection and
written expression of the learning that the student believes
has occurred through a prior experience.
 The goal of PLA is not to minimize the role of the academy
or academic instruction and rigor, but rather to validate
learning that can and does occur intentionally and
unintentionally through sponsored or unsponsored activity.
PLA VALIDATES AND PROMOTES LEARNING
When PLA is conducted following the standards set by
CAEL, the PLA experience not only encourages
students to reflect on and reexamine learning, but the
process promotes new learning (Fiddler, Marienau, &
Whitaker, 2006).

68. 26
CURRENT INITIATIVES
 American Graduation Initiative
 President Barak Obama called for an increase of five
million community college degree graduates and certificate
earners by the year 2020.
 The goal of the initiative is for America to lead the world in
college degrees (Office of the Press Secretary, 2009).
 Goal 2025
 “Lumina Foundation is committed to increasing the
proportion of Americans with high-quality degrees,
certificates, and other credentials to sixty percent by 2025”
(Lumina Foundation, 2013, p. 1).
GBC VISION + AE GOALS
 GBC Vision
 University status
 1,000+ students between the three divisions
 AE Goals
 100 new students every 5 weeks
 Improve retention and graduation rates

69. 36
PEDAGOGY VS. ANDRAGOGY
Teacher Students
Teacher
Students
ANDRAGOGY = ACTIVE LEARNING
TRADITIONAL
ACTIVE
LEARNING:
INTERNSHIP
EXTERNSHIP
STUDY
ABROAD
SERVICE
LEARNING
 Traditional teaching styles have been
known to minimize the role of the
learner and focus on the owner of the
knowledge, the professor. On the
other hand, adult learning theory
emphasizes that adults learn by being
active participants in their own
educational journey rather than
inactive receivers of information
(Merriam & Cafferella, 1991).

70. 46
ANDRAGOGY
 Knowles (1980): Adults, more-so than traditional
students:
 need to know how learning will benefit one’s future
 tend to have a psychological desire to be self-directed
 experience is tied to their personal value
 have a readiness to learn
 are motivated to the extent that their learning can be
applied to real-life.
KOLB’S (1984) LEARNING CYCLE
• ABSTRACT
CONCEPT-
UALIZATION
• ACTIVE
EXPERIMENTATION
• REFLECTIVE
OBSERVATION
• CONCRETE
EXPERIENCE
Doing or
experiencing
something
new
Reflecting on
the
experience
Learning
from the
experience
Trying out
newly
acquired
skills
• While experience certainly can be a medium for learning, experience
does not always equate to new knowledge.
• The process of the assessment of prior learning includes separating the
input (experience) from the output (learning).

71. 56
LITERATURE REVIEW
 Adult Learning Theory: Experiential Learning
 Kidd (1973) One key factor in adult learning is the
fact that adults tend to have a greater number of
diverse experiences organized differently than
children.
 Example: A change in a life role, from single to married for
example, has the opportunity to foster new knowledge in the
areas of communication, teamwork, financial management,
planning, or leadership. A change in a life role does not
guarantee new learning; however, the change does offer the
opportunity for learning.
LITERATURE REVIEW
 5 Tenants of Adult Learning
 Fiddler, Marineau and Whitaker (2006):
Learning is derived from multiple sources.
Learning engages the whole person and contributes
to that person’s development.
Learning and the capacity for self-direction are
promoted by feedback.
Learning occurs in context; its significance relates in
part to its influence on those contexts.
Learning from experience is a unique meaning-
making event that creates diversity among adults.
(p. 10)

72. 66
LITERATURE REVIEW
 Adult Learning Theory: Experiential Learning
 Sheckley and Keeton (1999) summarized the six
principles of adult learning they drew from prior
research:
1. rich experience
2. reflection
3. goal setting and strategizing
4. real problem solving as a basis for learning
5. an initial understanding of what is to be learned
6. deliberate practice of concepts
LITERATURE REVIEW
 Adult Learning Theory: Transformative Learning
 Mezirow (2000) - The experience of something new is
an opportunity for reflective discourse and a level of
critical reflection; it should involve a supportive
mentoring relationship and the creation of new
perspective leading to changed behavior or action.

73. 76
RESEARCH
 Empirical Evidence
 1990s Canadian Study – (Aarts’, et. al., 1999)
 PLAR participants were found to be equal or higher than traditional students
academically overall and in the comparison of passing grades.
 Generally, the graduation rates and grade point averages of PLAR learners
were also higher than traditional students.
 CAEL studied a group of 62,475 students who matriculated in 2001-02
from 48 institutions in the United States and two in Canada over a
period of seven years (Klein-Collins, 2000)
 56 percent of PLA credit recipients graduated within seven years compared
to only 21 percent of non-PLA seeking students
 PLA students earned an average of ten more institutional credits and also
decreased their time to degree completion by 2.5 to 10.1 months
 College Board Study – PLA (CLEP) students graduated in less time,
maintained a higher grade point average, and graduated with fewer
overall credits than non-PLA students (Barry, 2013)
RESEARCH
 Anecdotal Evidence
 Stevens, Gerber and Hendra (2010) compiled
responses from the adult learners who completed the
University Without Walls adult degree and PLA
program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst
 PLA “…reinvigorated my desire to matter…” (p. 384)
 “…the actual writing helped me clarify my own direction”
(p. 394)
 PLA can improve one’s self-confidence as a learner and an
individual, reorient one in line with his or her own personal
and professional goals, as well as create additional
knowledge, learning, and skills.

74. 86
WHAT DOES PLA DO?
 PLA challenges the learner to assign value to one’s
experiences by critical reflection and thorough
articulation of that reflection upon examination of one’s
experience.
 PLA assists the learner with identifying where and how
transformation has occurred.
 PLA program will encourage self-reflection, aid in the
development of educational goals, set a foundation for
future learning and create confidence for adult students
beginning a new journey in higher education
 PLA creates a relationship and partnership between
prospective students and GBC
A QUALITY PLA PROGRAM
 CAEL Partnership
 PLA Certificate of Mastery - completed July, 2016
through DePaul University and CAEL
 CAEL Membership – resources and tools
 10 Standards – See Slide 5
 Assessment
 Clear, consistent policy and practice
 Trained assessors/content experts
 Support staff, resources for students

75. 96
OTHER PLA PROGRAMS
 Several competing Christian colleges, including Liberty University
and Ohio Christian University, have developed PLA programs.
 Western Governor’s University: competency-based model
 As a competency is mastered, the student advances in the program to
focus on the next learning outcome; essentially, there is no waiting to
learn since each student advances at his or her own pace (Andersen &
Leasure, 2016).
 WGU measures learning, not experience or time; clear competencies
are established; student-centric resources and support is provided; there
is no waiting to learn; and students are strongly encouraged to make full
time progress each term (Andersen & Leasure, 2016).
 Capella University has developed a PLA lab to assist students with
writing resources, portfolio samples, and one-on-one access to the
PLA lab facilitator. The staff of the PLA program works to ensure
that their program is centered on motivating students, promoting
student success, and helping students effectively use their time and
resources (Leiste & Jensen, 2011).
PROGRAM PROPOSAL TIMELINE
1
• Summer 2016
• Prepare the proposal
2
• September 2016
• Present the proposal
3
• October to December 2016
• Establish approval and financial support
4
• January 2017
• Establish the PLA Committee - develop additional challenge exams, clearly identify credit by exam equivalencies,
select assessors to be formally trained, and approve policy and procedures related to the PLA program.
5
• Summer 2017
• Finalize formal PLA policy and procedures for 17-18 academic catalog
6
• August 2017
• Roll out program to prospective and current students

76. 70
COST COMPARISON FOR PLA
 Based on the current Adult Education tuition costs, PLA Portfolio reviews
could competitively cost $200 per assessment.
 Assessors will be paid $100 for assessing each portfolio. The remainder of
the PLA Portfolio review cost would cover overhead costs.
 According to the Ten Standards of Prior Learning Assessment (Fiddler,
Marienau, & Whitaker, 2006), caution must be taken to ensure that the
charges for PLA services are based on the number of assessments or hours
of service rather than for credits awarded.
 For comparison:
 University of Phoenix charges a one-time submission of $150 per portfolio and
the fee per credit hour assessed is $75 (University of Phoenix, 2016).
 Thomas Edison State University’s PLA portfolio fee is $379 for the first 12 credits
reviewed, and then $215 for each additional 6 credits reviewed (Thomas Edison
State University, 2016).
 Capella University: $75 per credit hour assessed (Capella University, 2016).
INITIAL PLA OPTIONS
 Develop Challenge Exams
 Bible knowledge
 Old/New Testament, Letters of Paul, Life of Christ
 Business
 Intro to Business, Personal & Financial Management
 Human Services
 Intro to Psychology, Intro to Sociology, Intro to Human
Services
 Expand to Portfolio Assessment once a rubric is
developed

77. 71
PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT
 Assessor requirements:
 Assessors must have a Master or Doctoral level degree in the subject requiring assessment.
 The assessor must have completed the PLA assessment training through CAEL or an
equivalent training.
 Additional requirements may apply as required by the institution.
 Primary and secondary evidence:
 Challenge exam
 A test or evaluation from an employer
 A letter of recommendation
 Verification from a supervisor, employer, or sponsored learning coordinator, interview,
presentation or performance
 An interview, presentation or performance must be live or via a virtual meeting platform
mutually agreed upon by the assessor and the student.
 Each piece of evidence submitted as part of a portfolio or as a part of the assessment
process is subject to review for authenticity, plagiarism, or other method of falsification.
 Techniques used to ensure legitimacy of evidence may include, but are not limited to, a
signed statement by the student testifying authenticity, GBC issued login requirement,
security questions, using a plagiarism detection tool, internet search, or a second assessor
or administrator opinion.
THE EQUIVALENCY MODEL
Once the learning
outcomes have been
deemed college level
the learning
outcomes have been
evaluated, credit will
be awarded
according to a
percentage of
objectives matching
a specific GBC
course to determine
equivalency.
Equivalency: Equivalency Definition: % of Course Objectives Met:
Elective credit
criteria:
The student may receive credit to
replace open electives in the
student’s degree program.
0-74%
Substitution
credit criteria:
The student may receive credit to
substitute a program course.
However, the course is not similar
enough to be considered a
repeat.
75-89%
Specific credit
criteria:
The student may receive specific
course credit; the student has met
the course objectives of a specific
course which would be
considered a repeat of content.
90-100%
Equivalency Based on Course Outcome Match
Table 1