A rationale for the recognition of prior learning is first based on the fact that learning experientially may be as necessary as learning through theory. One basis for the rationale is that adults in everyday life may have to acquire skills that belong to three domains: psychomotor, cognitive, and affective. Furthermore, the rationale supports the…

Portfolio assessment has become a standard mechanism for the evaluation of prior learning for experienced students. An informal survey of portfolio narratives receiving faculty approval for credit at various postsecondary institutions indicates a wide range of declarative, analytical, and interpretive assertions recognized as "learning" in these…

Discusses the validity, reliability, and utility of portfolio assessment. Examines the differences between the application of portfolio assessment in the visual arts and traditional subjects. Although generally supportive of portfolio assessment, maintains that widespread acceptance of educational innovation is often difficult and compromised.…

Designed to provide mature adults in an urban setting with an alternative to the high school diploma, the External High School Diploma Program of the District of Columbia is a systematic assessment of an individual's demonstrated competencies in the four generalized life skills areas of health, social/political, consumer/producer, and career…

This handbook gives the adult student information to complete portfolios that are designed to help adult students earn college credits for outside experience. Portfolio assessment is a flexible and efficient way to earn college credit. Nearly any area of learning can be converted into credits as long as it is taught at a regionally accredited…

To assist women who aspire to vocational administrative positions but lack the required work experience, a guide was developed to build an administrative competency portfolio for presentation of abilities acquired through unpaid or volunteer experiences and paid work experiences where administrative responsibilities were present but not obvious…

During the last 5-10 years, a number of countries have introduced methods and systems for identifying, validating, and recognizing prior and nonformal learning that can be viewed as tools for improving the transparency and transfer of skills. In most cases, they have been operational for a comparatively short time, which makes it difficult to…

Principles and guidelines for the use of expert judgment of experiential learning are outlined. The report deals with a number of basic issues that apply to expert judgment, such as the role of the evaluator in defining criteria, and structuring the assessment procedure so that it will be reliable and valid. The importance of establishing…

A wide variety of techniques are appropriate for evaluating different types of experiential learning. This monograph includes sections on performance tests, simulations, interviews, ratings, self evaluation, and product assessment. Each section orients the reader to one of these general types of assessment and then provides brief illustrations of…

A model for assessing and awarding credit for prior experiential learning is presented; the adult student's experiences are summarized in a portfolio. The model incorporates eight stages: facilitating the construction and assessment of a portfolio, identifying significant prior experiences, expressing the learning outcomes of prior experiences,…

This student guide is directed at the adult student who petitions for college credits based on prior experiential learning. It will assist such adults in maximizing the value of their prior experiences in relation to educational goals and successfully obtaining appropriate credit. The reader is led step by step through the process of identifying…

Career portfolios contain evidence of individuals' knowledge and skills and are useful tools in job search and career change, especially now that employers want generalizable workplace skills not well portrayed by traditional means and students are often inept at communicating their skills and knowledge to employers. Career portfolios contain and…

The formation, organization, philosophy, and structure of Delaware County Community College's program for assessing prior experiential learning are described. The financial model requires the student, the state, and the local sponsor to share in the cost of this evaluation, in the same proportion as they do for traditional college programs.…

The Associate Degree in Liberal Studies program (ALS) at William Rainey Harper College, Palatine, Illinois, offers students the opportunity to design their own curriculum, awards college credits for experiential learning, and provides a structure for independent study. This report briefly discusses the selection and training of evaluation…

The Cooperative Assessment of Experiential Learning (CAEL) Project involves Educational Testing Service and some 250 member institutions. The purpose of the project is to develop procedures and materials that will be useful in strengthening the assessment of experiential learning in higher education. This report describes extensive findings that…