Theresa Hoffmann, LCPC: PLA Consulting/Faculty of PLA and Psychology and
Former PLA Director, UMUC
Alan Mandell, PhD.: College Professor of Adult Learning and Mentoring, SUNY
Empire State University
© 2012 by Theresa Hoffmann and Alan Mandell
Introduction:
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What are some of the causes of internal/external tensions?
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How are PLA programs and institutions experiencing the
tensions from external and internal sources?
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There is a push to change…are you all experiencing
it?
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What is your experience of the tensions?
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Are the tensions real for you?
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External Tensions:
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Economics
Competing in a volatile marketplace
Diploma Mill mentality – selling credits
Multiple Delivery Modalities - Classroom and Online
Environments
Workforce-relevant degrees
Employer relationships
Expediting degrees for less money
Competition of Traditional classroom vs online environments
Others?
Internal Tensions:
◦ Multiple levels of issues:
 Institution
 Faculty
 Administration
 Students
 Accreditation agency
Institution:
 Gate keeping academic quality in a world of
change
 Service Model – Consumer Mentality – quickly,
cheaply, easy
 Efficiencies
Faculty:
 Qualifications
 Academic integrity concerns
 PLA Training
 Justification of valid, creditable learning
in PLA
Program Administration:
 Efficient delivery and accountability systems
 Program quality assessment practices
 Addressing academic and system vulnerabilities
 Program jeopardy
 Maintaining positive program perceptions
 Addressing institutional “black sheep” image of
PLA and microscopic mentality
Students:
 Access to course, materials, and support services
 Supportive environment to meet adult needs
 Advising
 Military
 Tutoring
 Learning challenges
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Accreditation:
◦ Evidence of PLA and Institutional policies
◦ Documentation of quality assurance practices
◦ Student PLA archived materials
Some institutions have responded to these tensions in a variety
of ways by developing PLA models that work to address the
issues. Some of the models can make a big difference in terms
of quality, efficiency, faculty involvement, access and the
marketing of potential students:
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Open-ended models
Exam or course based models
Portfolio based models
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Imagine that you are asked to create a PLA program
at your institution that can be competitive with the
current marketplace…how would you do it?
What are some creative solutions?
How would you answer: We have academic quality
because….
What are the specific academic quality mechanisms
that you have put in place? Do they work? How
do you know? What are the quality assurance
mechanisms upon which you rely?
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What are some of the specific problems that you know,
now, that you want to tackle at your institution?
What steps do you have to take in your institution to
respond to these ongoing concerns/tensions?
Can you be proactive, even given the abiding
tensions that exist in this area?
Please contact us if you have any questions.
Terry Hoffmann, PLA Consulting, PLA Faculty and Former Director of PLA Program
at UMUC
Phone: 301-890-8434
Website (Instructional Materials): PLAConsulting.com
Email: placonsulting1@gmail.com
Alan Mandell, Mentor and College Professor of Adult Learning and Mentoring
SUNY Empire State College
Phone: 646-230-1255
Email: Alan.Mandell@esc.edu