The Prior Learning Assessment Model
at Valdosta State University
Sharon Gravett, Jerry Merwin, Beverley Blake,
Mary Ellen Dallman, Barbara Stanley & Sean Lennon
Prior Learning Assessment Workshop
Callaway Gardens
Thursday, April 24, 2008
 Valdosta State University
 One of two Regional
Universities in the USG
 Serves 41 Counties in
South Georgia
 11,000+ Students
 2,000 are age 24 or older
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PLA Fit with VSU
Strategic Goals
 From Valdosta State University’s Strategic Planning Goals:
5 Goals in 5 Years
 Enrollment & Retention
 Assess and implement changes in faculty load, facilities,
course offerings & class scheduling to enhance the use of
university resources in support of planned growth.
 Increase number of students seeking certification and
licensure renewal.
 Develop a proposal for programs and program delivery
strategies that meet the needs of non-traditional degree
seeking students.
 Financial Support
 Improve profile in the Valdosta community, by continuing to
develop external/community partnerships.
PLA Model at VSU
 Students and Case Histories
 Organizational Strategy and Key
Players
 Website and PLA Course
 Recruitment of Students and Faculty
 Unanticipated Directions
Students and Case Histories
Jerry Merwin
Student
Background
Course
Glenn
Six years experience with Internet Service
Provider (ISP)
ACED 3100 Computer Systems
ACED 3400 Applied Computer Technology
Betty
Seven years working in group home for
teenagers
SOCI 3190 Clinical Sociology
SOCI 4540 Internship in Sociology
Charles
Retired from military as noncommissioned
officer, trained others
PERS 2160 Perspectives on Leadership
PERS 2690 Multicultural America
Don
Twelve years in computers and networking,
technical courses, Microsoft Certification
CS 4121Data Com. and Networks I
CS 4122 Data Com. and Networks II
George
Ten years in law enforcement, field training
officer
CRJU 4100 Seminar
CRJU 4910 Internship
Dean
Thirty years as manager, owns his own
business
ACED 1100 Introduction to Business
ACED 2050 Communications for Workplace
(mid-30s)
(late-30s)
(mid-40s)
(late-30s)
(mid-30s)
(early-50s)
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Student Case 1
 Charles (AA Male, Age mid-40s)
 Education Major – Undeclared Freshman
 Retired from the U.S. Army as noncommissioned
officer
 Has certificates for training related to human
resource functions, leadership
 Provided training on Culture –
 Islamic Religion & Values
 Black History
 Women’s Issues
 Preparing PLA for Courses
 PERS 2160 Perspectives on Leadership
 PERS 2690 Multicultural America
Student Case 2
 Betty (AA Female, Age late-30s)
 Sociology Major – Junior
 Administers group cottage & Serves on Treatment Team
 Coordinates with Social Services and Public Schools
 Has training related to behavior management, working
with at-risk and unmanageable children, child abuse and
neglect, managing suicidal teens, nonviolent crisis
intervention
 Preparing PLA for Courses
 SOCI 3190 Clinical Sociology
 SOCI 4540 Internship in Sociology
Organizational Strategy
and Key Players
Sheri Gravett
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Who we are
What we’ve done
Who we involved and why
How we organized—
 Working Group
 Supporting Leadership Group
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Who we are
 PLA Working Group established in 2005:
 College of Education faculty:
 Ada Burnette, Mary Ellen Dallman, Adele Ducharme,
Barbara Stanley, and Sean Lennon, Heather Brasell
 College of Arts and Sciences faculty:
 Beverley Blake, Christine James, Jerry Merwin, and
Jim Nienow, Arsalan Wares
 Registrar’s Office: Karen Shepard, Associate
Registrar
 Academic Affairs: Sheri Gravett, Assistant Vice
President for Academic Affairs
Who we are
(continued)
 PLA Working Group established in 2005:
 University System of Georgia Liaison:
 Patricia Paterson, Executive Director Teacher
Quality Initiatives, P-16 Initiatives
 PLA Consultants:
 Morry Fiddler and Catherine Marienau,
Professors and Faculty Mentors in the School
for New Learning at DePaul University
Who we are (continued)
 PLA Supporting Leadership Group also
established in 2005:
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
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Vice President for Academic Affairs: Louis Levy
Vice President for Student Affairs: Kurt Keppler
Associate Vice President for Strategic Research and
Analysis: Marsha Krotseng
Dean of the College of Education: Phil Gunter
Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences: Linda Calendrillo
Dean of the Graduate School: Brian Adler
Dean of the College of the Arts: John Gaston
Registrar: Chuck Hudson
Director of Admissions: Walter Peacock
Director of College of Education Advising Center: Maggie
Roberts
Administrative Implementation of
PLA Project at VSU
Fall
Summer
Spring
Fall
2005
2006
2007
2007
Spring
Fall
Summer
Spring
2006
2006
2007
2008
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Faculty Assessors
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Rudy Prine (CRJU 4910 and 4900, 4 evaluations)
Cheri Tillman (PERS 2690, 2170, 2730, 2799, 4 evaluations)
Vesta Whisler (ACED 3100, 3400, 2 evaluations)
Mary Willis (ACED 1100, ACED tba, 2 evaluations)
PSYC faculty (PSYC 3900, 1 evaluation)
Faculty Assessors

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Carl Hand (SOCI 3190, 4540, 2 evaluations)
Chunlei Liu (CS 4345, 0 evaluations)
Zhiguang Xu (CS 4121, 4122 0 evaluations)
Nanci Scheetz (ASL I and II, 6 evaluations)
Linda De la Garza (CHEM 1211, 1212, 0 evaluations)
Gayle Taylor (4 NURS courses, 8 evaluations)
Website and PLA Course
Jerry Merwin & Beverley Blake
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PLA 2000 Prior Learning
Documentation
 Marylhurst University Course Model
(30 Years of
Prior Learning Assessment http://www.marylhurst.edu/learningassessment/)
 Assignments:
 Essays on Life Experiences
 Resume
 Autobiography
 Chronology of Learning Activities
 Educational Degree Plan
 Portfolio Project Proposal
 Outline of Documentation
 Portfolio Draft
 Final Portfolio
Recruitment of Students
Barbara Stanley & Sean Lennon
 Identify student entry points
 Admissions office
 Registrar’s office
 “ABC” Information Evenings – Adults
Back to College
 Alternative Routes – Teacher Education
 Office of Minority Affairs
 Oasis Advising Program
 Faculty conversations with students
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Recruitment of Students
 Publicity in multiple forms & places
 Information flyers
 Brochures
 Letters to prospective students
 Speak to small groups of stakeholders
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Task force committee members “visit”
Dean’s Council
Executive Committee of each College
Groups of interested faculty
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Progress, Developments &
Unanticipated Directions
Mary Ellen Dallman & Jerry Merwin
 Pilot Project Summary
 Anticipated Credit for Students
Currently in PLA 2000
 What’s Next…
 Nursing
 American Sign Language Interpreting
 Criminal Justice
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Questions?