John F. Kennedy University
College of Undergraduate Studies
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Prior Learning Experience and
Portfolio Development I
COR1000, Section 1
Fall Quarter, 2015
Instructor: Charlene Tuckerson
Telephone:
Email:
925-969-3320
tuckerson@jfku.edu
Office Hours: By Appointment; please phone/email
Class
Days/Time:
This is an on Ground Course (100% IN-CLASS )
Meets Wednesdays, October 7th– November 25th, 2015 (4:307:00p.m.)
(required campus meetings)
Meetings occur at:
Pleasant Hill Campus - 100 Ellinwood Way Pleasant Hill, CA 94523
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Assignments and Grades are managed Online through Blackboard
(Link at https://my.jfku.edu/ics )
Click on the Blackboard (Bb) Learn icon located near the top right
corner of your screen. Your Fall course will note the term in the header
(ie. COR1000-1-FA2015).
This syllabus is for student course selection purposes, and is subject to
change. The final course syllabus will be distributed and/or posted on the
course online site when the course begins at the start of the quarter.
Life Happens, make it count towards your degree.
Individual 1:1 Meetings
There will be 2 additional Meetings approximately 60 minutes each, Day/Time TBD
determined by instructor
Many students at JFKU have returned to college with a wealth of experience in many
areas of their lives. Often these experiences can be examined for academic credit.
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Through a series of steps, beginning with an evaluation of your experiences, and using
Kolb’s Experiential Model the student will develop; documentation of the learning can be
submitted for a request for academic credit. The process is called Credit by Assessment
or Prior Learning Assessment. In order to register for this course, you must meet with
your advisor to discuss the rational for your pursuit of CBA credit. This course will
prepare the students to submit a Portfolio to the evaluators for review and a request for
units, the maximum number of units in any one-competency area is six units.
The course introduces Kolb’s Learning Model that will be the foundation of the Prior
Learning Essays. The student must demonstrate writing standards acceptable at the
college level, with content at either the upper or lower division level. The instructor will
work with each student to ensure that the portfolio meets the requirements for quality and
completeness; all required sections are completed, with sample syllabi for professional
coursework, documentation for each prior learning experience and correct petition for
credit.
Goals, Competencies & Outcomes
Students will:
 Examine the theories of Kolb’s Model and demonstrate mastery through Credit
By Assessment Essays
 Understand the process, requirements, guidelines of CBA
 Develop an Autobiography to be used to identify potential credit by assessment
areas
 Develop a work plan for completion
 Identify and submit potential topics for essays
 Research college courses and syllabi of accredited universities that clearly define
the course objectives
 Adhere to the Formatting Guidelines for the portfolio, including documentation
and essays
 Submit an essay meeting all requirements
Proficiency in the above competencies will be measured by:
 Attendance
 Timely submission of assignments
 Quality of written work
 Demonstrated mastery of Kolb’s Model
Overview of Weekly Sessions
There are nine weeks in this course with weekly reading and written activities to be
completed.
The course is divided into three parts:
 (Weeks 1-3) Part I: Kolb’s Model: The segment lays out the fundamental
concepts and factors of the experiential model. During the segment, the student
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will completed an inventory of experiences and complete the Autobiography. A
clear understanding of the model is required before the student can begin to
identify possible opportunities for credit by assessment.
(Weeks 4-5) Part II: Assessment Process-This segment will review the process
and criteria for submitting the portfolio. The policies and procedures will be
introduced and the student will become familiar with the format specifications.
Students will begin researching other universities to locate the syllabi and
learning objectives to be used in their essays. You will also create and submit a
draft of your resume during Part II.
Weeks 6-9: Part III: Portfolio Completion and Submission-Your Final Resume
is due during week 7. The remaining duration of the last weeks will be focused
on completing the portfolio and the drafting of the final essay. Credit will be
awarded only for learning, and not for experience.
The course weekly assignments enable students to critically explore these areas and
discuss practical applications.
Weekly Topic and Deliverables:
Week 1-2:
 Introduction to CBA Process and Kolb’s Model
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Introduction of the Autobiography:
Communication Principles
Week 3: Continue working on Autobiography
Submit Autobiography Draft
Week 4:
Submit Autobiography Final = 30%
Week 5: Submit Resume Draft
Identify topics for your Essay/Subject area
Week 6 Begin researching syllabi relating to your subject area for your
essays
Week 7: Submit Final college Syllabi selection to support your essays and
proposal for essays
Submit Final Resume = 20%
Week 8: Submit 1st Essay Draft for Review and feedback.
Week 9: Submit Portfolio Binder with Tabs ensuring that you understand
Kolb’s Model = 10 %
Week 10: Meet On-ground, Submit Final Portfolio with Essay = 40%
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Core Texts: Articles and readings as assigned
Grading Philosophy
In general, the course grade indicates the quality of work done in three areas:
Area 1 (30%) Completion of Final Autobiography due Week 4
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Prepare a minimum 10 page paper outlining your personal, educational, military
and employment background with emphasis on the areas you think you would like
to develop your essays
This narrative is your concise account of the significant experiences in your life.
This is the opportunity to highlight those events and occurrences that contribute to
your personal and professional growth and development
The autobiography should serve as a plan for your development, one way is to
categorize the areas of your life you feel are important
The essay can also include as a plan for your professional and personal
development
Areas to discuss: family, Education, Types of work and professional training,
including job titles and responsibilities
Other special talents, skills, and interests of important personal experiences.
Teleconference Meeting with faculty to review autobiography together and to
determine potential topics.
Area 2 (20%): After identifying, the subject areas of focus for your essay(s) begin
searching university syllabi that support your topic. Choose 3-4 syllabi.
-Submit Resumes to Instructor for Approval
Area 3 (10%): Preparation of Portfolio Binder Organized including tabs and labeling and
it demonstrated understanding of Kolb’s Model and Portfolio requirements due
Area 4 (40%): Essay submission in accordance with Kolb’s Model or Work Experience
Binder
The final essay must demonstrate in writing that you have meet the learning objectives
based on the course syllabi chosen. You are also providing a nexus back to your
autobiography.
1. 12-15 pages of text.
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2. A focused review of your professional, educational, and life experiences.
3. Lucid, concrete evidence demonstrating that significant research has been
performed and the course learning objectives have been met.
4. Sources which are balanced, and when critically evaluated are credible and
relevant.
5. Logical organization with unity developed from the thesis and clear connections,
synthesis, transition among ideas.
6. Paraphrased and quoted material with all conclusions clearly supported by
evidence.
7. Results of research convey an original understanding (researcher’s voice) with
clear, unified concluding ideas.
8. Clear writing that exhibits cohesiveness, proper grammar, word choice, spelling,
and sentence structure.
A grade is determined for each of the above areas. The final grade results from averaging
the three grades according to the percentages allotted.
Central to the assessment process is quality and personal analysis appropriate for one’s
university academic level. University level principles include:
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Critical thinking and personal conclusions.
Structuring and presentation of clear supporting data and rationale.
Depth and accuracy of research.
Understand the application of the experience as it relates and applies to the
learning objectives
Professionalism and creativity in written and verbal presentation.
Degree appropriate university level research and writing skills.
Proper citation and referencing.
Grading Policy
A grade (4.0) Work of superior quality; unquestionably of highest level. Top honors.
Excellent written research essay, online presentation, and assignments, and dialogue
contributions (and development of a technical application if appropriate) containing wellarticulated analysis and personal conclusions for grade level. Met all objectives.
Excellent class attendance was fully prepared and willingly contributed to class
discussions. Participated in class discussions with well thought out comments. [A+ 97 –
100%, A 93 – 96%; A- 90 - 92%]
B grade (3.0) Work is well above average; thoroughly competent, but not exceptional.
Good written research essay, online presentation, and assignments (and development of a
technical application if appropriate) containing analysis and personal conclusions
appropriate for grade level. Met all objectives. Good attendance, class participation and
student contribution. [B+ 87 - 89%; B 83 - 86%; B- 80 - 82%]
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C grade (2.0) Work of average quality, meeting, but not exceeding, expected standards.
Adequate written essay, online presentation, and assignments (and development of a
technical application if appropriate), but lacks clear writing, in-depth analysis, and/or
sophistication of understanding of technology studied. Class participation, but little
major contribution to discussion. [C+ 77 - 79%; C 73 - 76%; C- 70 - 72%]
F grade (0.0) Work below minimum standards. Substantial non-submittal of assigned
work and/or lack of evidence of sufficient work on assignments. [F 70% or less]
I grade (Incomplete) If the student has a valid reason for not submitting assigned
material that is due the last day of class, the student will receive a grade of Incomplete
(I), which is required to be made up, after the course has finished, by turning in
acceptable required material at a later date.
(Note: Incomplete grades are only given to students who have experienced an
extraordinary and unforeseen circumstance (such as hospitalization or death in the
family) and who have maintained satisfactory attendance and work throughout the
majority of the course. If a student requires more than one quarter completing the work,
the final grade can be lowered due to the lateness of the completed work.)
W grade (Withdraw) Student officially withdraws from the class.
Citing References and Academic Honesty
Students are expected to be honest, and clearly and properly attribute the author(s) of
ideas used in their research. Thus, theories, concepts, viewpoints, charts, etc. drawn from
other sources are to be cited. This holds for ideas that are direct quotations, as well as
indirect quotes or summarized statements.
Use the American Psychological Association format (APA). An overview of this
approach can be found at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_apa.html.
Intentional or unintentional uncited ideas that belong to authors other than the student is
considered plagiarism. Work that is plagiarized will result in the work being returned to
the student and will not receive credit. Any student caught plagiarizing twice will fail the
course.
Turnitin
 Turnitin is an Internet-based plagiarism detection and prevention service created
by iParadigms, LLC. The Health Sciences program uses this service. All course
work must be submitted and processed through the Turnitin website, which
checks the documents for unoriginal content. The results are used in a number of
ways including plagiarism detection, grammar checks, to identify similarities to
existing sources and to help students learn how to avoid plagiarism and improve
their writing.
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Student Responsibilities
Participation: We will learn together and support each other as a community, sharing
our processes, challenges, questions, analyses, and work. For this reason, active
participation in class discussions, online threaded discussion, and any peer review
sessions are essential.
Attendance: As noted in the University catalog, students are expected to attend all class
meetings of course in which they are enrolled and comply with attendance requirements
specified in the course syllabus. Excessive unexcused absences may affect the course
grade. Attendance is taken weekly based on assignment submissions and online
discussion postings. Students have until Saturday midnight to post to questions for that
corresponding week. Posts that are made after Saturday midnight of that week will NOT
be granted credit, as it cannot appropriately lend to the overall class discussions.
Students must post a minimum of 2 times per week, on 2 separate days, in order to
possibly receive full credit for online postings. See below for more detail under
“Online Discussion Participation.”
Note: Absences are determined by weekly online posts and assignment s
submissions. Unexcused absences, failure to submit assignments,
lack of participation in course discussions, and late assignments can/will affect
your final grade.
Late Papers: Late submissions of course assignments will receive a 25% deduction for
each day late. No assignments will be accepted after the 3rd day from the due date.
There are no exceptions to this instructor policy. Please familiarize yourself with
where to submit Assignments on Blackboard.
Revisions: I reserve the right to request additional revisions of writing assignments that
do not meet the course criteria.
Learning Management System (LMS)
One or more units for this course may be taught online using Blackboard Learn. You
will be able to access your course(s) the day prior to the start date by going to MyJFKU
at https://my.jfku.edu/ics, logging on and clicking on the Blackboard (Bb) Learn icon.
To help familiarize you with Blackboard Learn, please take the Student Orientation
Course accessible through MyJFKU by clicking on the Bb Learn icon and clicking on the
course link found under “My Courses.” If you have any problems accessing MyJFKU,
please contact our helpdesk by calling 925-969-3464 or emailing helpdesk@jfku.edu. If
you have technical issues within Blackboard Learn, please email blackboard@jfku.edu or
call 1-855-877-3949.
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Online Discussion Etiquette
Participating in online discussions as part of your coursework is different than blogging
or engaging in social media as the protocol is different between friendships and
professional relationships. Consider these guidelines for your contributions to online
discussion:
 Please be mindful that online communication differs from face to face
communication. Without the ability to read body language and facial expressions,
online communication can be misconstrued. Therefore, care must be taken in
online communication.
 Be careful of informal tone. Sarcasm or joking can be interpreted as offensive or
mean-spirited online.
 Use proper punctuation and formatting. Capital letters online are the equivalent
of shouting in person. Proper capitalization and correct grammar will increase
your voice online by showing that you are educated, value what others think of
you, and that you value professionalism.
 Be honest and transparent; if you choose to use real-life examples, make sure that
they are real and check out under a bit of scrutiny, because people will check and
sometimes ask. If you are not honest and open, people will sense this and will not
trust you.
 Contribute to the conversation with relevant replies that show that you have read,
processed and taken seriously the ideas of others. Replying with useful
information will encourage increased participation by others, and you will also
gain the reputation as someone who cares about others and the ideas that are
important to the entire group.
Racial and Ethnic Identity (APA 3.14)
• When using the word minority, use a modifier such as ethnic or racial to avoid
association with meaning of being less than or oppressed.
• Avoid describing groups differently. For example, Black Americans refers to
color while Asian Americans refer to cultural heritage. Have parallel
designations.
• Racial and ethnic terms change often. Consult Guidelines for Unbiased Language
at www.apastyle.org or 3.14 in the 6th edition of the APA manual for appropriate
language and terminology.
Disabilities (APA 3.15)
• Use language that maintains the integrity of all human beings. Avoid
objectification and slurs.
• In writing, use people-first language rather than focusing on disability. For
example, say person with autism rather than an autistic or an autistic person.
• Avoid offensive, condescending euphemisms when describing people with
disabilities, such as special or physically challenged.
Gender (APA 3.12) For additional information, see page p. 73-75 in APA 6th ed.
• Gender is cultural and refers to role, not biological sex.
• Sex is biological.
• Do not use a masculine pronoun (he) to refer to both sexes.
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Do not use masculine or feminine pronouns to define roles by sex (for example,
always referring to nurses as she).
Transgender is an adjective used to refer to a person whose gender identity or
expression is different from his or her sex at birth.
Do not use transgender as a noun.
University Academic Policy, including Registration information, please click on the
following link to the current catalog.
http://www.jfku.edu/student-service/current-students/academic-catalog.html
Academic Honesty
Policies and procedures relating to academic integrity are outlined in the catalog. Check
also with your program for additional guidelines and rules. Academic dishonesty,
including cheating and plagiarism, will not be tolerated at JFK University.
Cheating includes any dishonest means of obtaining or attempting to obtain credit for
academic work, such as:
 Copying, in part or whole, from another’s examination, paper, research or creative
project.
 Submitting as one’s own work which has been purchased, borrowed, or stolen.
 Fabricating data.
 Employing a surrogate to take an examination, write a paper, or complete, in
whole or in part, an assignment.
 Helping another student to engage in activities that constitute academic
dishonesty.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the presentation of words, ideas or views of someone else as if
they were one’s own. Plagiarism is intellectual dishonesty and, as such, is a serious
academic offense. The potential penalties for plagiarism range from an unsatisfactory
grade in the course (an “F” or “no credit”), a letter of sanction placed in the student’s
permanent academic file, or even dismissal from the university. Plagiarism includes:
 Representing another’s work as your own.
 Failing to give credit to your sources for the ideas, information, and words you
have borrowed from them.
 Not quoting when you use another’s exact words.
 Not changing the wording or sentence structure significantly enough when you
paraphrase a source.
SafeAssign: Using “SafeAssign” within Blackboard Learn, faculty can verify the
originality of work being turned in. SafeAssign checks if the work submitted by a student
has been submitted in other courses or has its origin in Internet or database articles.
Students may be required to submit a SafeAssign report as part of the assignment. In
many courses, students may be able to check their own work prior to final submission.
Institutional Review Board
Any research conducted by JFK University faculty, staff, or students that involves human
participants in any way must receive IRB approval before the research can be undertaken.
Also, any research that utilizes JFK University faculty, staff, or students as participants
must be approved by the NU-IRB before the research can be undertaken. The Office of
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the Institutional Review Board will only accept electronic protocol submissions via
IRBNet (www.irbnet.org ). All protocols (including revisions and renewals) must be
submitted electronically via IRBNet, and all review decision letters will be issued
electronically via IRBNet. Principal investigators, faculty sponsors and IRB members
will be required to complete human participant research training through the
Collaborative Investigator Training Initiative (CITI). JFKU programs that train students
to conduct research have courses identified in their curriculum where students are
instructed on how to use the CITI training and the IRBNet system.
Student Services
Information about Student Services is available on the JFKU website
(http://www.jfku.edu/Student-Service/Student-Services.html) and in the Academic
Catalog (http://www.jfku.edu/Student-Service/Current-Students/AcademicCatalog.html). The following are among the many services available to students:
Academic Support Center (ASC)
The ASC provides individual instruction in writing, study skills, and APA citation style.
The instructors can act as a second pair of eyes on your paper, working with you to
identify your patterns and improve your abilities. Appointments can be held in person or
via phone, fax or email. All ASC services are free to registered students, faculty, and
staff. Students can make an appointment by calling 925.969.3530 or emailing
asc@jfku.edu.
NU Writing & Math Centers: All JFK University students have access to additional free
writing and math support through the National University System’s Writing & Math
Centers. Schedule an appointment with the NU Writing Center at
http://www.nu.edu/OurPrograms/StudentServices/WritingCenter/OnlineWritingCenter.ht
ml or with the NU Math Center at
http://www.nu.edu/OurPrograms/StudentServices/mathcenter.html
Disability Services for Students
Services are provided for students who are in need of accommodations related to a
documented physical, learning, or mental health disability. This office determines
accommodations that allow students with disabilities to fully participate in all academic
programs. Please note that classroom accommodations cannot be made until you have
registered with Disabilities Services, received an Accommodation Letter, and provided a
copy to your instructor. For an appointment, contact ods@jfku.edu or call 925-969-3362.
Career Center
For information on career services, call (925) 969-3542 or email career@jfku.edu.
Center for Veteran Student Success
Information about services for veterans via the Center for Veteran Student Success is at
http://www.jfku.edu/Admissions/Military-Admissions/Center-for-Veteran-StudentSuccess.html
Libraries & Learning Resource Centers
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The JFKU Libraries & Learning Resource Centers include the Robert M. Fisher Library,
Law Library and Computer Lab in Pleasant Hill, and the Berkeley and San Jose Learning
Resource Centers. The Libraries’ collections include nearly 200,000 books, journals and
media titles, most of which are accessible online. It is our mission to support learning,
scholarship, professional development and student success. Librarians are available to
assist with your research needs by phone, email, online chat or in person. Please visit
your library or the library web site at http://library.jfku.edu for further information.
Course Evaluation
Prior to your last class session, you will receive a request to complete an evaluation of the
course and instructor. The evaluation is confidential. It asks you to rate the course (from
Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree) in several areas. You are also encouraged to
provide comments to clarify your ratings. The College and instructor are only provided
with a summary of the evaluation results (including any comments submitted) and do not
receive individual evaluations. We appreciate the feedback you provide in the course
evaluation. We use that feedback as part of our ongoing program assessment and to
inform possible course and program changes. Please provide your feedback in a
thoughtful and professional manner.
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