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Prior Learning Recognition and
Assessment and Credit Transfer:
A Canadian Experience
Terry Anderson
PhD and Professor
Centre for Distance Education
CIDUI Symposium
International Conference on University
Teaching and Innovation
29 May 2013
Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)
Athabasca University,
Alberta, Canada
* Athabasca University
34,000 students, 700 courses
100% distance education
Graduate and
Undergraduate programs
Master & Doctorate
Distance Education
Only USA Regionally
Accredited University
in Canada
*Athabasca
University
A business or industry, as a living
organism, often must evolve
(i.e., to overcome or even
leverage changes) in order to
seek higher efficiencies and
ensure itslong-term sustainability
(Kim, 2010).
Drivers for Change
• Need for constant, lifelong learning
• Access to multiple resources
– Informal – OERs, learning networks, MOOCs
– Formal – multiple institutions, professional
accreditation
• Lower costs for content, improving machine
testing
• Increased human mobility
• More demand for evidence of competence and
qualifications
• Learning is normal, valuable
and happens all the time.
• Why does it not lead to
academic credit?
New Affordances
• Open Educational resources
• Learning communities and networks
• MOOCs
• Knowledge wikipedia, Answers.com
If you want to learn how to fix a pipe, solve a
partial differential equation, write
software, you are seconds away from know-
how via YouTube, Wikipedia and search
engines. Access to technology and access to
knowledge, however, isn’t enough. Learning is
a social, active, and ongoing process.
What does a motivated group of self-learners
need to know to agree on a subject or skill, find
and qualify the best learning resources about that
topic, select and use appropriate communication
media to co-learn it?
http://peeragogy.org/
Massive (But Not Open) Master’s
• “The Georgia Institute of Technology plans to
offer a $7,000 online master’s degree to
10,000 new students over the next three years
without hiring much more than a handful (8)
of new instructors.”
• Regular fee $40,000 /year
• Inside Higher Ed
– May 15 2013
• Student-teacher Interaction recorded
• Student- Content Interaction
Enhanced, abundant, multi-media
• Student-Student Interaction Online, web
2.0, collaborative projects
Miyazoe, T., & Anderson, T. (2010). The interaction equivalency theorem. Journal
of Interactive Online Learning, 9(2).
http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/9.2.1.pdf.
Prior Learning Assessment and
Recognition:
• "The formal acknowledgement of
skills, knowledge, and competencies that are
gained through work experience, informal
training, and life experience" (UNESCO :
Vlãsceanu, et al., 2004).
Flexible paths to assessment for OER
learners: A comparative study
• Conrad &McGreal, (2012)
• Purposively selected 31
institutions from 10
countries, known to be interested
in open or alternative education
Credit transfer and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition
• “resistance within institutions to RPL practice”
• Almost all charged fees for RPL
• “Usher, Bryant, and Johnston (1997) point out, "it
offers a contestable and ambiguous terrain where
different socio-economic and cultural
assumptions and strategies can be differentially
articulated. [However], as a field of tension, it can
be exploited by different groups, each
emphasizing certain dimensions over others"
(p105).
• http://www.oer-europe.net/
Briefing Papers
In order to develop a framework of learning based on study using
OERs, that is shared among several universities, OERtest will stimulate
exchange between Higher Education experts in quality
assurance, recognition of prior learning, credit transfers and
institutional issues such as strategy development and HEI financing
from our partner universities as well as researchers/practitioners of
open educational practice. These activities will firstly result in four
briefing papers on
• Assessment methods
• Requirements and standards of resources
•Credentilization, certification and recognition (institutional)
• Inter-institutional collaboration
Credit Transfer
• Over 50% of Athabasca undergraduate
students are taking courses, that they will
transfer into other institutions.
• Athabasca acts as a service provider for
students and institutions across Canada
Credit Transfer
• Relies on Trust
• Europe has a long history from medieval days of
mobility
• Successful EU Programs?? –
Socrates, Eramsmus, Lifelong Learning Programme
– Coles, M., & Oates, T. (2005).
• Student mobility without credit transfer is neutered.
• Addresses high personal and social cost of non-
completion, allowing second chances and life-long
learning
• Especially important for high risk and disadvantaged
learners.
Credit transfer at Athabasca
• https://secure3.athabascau.ca/tcas/transfer.cgi
Athabasca Credit to other Schools
E-Portfolio Solution
• Maintaining an accurate record of formal and
informal learning is critical.
Badges
• No evidence such external motivators create
long term benefit or motivation. Kohn (1993) Punished
by Rewards
• But useful as evidence of accomplishment at
lower level of granularity than course or
degree.
Conclusions
• Credit transfer and prior learning assessment
and recognition are:
– Disruptive
– Necessary
– A critical component of a 21century University.
Terry Anderson terrya@athabascau.ca
Blog: terrya.edublogs.org

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Credit transfer and Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition

  • 1. Prior Learning Recognition and Assessment and Credit Transfer: A Canadian Experience Terry Anderson PhD and Professor Centre for Distance Education CIDUI Symposium International Conference on University Teaching and Innovation 29 May 2013 Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB)
  • 2. Athabasca University, Alberta, Canada * Athabasca University 34,000 students, 700 courses 100% distance education Graduate and Undergraduate programs Master & Doctorate Distance Education Only USA Regionally Accredited University in Canada *Athabasca University
  • 3. A business or industry, as a living organism, often must evolve (i.e., to overcome or even leverage changes) in order to seek higher efficiencies and ensure itslong-term sustainability (Kim, 2010).
  • 4. Drivers for Change • Need for constant, lifelong learning • Access to multiple resources – Informal – OERs, learning networks, MOOCs – Formal – multiple institutions, professional accreditation • Lower costs for content, improving machine testing • Increased human mobility • More demand for evidence of competence and qualifications
  • 5. • Learning is normal, valuable and happens all the time. • Why does it not lead to academic credit?
  • 6. New Affordances • Open Educational resources • Learning communities and networks • MOOCs • Knowledge wikipedia, Answers.com
  • 7. If you want to learn how to fix a pipe, solve a partial differential equation, write software, you are seconds away from know- how via YouTube, Wikipedia and search engines. Access to technology and access to knowledge, however, isn’t enough. Learning is a social, active, and ongoing process. What does a motivated group of self-learners need to know to agree on a subject or skill, find and qualify the best learning resources about that topic, select and use appropriate communication media to co-learn it? http://peeragogy.org/
  • 8. Massive (But Not Open) Master’s • “The Georgia Institute of Technology plans to offer a $7,000 online master’s degree to 10,000 new students over the next three years without hiring much more than a handful (8) of new instructors.” • Regular fee $40,000 /year • Inside Higher Ed – May 15 2013
  • 9. • Student-teacher Interaction recorded • Student- Content Interaction Enhanced, abundant, multi-media • Student-Student Interaction Online, web 2.0, collaborative projects Miyazoe, T., & Anderson, T. (2010). The interaction equivalency theorem. Journal of Interactive Online Learning, 9(2). http://www.ncolr.org/jiol/issues/pdf/9.2.1.pdf.
  • 10. Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition: • "The formal acknowledgement of skills, knowledge, and competencies that are gained through work experience, informal training, and life experience" (UNESCO : Vlãsceanu, et al., 2004).
  • 11. Flexible paths to assessment for OER learners: A comparative study • Conrad &McGreal, (2012) • Purposively selected 31 institutions from 10 countries, known to be interested in open or alternative education
  • 13. • “resistance within institutions to RPL practice” • Almost all charged fees for RPL • “Usher, Bryant, and Johnston (1997) point out, "it offers a contestable and ambiguous terrain where different socio-economic and cultural assumptions and strategies can be differentially articulated. [However], as a field of tension, it can be exploited by different groups, each emphasizing certain dimensions over others" (p105).
  • 14. • http://www.oer-europe.net/ Briefing Papers In order to develop a framework of learning based on study using OERs, that is shared among several universities, OERtest will stimulate exchange between Higher Education experts in quality assurance, recognition of prior learning, credit transfers and institutional issues such as strategy development and HEI financing from our partner universities as well as researchers/practitioners of open educational practice. These activities will firstly result in four briefing papers on • Assessment methods • Requirements and standards of resources •Credentilization, certification and recognition (institutional) • Inter-institutional collaboration
  • 15. Credit Transfer • Over 50% of Athabasca undergraduate students are taking courses, that they will transfer into other institutions. • Athabasca acts as a service provider for students and institutions across Canada
  • 16. Credit Transfer • Relies on Trust • Europe has a long history from medieval days of mobility • Successful EU Programs?? – Socrates, Eramsmus, Lifelong Learning Programme – Coles, M., & Oates, T. (2005). • Student mobility without credit transfer is neutered. • Addresses high personal and social cost of non- completion, allowing second chances and life-long learning • Especially important for high risk and disadvantaged learners.
  • 17. Credit transfer at Athabasca • https://secure3.athabascau.ca/tcas/transfer.cgi
  • 18. Athabasca Credit to other Schools
  • 19. E-Portfolio Solution • Maintaining an accurate record of formal and informal learning is critical.
  • 20. Badges • No evidence such external motivators create long term benefit or motivation. Kohn (1993) Punished by Rewards • But useful as evidence of accomplishment at lower level of granularity than course or degree.
  • 21. Conclusions • Credit transfer and prior learning assessment and recognition are: – Disruptive – Necessary – A critical component of a 21century University. Terry Anderson terrya@athabascau.ca Blog: terrya.edublogs.org

Editor's Notes

  • #8: http://peeragogy.org/