Credit for Prior Experiential Learning CPEL

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Credit for Prior Experiential Learning (CPEL)

• Proposed Policy Draft Highlights

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College Recognition for Existing Practice

• The College recognizes that students may learn
  college-level knowledge and skills in a variety
  of situations employment, military experiences,
  internships, externships, independent research,
  volunteer or civic work, certifications,
  licensure experiences and training, and college
  courses not previously transcripted. To minimize
  the loss of credit to students and repeated
  coursework, the College has created a process for
  the awarding of credit for prior experiential
  learning.

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Required Parameters of CPEL

• CPEL is awarded only for college-level learning
  and must be related to the theories, practices,
  and content of the academic field. Assessed
  learning must take place after high school.
  Faculty members in the discipline/program in
  consultation with the program chair and division
  dean will determine which courses are eligible.
  Only faculty who are Subject Matter Experts
  (SMEs) will determine when CPEL is granted.
  Comprehensive, verifiable, authentic, up-to-date
  documentation of learning req. Assessment
  processes will be consistent with contemporary
  methodologies in the respective fields.

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Student Eligibility Requirements for Applying for
CPEL

• Current enrollment (may be waived with instructor
  permission)
• Good academic standing (cumulative 2.0 GPA) (may
  be waived with instructor permission)
• CPEL credits apply towards a degree or certificate

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Process

• A Student considering CPEL will meet with an
  advisor to discuss the feasibility, all available
  options, and the application process.
• Before the student applies for any type of CPEL,
  he/she must first meet with the appropriate
  faculty member(s) or the program chair to
  determine the optimal approach for demonstrating
  knowledge, skills and abilities in the program.

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CPEL Restrictions

• Not for prior failed or audited courses
• Transfer as restricted elective credits (except
  C-by-E)
• Non-duplication of course credits earned in the
  U.S. or abroad
• Official documentation of learning required
• Credits limited to 25 of those required for
  program, certificate or degree
• One-time petition

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CPEL Restrictions (cont.)

• No vertical credit (prerequisite or lower level
  course credits) for courses already taken
• No partial credit
• Unavailability of CPEL in some courses
• No statute of limitations but a focus on current
  knowledge and skills
• Credits for college-level learning
• No other CPEL options available for courses with
  challenge exams

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Oversight

• Division or department and faculty responsibility
  to set criteria (congruent with guidelines of the
  Washington State Community and Technical College
  Guidelines for Prior Learning Assessment and the
  Northwest Commission on Colleges and
  Universities Policy on Credit for Prior
  Experiential Learning).

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Oversight cont.

• The VPAAs Office, in consultation with faculty,
  staff, and learners, will review, monitor and
  re-evaluate the CPEL policy annually to ensure
  the quality of CPEL credits awarded to students.
• The College will continue to streamline the
  process and improve accessibility over time.
• The College will monitor, review, reevaluate and
  revise the program, including the policy and
  procedures, to reflect faculty and learner needs.

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Record-keeping

• Enrollment Services will maintain the relevant
  records for all applications for CPEL and for
  granted credits for at least a year after the
  last quarter the student would be attending
  Shoreline Community College

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Available Courses and Who May Conduct PLA

• CPEL petitions may only be done for preexisting
  courses with up-to-date MCOs and syllabi
• A faculty member with expertise in a particular
  course and field may serve as a Subject Matter
  Expert (SME) for a particular CPEL application
• The faculty must maintain a regular appointment
  with the college on a continuing basis
• Off-campus evaluators may be brought in as
  requested by the faculty member
• All faculty assessors must be trained to evaluate
  portfolios

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Two CPEL Methods

• Individual advisement setup of assessments
  including possibly standardized testing,
  competency exams, role plays, demonstrations,
  product creation, interviews, or others
• Portfolio development summary letter,
  comprehensive resume, list of official courses
  taken, verification of learning and skills, job
  descriptions, personal essays, official
  documentation of competencies

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CPEL Costs

• Processing fee
• Faculty evaluation fee
• Portfolio course tuition, textbooks, and related
  costs
• Formalized testing fees and proctoring costs

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Scheduling and Cancellations

• Required submittal of portfolio or performance
  thru individual assessment process must be
  complete by 7th week of the quarter
• Decision by the end of the quarter, or with a
  possible one-quarter extension based on faculty
  need to verify portfolio contents, attain
  translation services, request an addendum, or
  other reasons. Students granted an extension must
  submit materials by the 7th week of the following
  quarter.
• No-shows must reapply. Advance notification of
  cancellations required

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Academic Dishonesty

• Disqualification based on fraud Any dishonesty
  will disqualify a portfolio or examination from
  consideration and result in transcription of the
  failure to attain credit through CPEL.
• Retraction of CPEL credits Credits found to
  have been gained fraudulently may be retracted by
  the College at any time.

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Grading

• Pass (performance level of at least 2.0 in the
  course)
• No credit (performance level below a 2.0 in the
  course)
• Numeric grades will be given for credit through
  examinations as recommended for transfer courses
  (except when P/NC grades are allowed)

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What May be Appealed?

• Students may appeal grade given.
• Students may appeal amount of credit given.

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CPEL Awarded Credit Decisionand/or Grade Appeals
Process

• Student and faculty member meet.
• The division dean strives to work out a mutually
  satisfactory resolution of the issue. The
  applicant must write out the grievance for this
  step.
• Within 10 days of end of discussion, a meeting is
  held with a rep of the student body association
  and the student and faculty member (who may bring
  a member of the bargaining unit).
• A committee of 1-2 faculty members from the
  course-relevant division will evaluate the
  portfolio blind for a final judgmentOR the CRAG
  Option (Committee for Resolution of Academic
  Grievances) per Policy 5035 will be activated.

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College Credit Transcription and Transferability

• Unique transcription as demonstrated competency
  credit or vertical credit (albeit not for courses
  for which higher level courses have been taken)
  or course petition credits
• Transferability limitations made known through
  clear advising, publicity and articulation work

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Remuneration for Faculty

• In accordance with the negotiated Faculty
  Agreement, assessors will be paid a fee for
  assessing and evaluating the petitioners
  portfolio, presentation, examination or any other
  process for demonstrating knowledge, skills and
  abilities in a program or discipline. The rate
  of pay for this work will be determined by the
  Joint Union Management Committee.

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Roles and Responsibilities

• Instructor of the portfolio course
• CPEL AdvisorFaculty, Counselor, or Librarian
• CPEL Administrator
• CPEL Assessor/Subject Matter Expert (SMEs)
  faculty members

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Where is the Process Now?

• Trial Run in Fall 2004 Professor Betty
  Peace-Gladstone worked with several students who
  took the portfolio course created by Professor
  Bonnie Frunz (with consultation and advisement
  from CAEL)
• Support Materials Creation of draft materials
  and forms
• Draft Policy Honing of the proposed draft CPEL
  policy
• Publicity Publicizing policy to campus (since
  2003)
• Faculty Handbook Developing a Faculty Handbook
  for CPEL with Professor Janet Colvin (CAEL
  consult.)

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CPEL Committee Members

• Chair Andrea Rye
• Members Clarita Bhat, Becky Collord, Bonnie
  Frunz, Shalin Hai-Jew, Mark Hankins, Susan
  Kolwitz, Berta Lloyd, Stephen Mihalick, Marty
  Olsen, Tim Payne, Betty Peace-Gladstone, Cindi
  Price, Donald Schultz, Cecily Sherritt, Susan
  Sparks, and Alicia Zweifach

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Conclusion

• What questions do you have about this proposal?