PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION (PLAR) FOR MATURE STUDENTS

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PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT AND RECOGNITION (PLAR)
FOR MATURE STUDENTS

• PART E GRADE 11 AND 12 CHALLENGE PROCESS

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POLICY/PROGRAM MEMORANDUM No. 132

• Highlights of Grade 11 and 12 Challenge Process
  in PPM 132
• results in up to 10 Grade 11 and 12 credits
  (maximum 10 through combined equivalency and
  challenge processes)
• credits earned are entered as percentage grades
  on the OST and appear in the same way as credits
  earned by taking the course
• students must challenge for credit for an entire
  course, whether it is a full- or half-credit
  course
• students must provide evidence that they are
  likely to be successful in challenging a specific
  Grade 11 or 12 course

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PPM 132 Highlights continued

• there are some courses students may not challenge
  for credit
• challenge assessments include 70 formal tests
  and 30 other assessments
• challenge assessments must be based on curriculum
  expectations and achievement charts in Ontario
  curriculum policy documents
• challenge assessments must be based on all
  strands, all categories and descriptions of
  levels of achievement for the discipline/subject

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PPM 132 Highlights continued

• students may challenge for a credit in a course
  for a second time after a reasonable interval and
  after providing evidence of readiness for a
  second challenge
• a challenge assessment is not an independent
  study course there is no teaching component to
  the process it is a series of summative
  assessment activities

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The Principal is Responsible for

• Developing and administering formal tests
• Determining the assessment strategies most
  appropriate for each course
• Record keeping
• Reporting
• Ensuring that only teachers certified by the
  Ontario College of Teachers conduct the PLAR
  challenge process

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Courses that may not be challenged

• a course previously failed
• a course for which the student has already earned
  a credit but for which he or she wishes to
  improve the mark
• a course in any subject if a credit has already
  been granted for a course in that subject in a
  later grade
• a course for which there is significant overlap
  with a course for which credit has been granted
• a transfer course
• a locally developed course

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Courses that may not be challenged continued

• a cooperative education course
• a course in English as a second language (ESL),
  English literacy development (ELD) if the student
  has one or more credits in English from OSS or
  OSIS curriculum documents/guidelines
• a course in French as a second language (FSL) if
  the student has one or more credits in Français
  from OSS or OSIS curriculum documents/guidelines
• the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Course

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Types of Evidence for Challenge

• Mature students may use certificates or other
  records of accomplishment earned outside Ontario
  classrooms as reasonable evidence of eligibility
  to challenge for credit for a related course
  within the Ontario curriculum, if they wish to
  earn credit for the course without taking the
  course (p. 9, PPM 132)
• See Application to Challenge for Credit for a
  Course (Appendix 2, PPM 132) for a list of types
  of evidence

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Grade 11 and 12 Challenge Process Implementation
Phases

• Orientation
• Application
• Assessment
• Recording
• Reporting

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Grade 11 and 12 Challenge Assessments must be

• Based on curriculum expectations and achievement
  charts in Ontario curriculum policy documents
• Based on all the strands in a course and all
  categories of knowledge and skills and the
  descriptions of achievement levels given in the
  achievement chart that appears in the curriculum
  policy document for the discipline
• Comprised of 70 formal tests and 30 other
  assessments

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Formal Tests

• To include a balance between written work and
  practical demonstrations that is appropriate for
  the subject/discipline

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Other Assessments

• May include evaluation of written assignments,
  demonstrations/performances, laboratory work, and
  quizzes, and observation of student work

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Grade 11 and 12 Sample Challenge Assessment Guides

• 16 courses
• samples may be used, at discretion of
  principal
• guides not assessments per se, require
  further development
• Note the principal is responsible for
  determining which assessment strategies are most
  appropriate for each course

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Features of Grade 11 and 12 Sample Assessment
Guides

• Reflect appropriate balance between written work
  and practical demonstration
• Based on all strands, all categories and
  achievement chart for subject/discipline
• Ensure compliance/consistency with the provincial
  PLAR policy and provincial curriculum and
  assessment policy

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Components of Grade 11 and 12 Sample Assessment
Guides

• Overall Expectations
• Assessment Focus
• Assessment Summary
• Teacher Notes, where appropriate
• Assessment Activities usually 3-5 formal
  tests and 3-5 other assessments
• Suggested Assessment Tools
• Appendices (in some guides only)

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Use of Grade 11 and 12 Sample Assessment Guides

• Options for use of guides
• as is with further development
• adapt activities to meet needs of students
• replace some activities and use others
• design own challenge assessment(s)
• See also Notes for Teachers Developing Grade 11
  and 12 Challenge Assessments (Appendix E.5)

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Appendices

• Letters, form, suggestions, notes, information
  sheet for students
• To be used at the discretion of the principal