Overview
Experiential Learning Course Credit for
CSC 120 Microcomputer Applications and
SPE 105 Oral Communication for Professionals
Experiential Learning Course Credit is an option for non-traditional college students who bring significant work experience, both in terms of years and responsibility, to obtain course credit for computer skills and oral communication skills if they can demonstrate achievement of course outcomes and competencies obtained through prior learning experiences.
The requirements for earning experiential learning credit follow the guidelines of the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning.
Stipulations
To be eligible for Experiential Learning credit for these courses, a student must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled in a TU degree completion program (BSN, BS in Medical Technology) or transfer into a major program as a junior;
- Have a transfer G.P.A. of 2.0 or better;
- Successfully complete or transfer ENG101 and ENG102;
- Document at least 3 full-time equivalent years of relevant employment;
- Understand that plagiarism, falsification, or misrepresentation are unacceptable and will result in rejection of the portfolio;
- Pay $200 fee if materials merit course credit.
A student seeking Experiential Learning credit must complete a request form supplying/verifying the information above. A screening committee will determine whether the student meets the requirements to proceed with the portfolio.
An assessment committee made up of faculty/administrators in the School of Arts and Sciences will determine whether the portfolio merits course credit.
Portfolio Requirements
Portfolio Requirements
Table of Contents
Table of contents of the portfolio with supporting documents noted.
Résumé
An up-to-date resume detailing education and employment history.
Autobiography
A 2-3 page essay based on the resume providing a context for the experiences and documentation the student provides.
Transcripts and Progression Sheet
Up-to-date TU transcript documenting transfer credit from other institutions and up-to-date progression sheet for the student’s major program signed by the student’s advisor.
Significant Learning Outline
The Significant Learning Outline is a way to reflect on your life experiences as they directly relate to this portfolio. A Significant Learning Outline addressing learning competencies of the course for which credit is being requested must be included in each specific course portfolio you submit.
(The Significant Learning Outline worksheet will help you develop your outline.)
- Develop a chronological outline of your applicable life experiences. The categories listed on the worksheet include employment, workshops, volunteer work, recreation, military service, licenses, and travel.
- For each category, list what you have done, indicate how much time was involved, and
describe the activities.
- Next, explain what you learned using action verbs (i.e., differentiate, compare, contrast,
list, calculate, solve, construct, organize, etc.). Compare these lists of competencies with those of the course for which you request credit in your portfolio.
- The last section of the outline is documentation, or evidence, to verify both the
experience and the learning. For example, a certificate of completion for a training
seminar in word processing may document your attendance at the activity but it may not
necessarily indicate how well you performed or if you learned anything at all. To
document learning, you may need a sample of your work, a copy of the notes you took in
class, a letter from your supervisor explaining how your word processing skills on the job
improved after the training, or a combination of these.
(adapted from Upper Iowa University)
Narrative
From the information and supporting documentation on your Significant Learning Outline, you will develop an essay to relate the learning from your experiences to the concepts summarized in the course’s learning outcomes. This essay, or "narrative," is a detailed explanation of your activities and the resulting competencies achieved.
- Use the course outcomes to guide your discussion of your accomplishment. Use the learning outcomes to structure your narrative.
- In a chronological order, explain where, why, and what experiences were involved and
how the learning relates to your degree plan. Explain how this learning is applicable
outside the specific job or context in which it was learned.
- Demonstrate that you have the appropriate balance of theory and application.
- The narrative will incorporate terminology appropriate to the course and examples of
applications of the concepts as demonstrated through your accomplishments. Consider
the narrative as an “open book” take-home test. Make sure it is clear, concise and free of
errors in sentence structure, grammar, or spelling. It needs to demonstrate college-level
writing and critical thinking. The narrative may be three to ten pages in length, depending
on the course.
Documentation
Each of your experiences and competencies will require verification. This "evidence" can take several forms.
- Completion of training programs, workshops, seminars, etc., may be verified through
certificates, personnel records, or letters from the instructors. In addition, outline each
workshop, training program, or seminar on the description form.
- Employment history and job responsibilities may be documented on copies of
performance appraisals, company job descriptions, examples of projects or reports
(verified as your work), or a supervisor's letter of verification. Evidence of volunteer
work may include awards, newspaper articles, or letters of commendation.
- Include samples of presentations or reports you have generated and verified as your work to document competency in using various applications, as appropriate.
- Letters are a common form of verification and can be very effective if the writer
understands the purpose of the letter. When you request an individual write a letter of
verification, provide the person with the course description/learning outcomes you are presenting in your portfolio. Explain you are requesting equivalent college credit for your experiential learning.
- As you collect documentation, make clear to the evaluator how the documentation relates to your learning. You may need to add an explanation to the documentation or, if the correlation is not clear, you may need to ask yourself if it is relevant and whether it should be included at all. Extraneous or inappropriate documentation may indicate to the evaluator that you lack understanding of how your experiences relate to your learning.
Two Employer References
