If You Haven T Visited the Prior Learning Assessment Website, I Encourage You to Do So

Since 1964, the Community College of Rhode Island (CCRI) has broadened and expanded its initial offerings of accelerated pathways for learning from Advanced Placement, Transfer Credit, and CLEP to adding such opportunities as Departmental Challenge Tests, Servicemembers Opportunity College with the Department of Defense, acceptance of ACE recommendations for Military Training, Standardized Credit Awards, and Prior Learning Assessment of portfolios. Through the process of evaluating and recognizing prior learning acquired external to CCRI, the college has demonstrated a long history and commitment to accelerated pathways for learning.

The foundational interest at CCRI with respect to accelerated pathways for learning is less about the means by which prior learning took place and more about whether the learning can be demonstrated to meet or exceed the criteria of college level learning. Click here to review CCRI’s Prior Learning Policy.

If you haven’t visited the Prior Learning Assessment website, I encourage you to do so:

There are several options available.A few are: national and departmental challenge exams, a review of military or corporate sponsored training as well as the PLA Portfolio process. To learn more about all the accelerated pathways for earning credit, review these videos. Whenever there is a CLEP, DSST, or UExceltest available, it is recommended that students take the test, as this is the easiest, fastest, and most advantageous way of being awarded credit for prior learning. It is also in your best long-term interest should you wish to transfer these credits to another institution.

Stage I: Application

When tests are not available for the specific courses of interest, students can develop a PLAPortfolio which addresses outcomes of specific courses taught at CCRI. Please complete the attached application and return to me with your detailed resume to begin the process. The application to produce and submit a PLA Portfolio is to include a detailed resume and a brief narrative essay that identifies the learning and documentation that the learning has taken place.

Once your application has been received you will be sent the Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for the courses you have identified in the application. These (SLOs) are from the course syllabus used in the course listed in this application.

Stage II: Development of Portfolio

Working from these SLOs, you will develop a rough draft of a narrative that will be submitted with your application and materials to a faculty member(s). Once the rough draft has been received, a faculty member will be assigned to you and advise you on what will be necessary to completeyour Prior Learning Portfolio.

You are responsible for completing a portfolio narrative that will document your learning and knowledge in each of the (SLOs) and provide the documentation and letters of recommendation. You may, depending on the course for which credit for prior learning is sought, be required to demonstrate your knowledge and prior learning. The faculty person assigned to your portfolio will review and evaluate it for credit award. This stage in the process may take 8-10 weeks.

Credit will only be awarded if learning can be identified, evaluated, and validated as being college level and ensure that quality of the learning is satisfactory with the requirements of the course for which credit is being sought.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Prior Learning Assessment Application

Name: / CCRI ID# is required:
Address: / City, State, Zip:
Day time Phone: ( ) / Evening Phone: ( )
CCRI E-Mail Address: / Alternate E-Mail Address:

Academic Background:

Please provide the following information regarding your academic background.

Degree Program: ______

If you have earned credits at another institution and an official transcript has not been evaluated here at CCRI, please have an official transcript forwarded to the Office of Enrollment Services.For more information about what courses can be transferred, visit:

Specific Courses you wish to Petition for Academic Credit

First, identify the specific courses you can justify petitioning for academic credit and provide a brief justification for each. This applicationserves as a preliminary review to determine the best alternative for documenting your learning and whether or not a demonstration of learning will be required. As mentioned previously, CCRI does recognize learning(not years of experience) acquired through work and life experiences, assuming it can be documented; is college-level and can be applied to specific courses offered at CCRI.

Examples:

ETCN2000 – Advanced Machining Skills – 3 Credits.

During my 5 years as a tool operator, learned how to set-up and operate, as well as troubleshoot several different computer-controlled machines. Specifically, I worked on the Acra CNC Mill with Fagor Interface, the FestoHeavy Duty CNC Mill, and Festo Model 5560 CNC Lathe. For each of these machines, I apprenticed under a skilled tradesman who mentored me in the set-up, operation, and troubleshooting and guided me to the point where I was able to do these steps without his involvement.

HMNS1090 – Foundations of Gerontology and Elder Care – 3 Credits.

During my 5 years as an aide in a local nursing home, I had the opportunity to learn how to work with persons over the age of 65 in an assisted living home. The home I worked at provided additional training in understanding the physical, social, and emotional needs of the elderly, as well as how to properly assist and transport them throughout the home. During this time, I also was trained by and assisted the occupational therapist with diagnostic assessments and therapeutic treatment regimines.

Specific Courses to be Petitioned

(Please feel free to attach additional pages as necessary.)

Course #1: