National Institute on the Assessment of Adult Learning

June 15-17, 2011

Fueling the Race to Postsecondary Success:A 48-Institution Study of Prior Learning Assessment and Adult Student OutcomesCouncil for Adult and Experiential LearningPublished March, 2010

Data on 62,475 students at 48 postsecondary institutions who used one or more PLA methods

94% of participating institutions offer standardized exams as a PLA method

Other methods in order of popularity were:◦ Portfolio assessment* (88%)◦ ACE-evaluated military training (81%)◦ ACE-evaluated corporate training (77%)◦ Institutional challenge exams (65%)◦ Institutionally evaluated training (63%)

84% of institutions offered 4 or more of these methods

56% of PLA students earned a postsecondary degree within 7 years compared to 21% of non-PLA students◦ 43 percent of PLA students earned a bachelor’s

degree, compared to only 15 percent of non-PLA students

◦ 13 percent of PLA students earned an associate’s degree, compared to 6 percent of non-PLA students

Students not earning a degree who accumulated 80% of credits toward a degree:◦ PLA students – 56%◦ Non-PLA students – 22%

Course credits earned:◦ PLA students – 53.7◦ Non-PLA students – 43.8

PLA students earning bachelor’s degrees saved an average of between 2.5 and 10.1 months

PLA earners with associate’s degrees saved an average of between 1.5 and 4.5 months

Students achieved best outcomes in terms of degree earning and time to degree when institutions allow PLA for all four options: ◦ For advanced placement◦ For waiving course prerequisites◦ For meeting general course requirements◦ For meeting program/major requirements

Recognition by ACE CREDIT◦ Listing in online National Guide to Credit for

Workforce Training◦ Common, standardized development procedures◦ Adherence to psychometric guidelines◦ Rigorous security procedures◦ College-level credit equivalencies Compliance with Standards for Educational

and Psychological Testing Computer delivery Diversity of offerings

No PLA policy at their institution Lack of awareness of an existing PLA policy

◦ Advising◦ Admissions◦ Faculty

Lack of understanding of the rigor of CBE Unaware of the benefits of CBE Campus test center issues including

capacity and availability

Benefits◦ Addresses cost challenges associated with

traditional degree programs Provides options for students who are waitlisted or

closed out of required courses◦ Convenient and cost-effective method for non-

traditional students to earn credits◦ Independent study vs. full-year courses◦ Students may not need to repeat coursework

they have already learned in other ways◦ Students are more challenged and engaged

Limitations◦ Low awareness among target audience (9% of

general population)◦ Testing reputation – bad press generalized to all

tests◦ Institutional skepticism about CBE and what

student really knows (even when there are statewide policies) Inconsistent or incomplete CBE policies

◦ Viewed as revenue competition

All the CBE programs have met the same rigorous standards, so why not accept all of them for credit at your institution? ◦ We asked the institutions why they offer PLA, allowing them to

indicate one or more responses from a list of 18 possible reasons. The most popular responses were:

◦ “to provide a time-saving avenue for degree completion,” ◦ “to fulfill our mission to serve adult learners,” and to ◦ “encourage greater student persistence towards a degree.”

Other popular responses were ◦ “to recognize the value of learning that happens outside of the

classroom,” and ◦ “to provide a cost-effective avenue for degree completion.”

(Fueling the Race, p. 21)

Granting credit for all the CBE programs◦ Provides a larger catalog of potential course equivalents

than any single program or combination can◦ Addresses the retention, persistence, and degree

completion issues that may occur because of closed or waitlisted courses

◦ Allows adult students choices that honor their different learning styles and life experiences

◦ Respects the effort that all the CBE programs put into winning and maintaining their national recognition

Setting policy for use of individual exams is still the institution’s or system’s prerogative. You can:◦ Grant a different amount or level of credit◦ Grant credit only if an institutional prerequisite or

subsequent course is passed◦ Grant advanced standing or a waiver rather than credit◦ Set a different passing score◦ Require additional documentation of mastery such as

work samples◦ Limit application of CBE to specific areas of the curriculum◦ Limit total CBE credits that can be applied toward a

degree

College-Level Examination Program (CLEP)◦ Keith Henry, Senior Assessment Manager, The

College Board DANTES Subject Standardized Tests (DSST)

◦ Kathryn Hill, Senior Manager, Test Development, Prometric

Excelsior College Examinations (ECE)◦ Ruth Olmsted, Associate Dean of Assessment,

Excelsior College UExcel

◦ Susan Henken, UExcel Brand Director, Pearson VUE

Credit-by-examination program serving a diverse group of students, including adults, non-traditional learners, and military service members

Validates knowledge learned through independent study, on-the job training, or experiential learning and translates that learning into college credit that is commonly recognized.

More than seven million exams taken since 1967 1,700+ colleges administer CLEP 211,000 exams administered in 2009–10, including

76,500 administered to military service members Exam fee = $77.00

Composition and Literature Composition and Literature American Literature Analyzing and Interpreting

Literature College Composition College Composition Modular English Literature Humanities

History and Social Sciences American Government History of the United States I History of the United States II Human Growth and Development Introduction to Educational Psychology Principles of Macroeconomics Principles of Microeconomics Introductory Psychology Introductory Sociology Social Sciences and History Western Civilization I Western Civilization II

Business Information Systems and Computer

Applications Principles of Management Financial Accounting Introductory Business Law Principles of Marketing

Science and Mathematics Calculus College Algebra Precalculus College Mathematics Biology Chemistry Natural Sciences

Foreign Languages French Language German Language Spanish Language

Structure 33 computer-based exams. Mostly multiple-choice, essays, and listening sections for foreign

languages Most are approximately 90 minutes in length.Scoring “Rights-only” scoring (no penalty for wrong answers) Immediate score reports (except exams with essays) Exams are scored on a scale of 20–80. A score of 50 is equivalent to a

grade of CDevelopment More than 600 faculty contribute to the development of and standard-

setting for CLEP examinations. Standing faculty committees oversee ongoing test development,

shape content, review data, set exam policies. Opportunities to participate in College Board ACES Placement Validity

studies

Copyright © 2011 Prometric, Inc. All rights reserved. 19

Allows colleges and universities to award credit to students for knowledge acquired outside of the typical classroom

Extremely suitable for military service members and adult learners (non-traditional students)

Increasingly used by ALL college students Aligned with course content for core curriculum Well-suited to fulfill elective credits Over 1,900 institutions award credit for DSST

exams. More than 1,200 institutions deliver DSST exams at

their test centers. Cost effective for students @ $80 per exam or

funded for military service members

Suite of 38 subject-level exams, all recommended for credit by the American Council on Education (ACE)

~ 90 min length (test limit is 2 hrs) Mix of upper-level and lower-level

credits Divided into six subject areas Available in paper forms or on a

secure Internet-based platform New exam in 2010: Business Ethics &

Society New in 2011: internet testing for

Public Speaking exam

Copyright © 2011 Prometric, Inc. All rights reserved. 20

Technical Writing

Substance AbuseCriminal JusticeArt of the Western WorldWestern Europe since 1945Intro to Modern Middle EastHuman/Cultural GeographyRise and Fall of the Soviet UnionA History of the Vietnam WarCivil War and ReconstructionFoundations of EducationLife-Span Develop. PsychologyGeneral AnthropologyIntro to Law EnforcementFundamentals of Counseling

Here’s to your HealthAstronomyEnvironment & HumanityPrinciples of Physical Science IPhysical Geology

Ethics in AmericaIntro to World ReligionPrinc. of Public Speaking

Business Ethics & SocietyPersonal FinancePrinciples of FinancePrinc. of Financial AccountingHuman Resource ManagementOrganizational BehaviorPrinciples of SupervisionBusiness Law IIIntroduction to BusinessMoney and BankingBusiness MathIntroduction to ComputingManagement Info Systems

Found. of College AlgebraPrinciples of Statistics

Social Sciences Business

Physical Science

Humanities

Technology

Mathematics

Technical Writing

Copyright © 2011 Prometric, Inc. All rights reserved. 21

MILITARY MEMBERS

Veterans enrolling back in school are often unaware that funds are available to them. Many go on with their lives not taking advantage of these funds. Active military spouses are often funded but unaware of it.

ADULT LEARNERS

More and more students have to mix work with education in order to make ends meet. These students are acquiring learning “on-the-street.” Often times, they drop out of school as they see their dream of a degree too far out of their reach.

US GOVERNMENT

The United States is no longer the global leader in education. The US government is scrutinizing the education system as a whole and there is a decrease in graduation rates coupled with increasing school withdrawal rates.

Developed and maintained by Excelsior College (formerly Regents College) since the 1970s

Administered at Pearson Testing Centers worldwide, and available to military service members through the DANTES program

Exam fees = $95 - $355, depending on length and format (no separate seat fees)

Structure 43 computer-based exams: 41 multiple-choice,

one extended response, and one mixed format (multiple-choice and constructed response)

10 are two hours long, the remainder are three hours long

Scoring “Rights-only” scoring (no penalty for wrong

answers) Immediate score reporting (except exams with

essays) Exam results are stated as a letter grade.

Both lower-level (Gen Ed) and upper-level offerings

Unique suite of Nursing exams Excelsior College credit awarded for a grade

of C or better Robust study support including detailed

content guides, specific textbook recommendations, and practice exams with answer rationales

English and Humanities Bioethics (U) English Composition (L) Ethics: Theory & Practice (U) Interpersonal Communication (L) Introduction to Music (L) Introduction to Philosophy (L)

History and Social Sciences Abnormal Psychology (U) Cultural Diversity (U) Foundations of Gerontology (U) Juvenile Delinquency (U) Life Span Developmental Psychology

(L) Macroeconomics* (L) Microeconomics* (L) Psychology of Adulthood & Aging (U) Research Methods in Psychology (U) Social Psychology (U) World Conflicts Since 1900 (U) World Population (U)

Business Human Resource Management (U) Labor Relations (U) Organizational Behavior (U)

Science and Mathematics Anatomy & Physiology (L) Earth Science (L) Microbiology (L) Pathophysiology (U)

Nursing 8 exams toward the Excelsior

College asssociate degree in nursing

3 exams toward the Excelsior College baccalaureate degree in nursing

Adult Nursing (U) Fundamentals of Nursing (L) Maternal & Child Nursing

(associate) Maternal & Child Nursing

(baccalaureate) Maternity Nursing (L) Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing

(U)

Education Literacy Instruction in the

Elementary School (U)

An alliance between Pearson VUE and Excelsior College

Pearson VUE: Program management and delivery of tests

Excelsior College: Test development, academic validity, awards college credit, transcript preparation

Only lower-level CBE program developed and administered by a regionally accredited institution of higher learning, with global reach

Only lower-level CBE program providing transcripted college credit to students who pass exam

Provides immediate scoring on all exams Students receive grades rather than scores

MAT150 Calculus, 4 credits ENG 110 College Writing, 3 credits PHY 140 Physics, 6 credits POL 170 Political Science, 3 credits PSY 101 Psychology, 3 credits MAT 210 Statistics, 3 credits SPA 102 Spanish Language, 6 credits

◦ Coming Summer 2011 SOC 105, Introduction to Sociology, 3 credits

Complementary

UExcel provides lower-level, liberal arts subject options

ECE provides primarily upper-level options or lower-level major track or career-focused options

50 subjects

Candidates can use both programs to earn college credit on transcripts

Affordable, all-inclusive pricing ($85 US) globally; no hidden costs, no additional sitting fees

Same price for all exams, regardless of number of credits

Free unlimited quantity of transcripts ($12 with prior Excelsior College academic history)

UExcel Student Research , June 2010 - March 2011N=80

97% 97% 97% 97%91% 89%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

RecommendUExcel

EasyRegistration

Process

Easy TransferProcess

CreditsAccepted

CreditImportant to

ChoosingUExcel

Easy Test-taking Process

% A

gre

ein

g

Time One exam equals 3

semester hours or more

45 clock hours or more

Money At an average of

$500/hour, each exam saves the student $1,500

Institutions save as well

210,000 CLEP Exams in 2009-10 • 630,000 semester hours• 28,350,000 clock hours• $315,000,000 saved

Degrees of Change: Private Sector Innovations Transforming Higher Education◦ May 16, 2011 summit at the US Chamber of Commerce◦ A project of the Institute for a Competitive Workforce

Plans for a national CBE summit to raise awareness among stakeholders (e.g., educators, regulators, employers, grant providers, and testing agencies)

Request for a copy of attenders’ current CBE policies◦ We all want to be able to list you as an Accepting

Institution for our exams!

Keith HenrySr. Assessment ManagerThe College Boardkhenry@collegeboard.org347-541-0927

Ruth Kate Susan