Assessment By Portfolio: limited to current catalogs?

A question for Assessment by Portfolio Credit savants.
The goal of assessment is to match demonstrable skills to formal course descriptions.

But are credit seekers limited to matching their inventory of skills and learning experiences to CURRENT college and university catalogs?

Or can such sources be matched with college and university courses not currently or even recently offered? e.g., once offered ten or fifteen years ago? (This happens advanced with courses that go in and out of fashion, e.g., sociobiology tought as an anthropology course...)

--Orson

 

Good Morning

Hello Orson, I believe you only need the course number and description of the course for a TESC portfolio. If you have found an older catalog with a description I would give it a try. Would you care to share what you are attempting? Hille

 

Another question: WHAT about "accredited" course descriptions from abroad (e.g., Austrailia?)

--Orson
(Hille: I'm attempting to find course descriptions on the subject of the history of [classical] liberal thought. The problem is that these identifiable course decriptions are tought by historians or English lit profs--not political thought--and reflect those interests, e.g. apply these ideas to these two novels. In other words, close but no cigar!)

 

Omigod, an actual distance-education related question from Orson, king of the irrelevant posts dealing with inane political and social issues! Who woulda thunk it?

Okay, chill out, Orson, here's your answer . . .

No, catalogues do not have to be current to be used for course descriptions. Many colleges offer courses that are only offered once or twice; this is common on, of all things, social issues courses. At TESC, I used a one-shot course description from Gannon University for credit in A Comprehensive Analysis of Abortion.

As for "'accredited' course descriptions from abroad," as far as schools like TESC are concerned, that is an oxymoron. Accreditation means RA, period.

Now, as to your specific goal, discussed in the preceding post, go ye to the catalogue of Hillside College (their web site is here). Hillside is a politically conservative school that is accredited by North Central (thus fulfilling the RA requirement) - they're classical conservatives as opposed to nouveau right-wingers, which means that they are into classical liberal and political thinking (similar to the Intercollegiate Studies Institute). Hillside is largely known for not accepting federal financial aid so they don't have to compromise their philosophies; they're kind of like an RA version of BJU without the inherent racism. (By the way, for old-time AED'ers, our old friend Dennis H. used to teach at Hillside.) You're likely to find something in their offerings that will do the trick. Also check out the catalogue of St. John's College (the one located in Maryland and New Mexico), which bases its entire curriculum on the Great Books, and where you're also likely to find something on classical liberal thought from a political perspective.

 

Steve,

It's Hillsdale, not Hillside.
http://www.hillsdale.edu/

Jon Porter

 

You're quite right, Jon - I stand corrected.

(I do these things occasionally to make sure that people are on their toes and to assure everyone that I am not perfect. The funny thing is that I had Hillsdale's web site up to make sure they had their NCA accreditation, then bounced back to the degreeinfo.com screen and typed Hillside. Go figure . . .)

 

HOW ABOUT COMBINING...?

Thanks to all who have responded to my query--especially acknowledged savant, Steve!

HOW ABOUT combining two or three closely related course descriptions in a portfolio submission for just one course?

For example, one description deals with law and libertarianism; another, classical liberalism and the novel; still another with 19th and 20th century European history involving classical liberal thought.

If I combine these, THEN I can get "classical liberal thought!"
BUT what discipline (Politcal Science makes sense to me--but it doesn't really matter to me)? Leave it up to the evaluators?

Or is this all wrong: try to meet the description requirements of just one, and do it closely? Or can I narrow the course descriptions I try to satisfy somewhat?

--Orson

 

Good Morning , In thinking about this I would review thesis papers written by various people and see where they teach and what courses they have taught. I would also post this question on both sites at both discussion sites at TESC. I would additionally e-mail Goddard College and see if they have had match in their catalog. I hope this helps. Hille

 

On March 15th I received this reply from TESC to my query:

Hello,

In answer to your question, please do not attempt to combine several course descriptions. If you are having trouble locating an adequate course description, please contact your academic advisor.

Celeste Wynn
TESC