credit for life experiences

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by RonW, Oct 12, 2002.

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  1. RonW

    RonW New Member

    Hi all, my first post here. Does anyone here know if Nova or other accredited universities offer credit for life experiences such as holding a constitutional office or many years of vocational teaching ? This would be toward a bachelors degree. Any info is much appreciated. Ron
     
  2. bgossett

    bgossett New Member

    Kristin's article is a good starting point for information on this topic.
     
  3. wfready

    wfready New Member

    If the experience wasn't evaluated by ACE (American Council of Education), I don't think they (accredited schools) will give you credit for your experience right off the bat. Alot of schools have their own portfolio course/program that would let you get credit for your experience. You have to supply evidence of your experience and related it to specific course that a school offers. Let's you spent five years as an electronics technician. Odds are if you can supply them with a portfolio of your experience that proves to them that you knew how to read schematics, use test equipment, solder, etc. then they may give you credit (or waive) lower level credit in electronics (AC/DC theory, circuit analysis, whatever). A co-worker of mine spent 20 years in the Navy and went to school afterwards. For some reason or another they would not accept his ACE credits for the military (maybe he went to A school before ACE evaluated the courses). The school let him portfilio the credit (around 30 credits I believe). I am not sure if it was one portfolio or several but he did tell me that he took all his military stuff (fitreps, medals, dd295, dd214, certificates, etc.) and crammed them into a folder and gave it to them.

    What and how many credits you can portfolio depends on the school. I believe Thomas Edison would be the most liberal when it comes to portfolio credit (they have a HUGE database of courses you can portfolio against).

    As a matter of fact, I just did a search for vocational teaching and found 10 courses at TESC that you can attempt to portfolio.

    heres the URL:

    http://www.tesc.edu/portfolio/

    That's all I got!

    Best Regards,

    Bill
     
  4. OracleGuy

    OracleGuy New Member

    Ron,

    A fellow newbie here. Beware of schools that offer credit for "life experience". This is one of the better known warning signs of a diploma-mill. As mentioned, Kristin Evenson Hirst's article on Prior Learning is excellent.

    Example:

    Being a private pilot for 20+ years counts for nothing in and of itself. However, courses in avionics, navigation and reading Aviation Weekly, might land you three science credits.

    In summary, it's not what you did that counts; it's what you learned along the way. A Google search with keywords like "portfolio, prior learning, assessement" will keep you very busy and informed. Hope that helps a bit.


    Cheers...Randy
     
  5. Gus Sainz

    Gus Sainz New Member

    Re: Re: credit for life experiences

    Unfortunately, not a very good example as many schools (such as University of Nebraska at Omaha, Indiana State University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, among many others) grant credit for FAA licenses and certificates. This is as it should be, as the licenses require a prescribed number of hours of instruction given by a Certificated Flight Instructor (CFI) as well as a minimum of three examinations. Moreover, a great number of schools also have credit courses that prepare students for the FAA examinations.

    For example, Thomas Edison State College is fairly typical in granting the following number of semester hour credits for FAA Pilot Licenses. (see here).

    • FAA Private Pilot Airplane License—6 semester hours credit
    • FAA Private Pilot Rotorcraft License—6 semester hours credit
    • FAA Commercial Pilot Airplane License—12 semester hours credit
    • FAA Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft License—12 semester hours credit
    • FAA Instrument Pilot Airplane License—6 semester hours credit
    • FAA Instrument Pilot Rotorcraft License—6 semester hours credit
     
  6. OracleGuy

    OracleGuy New Member

    Re: Re: Re: credit for life experiences

    Disagree...

    That's exactly the point I was making. It's *not* the number of hours you have in the air, takeoffs, or landings (experience) that's being given credit. It's the learning involved. Your FAA Cert. is *evidence* of that learning; as it shoud be. There are a number of recognized licenses and certs. that fall into this catagory.


    Cheers....Randy
     
  7. 9Chris

    9Chris New Member

    Ron-

    I am currently enrolled at Empire State Center for Distance Learning (which is part of the State University of New York) they offer credit for life experience in the form of Credit by Evaluation. From the website....

    SUNY Empire State College offers the option of pursuing credit for learning that you have gained on your own through work experience, training or self-study. The important concept here is "college level learning." Empire State College evaluators will recommend credit only when you demonstrate that you acquired college level learning from your experience

    Check out their website, it might be what you are looking for.

    www.esc.edu

    Good Luck
     
  8. RonW

    RonW New Member

    Thanks for the responses......

    I appreciate all the good information, guys. Yes, Randy , I am aware of all the diploma mills and am steering clear of them. But I do appreciate the thought. I have around 90 semester hours, but it's all scattered and never within a degree seeking program. Most of the hours relate to vacational teaching, but some in psychology, counseling etc. So my experiences are within teaching and in state and local politics. I, m hoping to perhaps find a school that would take most of what I already have and without too much more work allow me to earn the degree. I'm 52, so not really looking to start a new career. Just finish something that I started years ago. I.m looking into all that you guys have posted and will continue to. So please continue to add all other thoughts and ideas. Thanks again, Ron
     
  9. irat

    irat New Member

    credit

    I think the "credit for life experiences" phrase leads to a misunderstanding of the process. One is proving that you have attained the skills and knowledge equivalent to a specific college level course through experience.
    The college course is elementary cooking. One may be able to demonstrate that they have attained the skills, knowledge and proficiencies of elementary cooking, through ten years experience as a chef. However, twenty years of experience does not double the knowledge, skills and proficiencies.
    So think of it as demonstrating that a specific college level couse, has had the knowledge, skills and proficiencies mastered through a process of experience, that is documentable.
    All the best!
     
  10. Lawrie Miller

    Lawrie Miller New Member

    Re: Thanks for the responses......

    From BA in 4 Weeks Overview of assessment process . . . legitimate ways of earning U.S. college credit


    SUMMARY

    "Credit can only be awarded or earned by credit transfer from a regionally accredited institution, from a foreign institution (once credit has been properly evaluated for equivalency), for some ACE evaluated certifications, or otherwise earned by demonstration of competencies.

    Competency in a subject can be demonstrated by sitting and passing a prescribed standardized exam, or by submission of a portfolio which provides evidence of your proficiency in a subject that has a corollary in some college level course offered by a regionally accredited institution."


    and on portfolio credit . . .

    PORTFOLIO CREDIT

    "It should be noted that examinations are not the only route to college credit. Portfolio assessment is one alternative. This method requires that you map some demonstrable skill to a college credit course. For instance, assembly language programming 301 and (say) microprocessor systems design and peripheral interfacing 457 (from XYZ university) course requirements might be met and competency demonstrated by presenting narrative, source code, and schematic, of a Z80 based single board computer you designed in the 1980s (liberal arts credit - engineering credit would be time limited). You may have written a killer budget report for financial year 1995/1996 that could be used in evidence to garner credit in the equivalent Financial Management course FIN3AXD at UCLA. Alternatively, you may just play the banjo like a banshee and have sniffed out a college credit course that maps to that demonstrable skill. The key point is that the competency for which you request credit must have a corollary in some accredited college course. You choose the course and the college. Very flexible. "


    Lawrie Miller
    BA in 4 Weeks
    http://geocities.com/BA_in_4_Weeks

    .
     
  11. OracleGuy

    OracleGuy New Member

    From their web site:

    " Empire State College does not award credit for experience. Credit is granted for verifiable college level learning, either knowledge or skills, acquired through life or work experience, not for the experience itself. For example, a student who has worked as an office manager for ten years will not be awarded credit for having ten years of office experience, but might earn credit for the ability to demonstrate learning about office administration, supervision and office technology. "

    http://www.esc.edu/ESConline/Across_ESC/assessment.nsf/3cc42a422514347a8525671d0049f395/54121864c0d4809a8525679700660351?OpenDocument

    Again, any school that swaps credit for experience should start warning bells ringing.

    Cheers...Randy
     
  12. RonW

    RonW New Member

    Poor terminology

    Hi everyone, Yeah, I knew that "credit for life experiences" was not a good phrase to describe what I was looking for. I guess it was stuck in my mind from all the diploma mills' advertising.lol You are all giving me a wealth of info here and I am working my way through it. Keep'um coming, if you have more ideas. THanks again, Ron
     
  13. Hille

    Hille Active Member

    TESC and portfolios

    Hello, I suggest you check my posts about portfolios that worked and didn't work for my husband. He graduated from TESC July 2002. I would also suggest when you identify a specific class you arrange the porfolio to match the table of contents in a text on the topic. Please feel free to e-mail me and good luck on the journey. Hille
     
  14. John Spies

    John Spies Member

    Hille, off the subject, but why did your husband choose TESC over Excelsior or COSC? Just curious.....
     

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