bodner089

I’ve written before about credit for prior learning.   Last week, Inside Higher Education had a piece about a significant partnership between 14 universities in the Pennsylvania State University System of Higher Education and the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) that will facilitate the assessment of prior learning, through CAEL’s Learning Counts service. You can read about the initiative at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/08/23/pas-public-universities-open-doors-prior-learning-credits .   Note that, like most reputable prior learning assessment programs with which I’m familiar, it is portfolio based, and with CAEL’s strong reputation, there is no reason to doubt that prior learning can be matched to specific university courses in a reliable manner. Understanding how credit for prior learning fits into a comprehensive strategy to serve adult learners is important.   Remember, other than flagship public institutions and elite pr...

At the risk of appearing to be an alarmist, I want to project an even more challenging future than I suggested in my last post.   To that end, I strongly encourage you to watch a new online video, Epic 2020, at www.epic2020.org .   It was developed by a friend of mine, Bill Sams, and regardless of how you react to the message, keep in mind that it is attracting a lot of attention.   You might also read a commentary by Sams, in eCampus News , at http://www.ecampusnews.com/technologies/opinion-charging-for-knowledge-is-antiquated/ .   Epic 2020 projects radical change in higher education, building from the effects of the so-called “student loan bubble,” unsustainable business practices at colleges and universities, and the potential power of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).   However, in my opinion, Bill’s most intriguing and provocative points relate to the emergence of alternative certifications and the argument that hig...