Dwell in possibility: PLAR and e-portfolios in the age of information and communication technologies

Judith O Brown

doi:10.19173/irrodl.v12i1.917

Abstract

Emily Dickinson wrote, “I dwell in Possibility—A fairer House than Prose—More Numerous of Windows—Superior—for Doors” (p. 657). Dickinson’s simple yet profound reference to the expansive nature of poetry over prose may be taken as a metaphor for the possibilities of information and communication technologies (ICTs) over written modes of expression. Whether we identify with this analogy or not, what we can say today with some certainty is that the advent of ICTs has impacted prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) by expanding the potential for knowledge acquisition, expression, and delivery.   The purpose of this article is to examine the potential of experiential learning e-portfolios to promote connections between several different types of learning – academic, workplace, and web-based. The author contends that this type of PLAR enables undergraduate adult learners to not only articulate and equate experiential learning to academic knowledge but also, and most importantly, to demonstrate knowledge visually and audibly through the utilization of ICTs. Two pilot case studies of e-portfolio development are described to support the author’s position.

Highlights

The experiential learning portfolio in adult higher education, unlike the academic or teaching portfolio, is a purposeful compilation of document-supported descriptions of learning outcomes acquired from professional and personal experiences (Brown, 2005)
As shown elsewhere (Brown, 2002; Brown, McCrink, & Maybee, 2004; Mandell & Michelson, 2004; Timmons, 2008), prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) portfolios hold the promise of learning outcomes beyond the identification of prior learning for college credit
The same can be said when comparing the development of a paper experiential learning portfolio with the development of an e-portfolio

Summary

Introduction

The experiential learning portfolio in adult higher education, unlike the academic or teaching portfolio, is a purposeful compilation of document-supported descriptions of learning outcomes acquired from professional and personal experiences (Brown, 2005). Paper media experiential learning portfolios have been utilized in the United States in adult undergraduate programs since the late 1960s (Michelson & Mandell, 2004). Portfolios are prevalent in adult higher education in Canada, Great Britain, Australia, the European Union, and South Africa (Evans, 1999; Osmam, 2003). Portfolios may satisfy entrance or college credit requirements. The learner evaluates and documents learning from real-world settings and equates it to academic knowledge gained in higher education. Faculty evaluators assess students’ assertions of learning and determine credit awards

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Discussion

Conclusion