Job interviews. Performance appraisals. Applicant selection for admission into an educational institution. Auditions for film or theatrical productions. Review of articles for publication. These are examples of assessment — a situation where one person, either in direct or indirect contact with another person, consciously interprets information about the knowledge, skills or abilities of that individual. In this regard, assessment of prior learning is no different than these examples of assessment prevalent in our society, and you may find PLAR assessors working in human resources, in government or community agencies or in educational settings.
The assessment of prior learning has no value unless the assessor has content expertise or is an acknowledged specialist in the field. In other words, those who assess must have the required knowledge, skills and attitudes related to the learning that is being assessed.
Assessors may assess the competencies of an academic candidate or an internationally trained professional or worker. The assessor could be the gatekeeper in a regulatory body, or a supervisor in a factory. To ensure government or professional standards are maintained, the identification or development of Prior Learning tools is vital to this assessment role.
Key Outcomes for PLAR Assessors
- Products and methods of assessment are designed to be inclusive and accessible.
- Learning outcomes or workplace expectations describe performances that are observable and can be measured.
- Evaluations focus on relevant application of the essential knowledge, skills, attitudes.
- Measurement of performance criteria is fair, clear and rigorous (comparable to what one learns on the job or in a course of study).
- Teams of Advisors, Assessors and Administrators are collaborating effectively and efficiently for the benefit of both the individual and the organization.
Skills, Knowledge and Attitudes of the PLAR Assessor
In addition to the Common Competencies, the PLAR Assessor is able to:
Note:
Competency statements in black have been reproduced with permission from the PLAR Practitioner Competency Profile and Self-Assessment Tool based on the PLAR Practitioner DACUM Occupational Analysis, Red River College of Applied Arts, Science and Technology, 2002.
Competency statements in light blue represent a compilation from international resources and CAPLA’s Developing Benchmarks for Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition – Practitioner Perspectives: Guidelines for the Canadian Practitioner, 2000.
C-1 : Assess the learning and competencies of the individual
| C-1.1 : | identify and use standards in designing learning outcomes or performance expectations |
| C-1.2 : | ensure criteria are transparent |
| C-1.3 : | state criteria for assessment |
| C-1.4 : | recognize equivalent learning |
| C-1.5 : | collaborate in the development of an assessment plan |
| C-1.6 : | use a variety of assessment tools |
| C-1.7 : | review evidence with the individual |
| C-1.8 : | verify authenticity of evidence |
| C-1.9 : | validate evidence |
| C-1.10 : | apply assessment criteria |
| C-1.11 : | assess to level of competence for the learning outcome(s) or standard(s) of performance for the occupation or workplace |
| C-1.12 : | apply flexible yet rigorous assessment practices |
| C-1.13 : | evaluate evidence and provide feedback |
| C-1.14 : | document relevant observations and answers to questions |
| C-1.15 : | make reasoned judgments on evidence |
| C-1.16 : | provide and document rationale for decisions |
| C-1.17 : | identify learning gaps |
| C-1.18 : | determine credit awards or competence level |
| C-1.19 : | provide post-assessment guidance |
| C-1.20 : | identify a process for individuals to appeal an assessment decision |
Back to PLAR Practitioner Common Competencies and Other Roles or learn more about the knowledge, skills and abilities of the PLAR Advisor or PLAR Administrator.
An Invitation
To advance the practice of PLAR in Canada, RFL encourages ongoing learning and professional development and invites you to navigate through this site to learn more. Wherever you work, whatever your role, you might like to:- Self-assess your skills and knowledge about PLAR
- Look for training to enhance your PLAR skills under the Library or PLAR Resources sections of this site