TESC PLAs using Saylor courses

[EllisGrant]

Has anyoe submitted a PLA with Saylor courses as part of the evidence? I'm wondering if you have to do as much writing if you've gone through the entire Saylor course and proctored exam. I'm guessing that the answer is yes, but I'm hoping that it is no. I'd love to hear the details.

Thanks,
Ellis

[sanantone]

You don't have to do any writing for the Saylor courses, but you do have to write a lot for PLAs. I wouldn't complete a PLA for a Saylor course that is ACE or NCCRS-approved.

[SweetSecret]

I will be doing PLAs with TESC over the summer using Saylor's free course to fulfill the PLA-100 requirement. My understanding though is you only want to do PLA courses for what is not already available through a TECEP, Saylor ACE/NCCRS approved course, or other exam. I haven't heard anyone say that writing is required for the Saylor or Kaplan PLA course, but you will probably need to do some writing to document your learning when you turn your paperwork into TESC to earn credit.

[SweetSecret]

I just spoke to Todd Siben at TESC this afternoon, who told me that the Saylor PLA course (nor the Kaplan PLA course) can be used as replacements for TESC's PLA100/200 courses, and therefore will not give students access to the PLA/Portfolio review process. I have sent an e-mail to Mr. Siben & cc'd the Assistant Dean of my program with a link to the Saylor website showing that Saylor has said their PLA course can be used in the following manner:

"use the open courses to prepare portfolios for assessment and forgo the for-credit versions (you can take another Saylor Academy elective to make up the credits)
Source: Open Course Option in Business Administration Now More Open Than Ever | Saylor Academy

which I believe many of us took to mean that we could use Saylor's PLA courses and skip the TESC PLA courses. I have basically let them know that if we can't use the Saylor PLA to fulfill the TESC PLA, then someone needs to make sure that Saylor clarifies that.

I was also told by Mr. Siben that the majority of the courses I wanted to do PLA/Portfolios on, TESC couldn't handle due to faculty not having knowledge in those areas, even though the courses were based on courses at other regionally accredited colleges.

[sanantone]

I just spoke to Todd Siben at TESC this afternoon, who told me that the Saylor PLA course (nor the Kaplan PLA course) can be used as replacements for TESC's PLA100/200 courses, and therefore will not give students access to the PLA/Portfolio review process. I have sent an e-mail to Mr. Siben & cc'd the Assistant Dean of my program with a link to the Saylor website showing that Saylor has said their PLA course can be used in the following manner:

"use the open courses to prepare portfolios for assessment and forgo the for-credit versions (you can take another Saylor Academy elective to make up the credits)
Source: Open Course Option in Business Administration Now More Open Than Ever | Saylor Academy

which I believe many of us took to mean that we could use Saylor's PLA courses and skip the TESC PLA courses. I have basically let them know that if we can't use the Saylor PLA to fulfill the TESC PLA, then someone needs to make sure that Saylor clarifies that.

I was also told by Mr. Siben that the majority of the courses I wanted to do PLA/Portfolios on, TESC couldn't handle due to faculty not having knowledge in those areas, even though the courses were based on courses at other regionally accredited colleges.

Todd Siben is something else. The man is always confused. He told me himself that they would accept PLA courses from other schools. His only warning was that other schools' PLA courses would not be aligned with TESC's portfolio requirements. He also said that students can just go through the Saylor course even though they wouldn't receive credit. Marc Singer confirmed with the registrar on 01/02/2015 that the Kaplan course would be accepted in place of PLA 100/200. Marc Singer's position is higher than Todd Siben's. Marc Singer is the Vice Provost for the Center of Assessment of Learning. Todd Siben is the Assistant Director of the Office of Prior Learning, Portfolio Assessment which is an office within the Center of Assessment of Learning.

Edit: I sent an email to Marc Singer to get clarification. I hope he responds without forwarding the email to someone else. I'm still waiting to see if I will receive credits for a PLA completed at ESC. According to Siben and other TESC employees, one does not have to complete any introductory PLA course if one already successfully earned PLA credits at another school. Didn't you complete PLAs at other schools, SweetSecret? If I don't receive credits from ESC, then my backup plan was to either use Saylor or Kaplan.

[SweetSecret]

always confused

In general, that is my issue with academic advisers or anyone else at most colleges. Someone always seems to not have the full information.

Marc Singer's position is higher than Todd Siben's. Marc Singer is the Vice Provost for the Center of Assessment of Learning. Todd Siben is the Assistant Director of the Office of Prior Learning, Portfolio Assessment which is an office within the Center of Assessment of Learning.

Edit: I sent an email to Marc Singer to get clarification. I hope he responds without forwarding the email to someone else. I'm still waiting to see if I will receive credits for a PLA completed at ESC. According to Siben and other TESC employees, one does not have to complete any introductory PLA course if one already successfully earned PLA credits at another school. Didn't you complete PLAs at other schools, SweetSecret? If I don't receive credits from ESC, then my backup plan was to either use Saylor or Kaplan.

Let me know what you find out on this from Marc Singer, as I looked at some article from Saylor that he was quoted in and almost included it in my e-mail.

Yes, I already have PLA/Portfolio credits from the Art Institute, which were based on my art/computer graphics portfolio and theatre credits as well. I've never taken a course that shows you how to prepare PLAs/Portfolios, as I just always had the work.

It also seems odd to me that Mr. Siben is telling me they don't have staff to review certain courses, like the Sex Work & Sex Trafficking, when clearly they have allowed PLAs into their database that revolve around gender, access discrimination and the same sort of general issues. I think this may simply be a matter of no one has approached them about such a controversial PLA course topic before, and it's possible that maybe he doesn't realize that whomever reviews the gender studies PLA courses might actually know something about this topic to be able to review it and some of my other PLAs.

[sanantone]

Almost anyone who teaches criminal justice or sociology courses should be able to review your portfolios.

[sanantone]

I thought I'd link to Marc Singer's posts on this forum. The latest one is a year old; but, like I said, he reaffirmed this information just a few months ago.

http://www.degreeforum.net/general-educa...post165998

http://www.degreeforum.net/excelsior-tho...print.html

[EllisGrant]

I am still confused about the PLA process. If I were to complete a Saylor course which isn't ACE or NCCRS approved, but that is part of the ASBA aligned program I still have to create a portfolio and write a 5-7 page paper on what I learned? That seems like more effort than testing out (assuming there is an equivalent test). Does anyone have an old successful TESC PLA portfolio that I could take a look at?

Thanks,
Ellis

[sanantone]

Marc Singer responded to me on a Saturday!

Thanks for contacting me about this. I'm sorry about the confusion. Yes, you can go through the open version of the PLA-100 and PLA-200 courses instead of taking our courses. Here's the problem: the unique thing about PLA-200 is that as you go through the credit-bearing version, you get feedback from the mentor on how to focus your narrative, how to gather evidence, etc. The open versions don't provide any such interaction. The PLA-200 course is intended to make sure that by the time you submit your portfolio, you've learned how to make one, how to make your case, address the learning outcomes, etc. If you do the open version, we can't guarantee that what you submit is the kind of thing that would earn credit. (Not that there are any guaranteed if you take the credit version, of course.)

The Kaplan course can be used in lieu of PLA-100 and PLA-200, yes. Again, though the course is college-level, I cannot vouch for its alignment with our portfolio process. For instance, PLA-200 has an assignment in which you submit a Declaration of Intent form, which allows us to identify the appropriate learning outcomes, and find a subject-matter expert who can evaluate your portfolio. You could do this without PLA-200, but it throws the timing off. There are other issues too--for example, the PLA-200 course also addresses some of the College's administrative policies and technical questions you might have in doing a portfolio. But yes, Kaplan's course does equate to our PLA-100 and PLA-200, and the credit should be the same. As I say, though, I'd recommend PLA-200.

As for the student who wants to have her portfolio in sex trafficking reviewed, we always try to find someone who is a subject matter expert to review any college-level portfolio that a student wants to submit. However, it is not always possible. I don't know whether the Office has exhausted all its options. I will try to find out where things stand. But very occasionally, maybe twice a year, we are unable to find the appropriate person to review a portfolio.

I'm not sure I understand your comment about Empire State. Could you clarify?

I hope this helps.

Regards,
Marc Singer

I also asked him if PLA-100 and PLA-200 would be waived if I earned credits by PLA at ESC. He said yes. This means that you don't need to complete any kind of introductory PLA course if you earned credits by PLA at another school.

P.S. Todd Siben should be fired or demoted, in my opinion.