Portfolio Guide

CONTENTS
Acknowledgements.......................................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION
Portfolio Development: The Cornerstone of the
Prior Learning Assessment Process........................................................................................2
THE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.................................................................5

What is A Portfolio?...............................................................................................................7
What Goes Into A Portfolio....................................................................................................8
What Objectives Will I Accomplish as a Result of Participating in the
PLA Process via the Development of a Portfolio...................................................................8
What Are The Steps in the Portfolio Development/Evaluation Process?..............................9
What Is the Role of the Portfolio Resource Person..............................................................10
How Is Credit/Recognition Awarded for Prior Learning?...................................................10
PART I The Chronological Record.....................................................................................12

Sample I...........................................................................................................14
Sample II..........................................................................................................16
PART II Life History............................................................................................................19

Sample.............................................................................................................27
PART III The Goals Paper.....................................................................................................32

Reasons for Setting Goals................................................................................33
What Does the Goals Paper Have To Do With
PLA and Portfolio Development.....................................................................35
Factors to Consider In Goal Setting.................................................................35
Criteria for Goals.............................................................................................36
Steps in Setting Goals......................................................................................38
Writing the Goals Paper...................................................................................38
Sample Goals Paper.........................................................................................39
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Educational Planning.......................................................................................41
Education Training Plan Worksheet................................................................44
Education Plan Worksheet...............................................................................45
PART IV The Core of the Portfolio - The Narrative of Competencies.................................46

Learning Experience Worksheet......................................................................49
Sample Learning Experience Worksheet.........................................................51
Course Training List Worksheet......................................................................55
Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Objectives..................................................59
Writing Learning Outcomes............................................................................61
Steps for Writing A Competency....................................................................66
Sample Competency Worksheet......................................................................68
Competency Worksheet...................................................................................70
PART V Documentation.......................................................................................................75
Evidence Continuum.......................................................................................78
Sample - Letter Requesting Documentation....................................................83
Sample - Background Information..................................................................84
Sample I - Verification Letter - Appropriate as Documentation.....................85
Sample II - Recommendation Letter - Inadequate as Documentation............86
PART VI Assembling the Portfolio.......................................................................................88

Sample - Cover Letter......................................................................................91
PART VII The Evaluation of the Portfolio.............................................................................92

Request For Evaluation....................................................................................96
Challenge Evaluation Form.............................................................................97
APPENDICES...........................................................................................................................98
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This is the second edition of the guide and it represents an attempt to broaden its focus to include
occupation and workplace-based assessment. It is designed to provide those adults who
participate in the prior learning assessment process with some tangible support and useful
information to assist in this challenging and rewarding task.
It is by no means a final product nor is it an original piece of work. It is a compendium of
materials and ideas drawn from a variety of sources. There are literally hundreds of
organizations, individual adult educators, post-secondary institutions and workplaces across
North America and indeed throughout the world that are making important contributions to both
the theory and practice of prior learning assessment and adult education.
Paul Zakos
FNTI
March, 2003
PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

For Education, Vocational and Career Planning Page 1
PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT: THE
CORNERSTONE OF THE PRIOR
LEARNING ASSESSMENT PROCESS

The introduction of prior learning assessment has been one of the most significant occurrences in
education in the past twenty years.
Post secondary institutions are faced with increasing numbers of older adults re-entering the
education system. As well, there is increased emphasis on the need for continuously upgrading
the skills and knowledge of the existing workforce in a highly competitive global economy.
These institutions must also contend with a more diverse, steadily increasing adult population
caused in part by changes in immigration policies and a decline in Canada’s birth rate.
Given such circumstances prior learning assessment is indeed a timely and appropriate strategy.
It recognizes that adult learners enter educational institutions with rich clusters of post-secondary
level skill and knowledge gained from a variety of experiences. Acknowledging the educational
validity of prior learning and equating it to the outcomes of post-secondary courses or workplace
competencies recognizes adults ability to learn important skills and knowledge outside of school
and enriches our educational institutions.
A key element in the prior learning assessment process is the preparation of the portfolio. This
document is a major piece of work and its completion requires a high level of commitment and
strong motivation by the adult learner.
The portfolio is widely recognized as an essential ingredient in a multi-faceted service for adult
development not only for earning potential college credit, but also for assisting with career
change, increasing self-esteem and confidence and organizing one's lifetime accomplishments.
The portfolio process itself provides some specific components that not only help adults to
identify relevant prior learning but also facilitate re-entry into post-secondary education and
possible vocational change. A growing number of learners seeking credit for prior learning will
likely have been away from school for several years. Many of them may lack confidence in their
ability to learn and will need guidance and support as they attempt to dispel any previously
acquired negative attitudes associated with formal learning. The process of identifying one's
prior learning via the portfolio route is a rigorous task and in the initial stages it is usually
confusing and difficult for most learners. With appropriate support however, it can be an
extremely affirming experience and a significant exercise in critical thinking. Consequently it is
especially important to provide some formal support mechanisms to assist adult learners with
this demanding task. Among the range of options are: counselling, mentoring, education/career
alternatives and self-instructional materials. Adults should also be provided with clear
information concerning the steps involved in the process of assessment including examples of
portfolio materials.
The process used to orient adult learners to the PLAR process is in itself an important learning
event. It serves as a form of instruction for one of the most important and basic learning
activities: identifying how one learns and in the post-secondary area it usually takes the form of
a credit course. In addition to enhancing the adult's awareness of his/her learning style, the
activity is a vital link between the assessment of prior learning and the identification of future
learning and career development plans. The PLAR process has many other advantages: it signals
that post-secondary institutions employers and credentialing bodies are serious about the way
they treat the adult learner and acknowledges the value of the learning which they bring both to
the workplace and the educational institution.
In the educational area an assessment course which has credit value also makes a clear and direct

statement about the educational worth of the assessment process to the learner, the institution
and the community which it serves. The portfolio course is a useful method of monitoring one's
progress, providing support and assistance as necessary.
The fact that learning is assessed as being creditable is not generally a sufficient basis for the
granting of credit. In most cases the validity of evaluating a learning experience for credit and
recognition depends upon a clearly demonstrated relationship to a specific diploma program or
course objectives and workplace competencies. The preparation of the portfolio is widely
reported to be an empowering learning experience for the adult learner, by adding value for the
learner via increased positive self-knowledge. It also enhances the adult learner’s basic
understanding of the assessment of learning and tends to reinforce the individual’s ability and
skill in accepting responsibility for his/her own learning and of the mutual accountability with
the faculty.
Enhanced self-esteem and a more informed understanding of the processes involved in self-
assessment are in themselves significant learning outcomes in a society in which four or five
career changes over the course of one's lifetime are predicted to be the norm for many adults.

The assessment of prior learning is an experience unique to each person who undertakes the
challenge. In the process of developing your own personalized portfolio you will be involved in
a demanding and intense experience designed to renew your appreciation of who you are and
where you are going.
During this interesting and challenging activity, you will work toward accomplishing the
following goals:
1. Identify your learning from experience
2. Match your learning to specific courses/competencies
3. Identify your education/career goals
4. Develop an education/career plan
5. Identify your best prior learning assessment options
6. Develop your portfolio of prior learning
Initially, you will be helped you identify your learning from a variety of different experiences
which may include work, seminars, workshops, self-study, continuing education and volunteer
activities.
We will also help you match your learning to specific courses and/or competencies. It is
important to keep in mind that while all experiences are a source of learning, not all learning is
able to be credited. We will help you identify your learning related to education and career
goals and help you demonstrate how it compares your educational, career or vocational
objectives.
You will be assisted to identify the best educational and/or career direction for you to follow in
light of your prior experiences and your future goals, academically and/or professionally.
You will be helped to design an education and career plan to guide you as you pursue your
learning goals.
We will help you to identify the best method or methods for you to use to match your learning
against specific outcomes or competencies depending upon whether you are seeking post-
secondary credits or workplace-based recognition.
There are several possible methods from which to choose. They are as follows: Standardized
Tests, Review of Transcripts; Licenses and Certificates; Challenge Exams; Portfolio
Review; Oral Exam/Discussion; Performance Observation; Skills Demonstration/ Product
Assessment and Program Review.
Portfolio Development is the most comprehensive method for organizing one's learning. As you
know a portfolio is a written document used to describe learning acquired through life
experience and to enable that learning to be evaluated for college course equivalency or
recognition of workplace-based competencies.
A main goal of this manual is to help you develop your own portfolio of prior learning.
In essence, most PLA processes involve matching one's previously required learning to some
pre-determined standards. This means that, with the assistance of your PLA facilitator, you will
identify specific competencies/courses for which you wish to request credit evaluation. For
example, as a computer programmer, you may want to request evaluation for credit for
Introduction to Computers. If you have given many presentations, you may want to request

evaluation for credit for Effective Speaking I. In relation to occupational competencies, for
example, you may wish to demonstrate the skills needed to qualify for a specific licence or
certificate. e.g. cook or electrician.
It is very important to understand that you do NOT receive credit for experience, but you DO
receive credit for LEARNING that has occurred from prior experience. This learning can be
defined as learning that 1) is measurable; 2) demonstrates a level of achievement defined by
faculty or subject matter experts; 3) has a knowledge base; 4) is conceptual as well as practical;
and 5) has a relationship to education/career goals.
NOTE: Clear, concise writing is essential to an effective presentation of your learning.

Enrolment in a basic English course may be advisable if you have doubts about your
writing skills. We are also prepared to work with you as part of preparing your materials
for assessment using the various components, to help hone your writing skills if they are
a bit "rusty".
NOTE: Keep in mind that successful completion of the portfolio in no way should be
interpreted as a guarantee that the content of your learning will automatically receive
credit or recognition. Only appropriate faculty evaluators and/or subject matter
experts can make that judgement.
WHAT IS A PORTFOLIO?
The portfolio is the formal document which defines learning acquired through a variety of
formal and informal learning experiences. It is used to request formal credit/recognition for your
learning from experience.
Portfolio preparation is an exercise in self-evaluation, introspection, analysis, and synthesis. It is
an educational experience in itself. It requires you to relate your past learning experiences to
your education and career goals, to exhibit critical self-analysis, and to demonstrate your ability
to organize documentation in a clear, concise manner.
After you have made the decision to seek formal credit/recognition through the PLA
process, it is a good idea to begin to identify as clearly as possible, your academic and
career goals. The portfolio process demands that you give some thought to the
requirements needed to achieve these goals and how you will go about accomplishing
this task. For example, if you are unable to pursue your educational goals via full time
study, will enough courses be available on a part-time basis for you to accomplish your
goals? One of the prime uses of the portfolio development process is to assist you to
make a clearer decision about which course of action is most appropriate for you to
pursue. Additional educational and career counseling may be useful in assisting you in
making the best possible choices.

WHAT GOES INTO A PORTFOLIO?
Although the portfolio is in many ways a highly individualized portrayal of your own unique
experiences and learning, there is a certain prescribed format to be followed. The portfolio
consists of:
1) a “Cover Letter”, which states your request for post-secondary credits and/or formal
recognition of your skills and competencies
*2) a 4-5 page “Life History” (autobiography) which outlines the important events of your
life - the events which helped shape you into who you are today
3) a “Goals Paper”, which describes your personal, career and educational goals
*4) a year-by-year “Chronological Record” of your experiences since high school (or age
18) up to the present time - usually a sentence or two for each year
5) the “Competency” (learning match), which provides concise statements of experience
and of the resulting learning, as it relates to a particular course of study or workplace-
based competencies
6) “Documentation” of the learning experience supporting each competency described
*These two components are optional. Some adults may decide that they do not have the time
necessary to complete these elements of the portfolio development process.
While you will become familiar with each page and document of your portfolio, those evaluating
your portfolio do not have this advantage. Therefore, it is most important that you follow this
format, developing a carefully organized and written portfolio so that a stranger would be able to
follow it logically and identify supporting documentation easily.
WHAT OBJECTIVES WILL I ACCOMPLISH AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN

THE PLA PROCESS VIA THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PORTFOLIO?
A major outcome of the Portfolio Development process is the identification, articulation and
documentation of competency statements. Preparing a portfolio is an unfamiliar, laborious, yet
rewarding task. It should have special relevance for you as you begin to examine your life,
seeing it as a series of interwoven learning experiences, a sequence of milestones along the path
of your development. Accordingly, the outcome of the Portfolio Development process is much
more than the completion of a portfolio for formal evaluation and potential credit for prior
learning. It is hoped this process will also allow you to enhance your self-esteem and your
self-concept as a learner and your ability to clarify and reach important life/work goals. In
addition, the portfolio itself is an excellent record of your effectiveness in a variety of life/work
situations, suitable for presentation to prospective employers and others interested in your skills
and competencies.

As a result of participating in the PLA process, you should be able to:
- describe the conditions needed for participating in the portfolio development process,
the basic elements of the portfolio development/evaluation process, and the role of the
mentor/resource person
- clarify the importance and purpose of the portfolio in relation to the identification,
articulation, documentation and evaluation of your learning against college and/or
workplace competencies
- recognize the value and legitimacy of learning from experience
- appreciate that learning is indeed a lifelong process
*- write a 4-5 page Life History about yourself
*- prepare a 1-2 page Chronological Record
- set life/career goals and priorities
- write a 2-page Goals Paper
- differentiate between “theoretical” learning and “practical” learning, to understand
the expectations of faculty evaluators and/or subject matter experts in the workplace
- assess your own skills and knowledge competence
- prepare competency statements for courses/competencies you wish to submit for
evaluation
- demonstrate understanding of the principles of documentation of your own prior
learning and provide at least 3 documentation alternatives for each learning
description you record in your portfolio
- describe and document competence developed through experience
- assemble your own portfolio of life and career accomplishments for submission to
faculty evaluators, prospective employers or others interested in appraising your
competence
- develop an educational plan for achieving your education/career goals
* These two components are optional.
WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN THE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION

PROCESS?
With the help of your portfolio course instructor and staff members you will work through the
following steps in the portfolio development process:
1) You will reflect on your prior experiences and examine what you have learned.

2) You will clarify your educational, career, and personal objectives in the light of past
growth/experiences, and develop an education/career plan.
3) With the assistance of the portfolio resource person you will identify and record
learning you have acquired from a variety of sources, and relate it to specific post-
secondary and/or workplace courses and competencies to demonstrate equivalency.
4) You will document the learning for which you are seeking credit and/or recognition.
5) You will complete the portfolio, which includes a statement of educational, career and
personal objectives, *a chronological record, *a life history paper, a clarification of
experiences and related learning, and supportive documentation. The portfolio will
demonstrate how the learning is related to particular courses and/or competencies.
Your specific request for credit/recognition related to your identified learning is also
included.
6) The portfolio will be reviewed by the portfolio resource person and returned to you
with specific comments, for revisions or corrections as warranted.
7) You may be required to pay for the individual evaluation of each competency you
have developed, especially if you are seeking post-secondary credits.
8) The portfolio will be evaluated by faculty and/or subject matter experts based on the
type of credit/recognition requested.
9) If post-secondary credit is awarded, it will be recorded on your college transcript in
the manner in which the grades are recorded in that institution (e.g. letter or number).
The grade achieved will be included as part of your grade point average.
* These two items are optional.
WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PORTFOLIO RESOURCE PERSON?

The main function of the portfolio resource person is to advise you about the basic principles
and steps of the portfolio development process and to assist you in the preparation of materials
for assessment.
The portfolio resource person will provide you with technical assistance, support, and direction
in the development of the portfolio. Your portfolio should ultimately be approved by this person
after sufficient review/discussion of your work and prior to the finished product being passed
along for formal assessment.
HOW IS CREDIT/RECOGNITION AWARDED FOR PRIOR LEARNING?

It is important to remember that you do not receive formal credit/recognition for experience.
Instead, credit and recognition is granted for verifiable learning growing out of experience. In
other words, credit will be granted for the learning, either knowledge or skills, acquired from a
variety of experiences, not for the experiences themselves. For example, Bill has had ten years'
experience as a sales manager. He will not be awarded credit for his ten years of selling
experience, but rather on the basis of his ability to demonstrate what he has learned about
salesmanship that relates to college-level learning courses or specific workplace-based
competencies. The reason for this is that Bill may have learned very little after the first year that

can be equated to college or workplace competencies. Remember, it is your responsibility to
identify the learning outcomes resulting from the experience. The portfolio resource person
and others, including colleagues can often assist you with this task.
When you have identified your learning from experience, you then match it to specific outcomes
of post-secondary courses or workplace competencies. The next step in the process is to prepare
a narrative, describing how you learned (prior experience), and what you have learned in
relation to specific outcomes and competencies of courses or occupations. This narrative, along
with your documentation, well be sent to the appropriate evaluator who will decide whether or
not to award credit for your competencies. Please note that the evaluator, after reading your
portfolio, may request additional work from you in order to demonstrate (or increase) your
competence in the specific area being evaluated. To that end you may be requested to enter into
a learning contract which outlines the specific competencies needed before credit/recognition
can be granted.

PART I
THE CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD

The portfolio is a document about you and what you have learned over the course of your
lifetime. A good way to start the assessment process is by trying to remember what those
experiences have been. You will do this by preparing a “Chronological Record”.
The Chronological Record is a year-by-year account of what you have been doing since high
school or since age 18. For each year, list what you consider to be the important happenings in
your life. You might include:
- employment
- military experience
- schools attended
- seminars/workshops
- volunteer involvement
- major life events (marriage, the birth of children, moving, divorce, etc.)
The Chronological Record is a way to begin to organize all your experiences. The format is
simple - using one or two sentences, starting with an action verb, describe the important events
of that year. (Please indicate both city and provincial locations.)
Preparing your Chronological Record will take time. At this point in the process you may be
unsure what you should list. Initially it may be difficult to determine dates and events for the
years since high school. The more information you include, the more helpful your
Chronological Record will be as you identify significant learning experiences. You will
continue to update and modify entries over the next couple of weeks, as you become more
familiar with what is useful.
Your Chronological Record can help to provide the evaluator with an overview of your
experiences.
Samples of two Chronological Records appear on the pages which follow.

Sample I - Bobbi R.
CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD
1975 Graduated Grade 12, E.L. Crossley Secondary School, Fonthill. Robbed at knife point
while working at a gas station. Married high school sweetheart, relocated to Hamilton.
1976 Graduated Grade 13, Hamilton Collegiate Institute. Worked as an assistant to the
purchasing agent during summer at a steel fabricating company, Arcan Eastern.
1977 Attended full-time studies at McMaster University, Hamilton. Worked as an assistant to
the purchasing agent at Arcan Eastern during summer. Served on jury duty for two trials.
1978 Separated from husband, changed residence. Had a car accident. co-habited with new
partner, Jimmie (three children). Volunteer for Alternatives for Youth at the Hamilton
Detention Centre.
1979 Graduated B.A. McMaster University, major Psychology. Employed as a Sessional
Instructor Mohawk College, Job Readiness Training Department. Travelled to
Vancouver, B.C. (first trip). Attended Life Skills Coach Conference, Belleville
1980 Travelled to Acapulco Mexico. Hired full-time as a Teaching Master, Mohawk College.
Focus for Change, Women's Program. Volunteer for the Sexual Assault Centre, Public
Education. Attended Life Skills Coach Conference, Barrie
1981 Took all-inclusive trip to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic. Started taking Wen-Do,
Women’s Self Defense training basic and then intermediate classes
1981 Completed Life Skills Coach Training Course (180 hours). Taught Assertiveness
Training at the YWCA, Ottawa Street
1982 Bought first house. Taught Assertiveness Training at Mohawk College, CE
1982 Completed Wen-Do Instructors Intensive Training Program. Taught Wen-Do in the
WITT (Women in Trades & Technology)
1983 Secondment to Counselling Department, Futures Program. Repeated CPR Training.
1984 Successfully defended myself from an attack at a bus stop. Bought a car. Taught Focus
for Change, Kiwanis Campus. Taught aerobics on lunch hour at Kiwanis Rec Centre.
1985 Travelled to Virginia to visit best friend who moved away. Learned to operate table saw
to build recreation room.
1986 Taught Technical Upgrading Program, Mo/Mac Centre. Seriously ill with rheumatoid
arthritis. Implemented Ontario Basic Skills Program, Highview Campus. Enroled in
Masters of Education, Brock University. Partner’s first grandchild (son) was born.
Bought an IBM compatible computer and took Saturday courses at Mohawk. Partner’s
second daughter married, first wedding. Quit smoking New Year’s Eve.

1987 Became a mentor for Life Skills Coaches and worked on the committee to develop a pilot
project for interns requesting accreditation in ALSCO. Travelled to Puerto LaCruz,
Venezuela. Got braces on my teeth.
1988 Taught Focus on Skills, Brantdale Campus. Travelled to Cartagena, Columbia. Repeated
First Aide Training. Attended P.D. workshop on Coping with Change, Facilitator: John
Hosley. Took WHIMIS Training. Completed Small Business Course. Taught Resume
Writing and Career Planning at Firestone, Plant Closure. Decided I was due for a career
change (10 year itch)
1989 Secondment to the Educational Research & Development Office CAATS/Computer
Based learning Project/Interactive Videodisc Technology. Developed lessons and taught
Word Processing to Focus on Skills and ESL students (WP 4.1). Completed my own
portfolio for accreditation by the Association of Life Skills Coaches of Ontario. Attended
Life Skills Conference, Orillia, made a presentation to my intern who received
accreditation in ALSCO. Travelled to Cartagena, Columbia. Attended Strategic Planning
workshop. Took ballroom Dancing I. Received my 10 year award as an employee of
Mohawk College. Partner's son graduated from Medical Imaging and got a job in TO.
Partner's second grandson born.
1990 Took a Caribbean Cruise: (8 Islands). Empty nest, partner's son moved to Toronto to be
closer to work. Took Ballroom Dancing II. Secondment to the ACCESS Department as
Coordinator of Credit for Prior Experiential Learning. Attended Life Skills Conference,
Orillia. Attended workshop on Long Range Planning at Five Oaks, Attended Prior
Learning Assessment Conference, FNTI, Belleville. Attended Prior Learning Assessment
Conference, Montreal. Attended Prior Learning Assessment Conference, CAEL,
Chicago. Took WordPerfect 5.1 Update Course. Graduated Masters of Education, Brock
University, Major: Adult Education. Won the Jack Noble Book Prize for highest
academic standing in M.Ed. Program.
1991 Attended second annual Prior Learning Assessment Conference, FNTI, Belleville.
Travelled to Europe (Belgium, Germany, France). Sold house. Bought a new house,
relocated to Ancaster. Change in reporting structure at College, reporting to Dean C.E.
Presented at CAEL, Prior Learning Assessment Conference, California. Vacationed in
California and Las Vegas.
1992 Presented at third annual Prior Learning Conference, FNTI, Belleville. Member of COR
Pre-implementation Committee. Attended CAEL Conference, Florida. Vacationed in
Florida. Presented at ACAATO. Partner’s granddaughter born. Father-in-law died.
1993 Gave invocation at Graduation.

Sample II - Laura B.
CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD
1967 November - left Essex District High School in grade 11.
1968 Married in February. I was 17, he was 19. Moved from my father's home to an apartment
in Leamington. Obtained full-time position in the kitchen of Leamington District
Memorial Hospital (LDMH). Purchased a new car, 1967 Chevy Malibu.
1969 Accepted full time position in the laboratory at LDMH as housekeeper. Position was
transferred to Housekeeping department within 3 months. Accepted a full time position
as an Assistant Lab Technician, trained on the job by the Chief Lab Technologist.
Returned to school for upgrading to complete grade 12 through Essex County Board of
Education. Took correspondence courses as well as evening classes.
1970 Purchased our first home in Leamington.
1971 Completed Grade 12 equivalent. Purchased a new car, 1970 Mercury Montego MX.
1972 Spent many hours decorating, landscaping and fixing the house.
1973 February - Travelled to Hawaii for a 3 week holiday to celebrate 5th anniversary.
November - Had my first child, a boy. Left my position as Assistant Lab Technician to
stay home with new baby. He was not well during the first year of his life.
1974 Sold the house in Leamington and moved into an apartment in Windsor. Husband went
to school full time and continued working full time at Ford Motor Company in Windsor.
Extremely stressful year, but he completed his grade 12 equivalent. Spent every weekend
shopping for a new home in Windsor.
1975 June - Moved into the perfect house in Windsor. July - Had my second child, a girl.
1976 Attended Continuing Education Courses at St. Clair College in Windsor for General
Interest: Transactional Analysis, Adventures in Attitudes (a 3 day workshop which
involved self analysis and personal goal setting). Took tennis lessons.
Attended a Flower Arranging course through St. Clair College. Had my youngest child, a
boy.
1978 Attended adult confirmation classes at Glenwood United Church in Windsor. Accepted
position as Chairperson of the Baptism Committee. February - Started a small arts and
crafts business with my husband (A & M Woodcrafts). Purchased my own car, 1978
Mercury Zephyr Station Wagon. The auto industry was cutting back staff and husband
quit his job at Ford's to operate the business full time. Sold the house and moved to new
home in the country (10 miles outside of Windsor).

1979 Attended business courses at St. Clair College, Bookkeeping, Marketing and
Salesmanship. The business expanded from retail to wholesale and my sales territory
consisted of Southwestern Ontario. Purchased company vehicle - 1979 MaxiVan. Hired a
full time/live-in housekeeper and nanny.
1980 Displayed A & M Woodcrafts at the Trade Shows in Toronto. Had 10 people on staff.
The business was growing and successful. Opened a retail outlet in Windsor - The Tree
House. Purchased new vehicle, 1980 Mustang. Decided to give up the travelling and
hired a distributor to market our products.
1981 The country was in the middle of a recession, commercial lending rates hit 23%. March -
The distributor declared bankruptcy. December - A & M Woodcrafts declared
bankruptcy. Lost everything we owned, the house, the business, the company vehicle.
1982 January - moved to Cambridge with 3 healthy children and my husband. Husband started
new job as CNC operator with Farris Industries. June - Manufactured product for an Arts
and Craft Show in Windsor. Trailer caught on fire en route, managed to detach the car
but the product was lost. Got the children to safety. September - Obtained a part time
position in Continuing Education with Conestoga College teaching Ontario Management
Development Programme: ES - Communications and Marketing.
1983 August - Started a full time position as Sales Representative for Co-operative Insurance.
Obtained license to sell Life Insurance. Attended training course in general insurance.
Started 2 year programme - Life Underwriters Agents Training Course (LUATC).
1984 January - Purchased a home in Cambridge. July - My husband and I separated after 16
years of marriage. Became a single mother with three children. Decided to keep the
house. Took on additional teaching assignments through Conestoga College: OMDP:
Human Relations, Motivation and Leadership and Administration.
1985 Co-instructed a Women's Transition project for single mothers re-entering the workforce.
Taught the Ontario Basic Skills programme. Did guest speaking for Futures programme -
Self Motivation, Understanding the Basics of Insurance. Completed LUATC. Took a 2
week vacation to Minnesota.
1986 Purchased a lot and started construction on a new home in St. George. Moved in with B.
and his two children in September. Became the mother of 5 children (ages 9 - 15) in a
blended family.
1987 February - Regretfully gave up my position with Co-operators Insurance. Received a
1987 Chrysler Daytona as gift from my parents.
1988 Applied and accepted for adult student status at University of Waterloo: Courses:
Philosophy - Critical Thinking and Local History. Took a 2 week vacation touring Texas,
Mississippi and Louisiana. Accepted 6 month, part time position teaching Ontario Basic
Skills programme at a Drug Rehabilitation Centre. July - Obtained a full time position as
a Commercial Sales Representative with Cowan McVicar Insurance. Obtained my RIBO
license. (Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario).

1989 My youngest son, was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. Admitted to intensive care at
McMaster Hospital. Life and death situation. He survived with no permanent injury.
Attended C.E. at University of Waterloo: Sociology.
1990 Cowan McVicar Insurance has lost numerous major accounts. Laid off as part of reducing
overhead expenses. May - Hired for a one year pilot project as a Programme Coordinator
at CODA (Community Opportunities Development Association). Joined the
Kitchener/Waterloo Women in Networking. Travelled to Tennessee for a one week
Houseboat vacation. Attended courses in Basic Dos and WordPerfect 5.1 at Conestoga
College.
1991 June - Pilot project concluded. July - Started Business Support Services doing consulting
to small business. Accepted teaching assignment at Conestoga College: OMDP -
Effective Supervision - Administration. Attended a 3 day workshop at the Canadian
Industrial Innovation Centre in Waterloo: Teaching Entrepreneurship. Wrote 2 articles for
Cambridge Cityline Magazine on self employment: 1) Starting a small business 2) Home
Alone. Wrote 3 restaurant reviews for the local newspaper the St. George Lance.
Accepted an invitation to sit on the Citizen's Review Committee for the Cambridge
United Way. Received a 1987 Olds Cutlass Cierra as a gift from my parents.
1992 Accepted contract positions at Conestoga College through Training and Development to
conduct Job Search Workshops and pre-employment training programme. Attended one
day seminar for Management and Leadership Skills for Women. Attended a Professional
Development Day for Associate Faculty of Conestoga College. Enroled in C.E.
programme at Mohawk College: Credit for Prior Learning as part of a pilot project for a 2
year General Business Diploma. In the process of developing a new Training and
Development business with a long time acquaintance and previous associate. Member of
the Citizen's Review Committee of Cambridge United Way to assess programmes of
health care related agencies.
1993 Employed by Mohawk college, Job Readiness Training, programme to do sessional
teaching. Accepted contract from Conestoga College to teach OMDP - Effective
Supervision - Human Relations for Toyota Canada employees at Cambridge plant.
Received contracts to write three new manuals for Conestoga College courses:
Entrepreneurial Women - Level I and Level II, and Women at Work. Accepted position
as committee member to co-ordinate a one day conference called Business Success for
Women to be held in November 1993. Currently in the proposal stages to write a study
identifying the gap between training, development and support needs of women
entrepreneurs and available programmes.

PART II

The Chronological Record allows you to recall most of the varied experiences of your life, and
list them in chronological order. However, it is merely a list. It says very little about how the
experiences affected you, or what you learned from them.
The purpose of the Life History Paper is to help you gain a greater understanding of yourself, as
well as to help you reflect upon how you have grown and changed and how you have overcome
obstacles. Busy adults rarely take time to reflect on the ways their experiences have affected
their lives. The Life History Paper enables you, the adult learner, to review the goals, decisions
and learning that you have experienced, and your ongoing development as a person.
Your next step is to reflect on the years since high school or when you were 18. What have you
learned from your experiences? How have you changed? How have you progressed in your job
and in other aspects of your life? How have you changed as a person since you were 18? As busy
adults, we do not always take the time to think about "where we have been" (past experiences
and "where we are going" (future goals and plans). Both are necessary steps as you examine
your prior learning and clarify your goals. Preparing your Life History Paper provides you the
opportunity to thoughtfully examine "where you have been". Laura B.’s Life History Paper is a
concrete example of how one adult learner chose to reflect on the significant events in her life.
There is a great deal of talk these days about adult development, and the stages of adult growth.
A life cycle is what takes place between birth and death in the life of a person; it is his or her
personal history. While each individual is unique, several theorists have attempted to identify
common patterns in the adult life cycle. Are there stages of growth which are common for all
people? What are they, and what do they mean? How are these stages the same and different for
men and women? How do they vary depending on age and racial differences? By understanding
these stages, organizations such as educational institutions, can enhance their ability to facilitate
adult development.
A few different theories of adult development are presented in this section for you to consider as
you evaluate your own life experiences. Remember, there is no one right theory for everyone,
but one or another of these theories will hopefully help you in preparing your Life History
Paper. As you read this section, which ideas seem to relate to your own experiences? Which
ideas are different?

I Daniel Levinson (1978) has done extensive research on the stages of adult development for
Yale Medical School. His findings have suggested that adult development is influenced by an
individual's sociological environment (e.g. work, school, family, friends) and displays itself in
how he/she relates to this environment, in terms of both external behavior and internal
perceptions. Levinson characterized our lives as alternating periods of stability and transition,
which create what he calls our “life structure.”

Learning involves some sort of transition and periods of transition seem to alternate with periods
of stability. Rather than following a strict linear pattern (Figure A) learning and personal growth
seem to move forward between plateaus of stability (Figure B).

THREE TRANSFORMATION THEMES WHICH ARE INTEGRAL
TO GROWTH AND TRANSITION
1. RESISTANCE - none of us easily leave our usual ways of thinking, feeling and doing
things behind. Our “old” world is where the “light” is best and most of us no matter how
wise and mature are a little afraid of the “dark” and that the bogey man might nab us. So
we prefer to stay “under the blanket” of our old worlds.
2. GRIEF - with transformation/change an old order dies and a new one is born. Whether
growth involves a small part of us or our entire being, a loss usually occurs before a gain.
Grieving is often associated with growth but usually overlooked or under estimated in its
influence. Growth and significant change is one of the highlights of our lives - but like
life itself it has pain as well as pleasure. Grief is most influential when one is between
worlds or stages of growth; having left the old and familiar but not yet arrived at the
new. Each of us has our own style of grieving and ways of handling loss. It is important
to be aware of it and make it work to our advantage.
3. COURAGE - as we can readily see this quality is an important part of growth. We often
are forced to leave the old world and set out to discover the new one without a guarantee
in advance of what it shall be. The risks tend to intimidate us; and although we often
don’t see ourselves to be courageous, we act in courageous ways at various times. I have
witnessed many examples of such courage and continue to be awe struck by the hurdles
people have overcome in their lives - reading life histories for example brings this point
home. Despite all of our human frailties we as people possess a certain toughness. Such
courage is inherent in all of us and is essential to growth.
TRANSFORMATION PATTERNS - Development as growth, using these three themes as the

framework, involves adding new things to ourselves, integrating them with what was there
before and as a result transforming a small or large aspect of ourselves perhaps even our entire
being. According to Douglas Robertson these patterns occur in most people but he believes that
if we are aware of them and allow for them and use them in our planning process that they can
be used constructively. Not acknowledging or respecting them encourages unrealistic
expectations and can give rise to frustration and disappointment.
As the diagrams (Figures A & B) demonstrate, transformation/growth is not continuous but
rather occurs in a series of steps involving periods of transition alternating with periods of
stability. This phenomenon is often referred to as a “PARADIGM SHIFT”, i.e. something new
is added to the old and integrated and then transformation occurs.

TRANSITION, STABILITY, TRANSITION, STABILITY
William Bridges (1980) business consultant and transitions expert, in his book, TRANSITIONS:
Making Sense of Life’s Changes, describes the three phases which he believes characterize life
transitions:
A. ENDINGS - a time of realizing our old ways don’t work as well as we would like, often
triggered by some event - a divorce, birth, promotion, death - forcing us to realize our
old perspective isn’t adequate any more. Endings come in many forms and our personal
reactions to them vary widely. Endings tend to fall into one of five categories:
1. MAJOR - MINOR - Does change involve a central part of who we are or
marginal aspect?
2. ANTICIPATED - UNANTICIPATED - Did we expect the change (growing
older) or was it a surprise?
3. PLANNED - UNPLANNED - Did we consciously choose it or not?
4. GRADUAL - ERUPTIVE - Did it develop slowly or “zap” us from out of the
blue?
5. POSITIVE - NEGATIVE - Were we happy that the change occurred or was it
a devastating blow?
Endings are usually easier if they are minor, anticipated, planned, etc.
B. NEUTRAL ZONE - Follows endings. We are in transit between worlds, sailing along
getting sea sick but not yet arrived. Nothing is solid or fixed, we are somewhat
disoriented and at times confused. This phase requires that we tolerate ambiguity for a
while. Since it is a relatively empty time we may begin to see “old” things in a different
light, fresh perceptions can occur, new insights emerge and previously unrecognized
options may become apparent. We may also feel freer to experiment with new ways,
behaviours, etc. and to integrate our new learning.
C. NEW BEGINNINGS - A period of adding the new learning and integrating it with the
old order, transforming our entire being in some fashion. Time is needed to integrate this
newness and let others adjust to it since we are part of a larger set of systems; the family,
community, workplace, nation, global community, etc. Being aware of this web of
connecting lines can help us see the potential ripple effects of our transformation or
growth.
Growth involves adding to ourselves and through the integrating of this variety of new things,
transforming ourselves. Growth builds on our previous experiences, it does not try to eliminate
them - suppressing them can lead to harm, integrating them constructively can lead to growth.

You may want to identify the periods of transition and stability in your own life. Describe each
transition period. Was it followed by a more stable period in your life? How was this period
different from the transition period? How did these periods of transition and stability affect your
personal and professional life?
II Gail Sheehy (1976), her book Passages, describes seven stages of development which an
adult typically experiences. You may find it interesting to compare your life to these stages.
What is similar? How has your life been different?
Fledgling Adulthood (ages 22-29 years)
This stage is an individual's entry into the adult world. The individual is preparing for his/her
lifework. He/she is trying out the teachings of childhood. Individuals are concerned with doing
what they “should”. An individual passing through the provisional adulthood stage is seeking the
answer to “What do I do?”
Age 30 Transition (ages 29-32)
During this period individuals are typically questioning and re-examining commitments made in
their twenties. The individual questions the “shoulds” and “oughts” of his/her upbringing. Life
begins to look more complex. An individual is seeking the answer to "What do I really want out
of life?"
Putting Down Roots (ages 32-39 years)
During this stage life becomes more rational, less questioning and searching. The individual
seeks to be more established, both personally and professionally. Individuals become
emotionally aware of the reality of death and are concerned with the question “Is there still time
to change?”
Mid-Life Transition (ages 39-43)
For many this is a painful period. The individual re-examines his/her purpose in life, becoming
aware of the fact that we are alone - there is no one to go to for “permission.” It is often a time
of transition filled with both danger and opportunity. Many must face the realization that there
are limits to success and achievement. Youthful dreams may not match reality. Also, they are
concerned with the expectations others have placed on the individual. The major question of this
period is “What do I truly want for myself and others?”
Realization and Flowering (ages 43-50)
For many individuals this is the best time of life. They have regained their equilibrium. Having
forged through the earlier stages, they have gained a new stability, a renewal of purpose. They
are interested in becoming a mentor, sharing their knowledge and skills with younger friends and
associates. Individuals listen more to their own inner voices than to external demands.

Renewal (ages 50-65)
This stage is a renewal period for many adults. They have come to grips with what they have and
haven’t done and are eager to build a more authentic life structure. Friends and privacy are
greatly valued. Individuals are concerned with retirement - when to retire, what to do and how to
cope.
Retirement (ages 65 and over)
This is the stage of exciting changes. As a result of better health care and standard of living, the
quality of life has greatly improved. Individuals are living active lives, pursuing new careers and
experiences. They are not retiring, but retreading.
Take a few moments and review your Chronological Record and events in your life, in relation
to these stages. Do they come close to describing your life? How does your life experience
differ? You may find that you do not fit neatly into these stages, do not be concerned. They are
descriptions of average tendencies from group studies, and may not match your life exactly. You
are a unique individual with your own experiences and ways of reacting.
III Frederick Hudson (1991) argues that this view of the world is no longer applicable.
Individuals cannot expect events to occur in a predictable manner. Adults change careers several
times, return to school, retire at different ages. Individuals may become parents and grandparents
more quickly than they could have ever imagined. Examine your own life. Have you always
been able to predict events? Have you been able to control change? All these events affect how
adults develop. They occur at different times in people's lives and influence people in different
ways.
Hudson suggests that a cyclical view of adult development is more applicable to today's world
and more descriptive of the adult life cycle. Cyclical concepts are patterns that are repeated but
have different meanings at different times in our lives. They are not better or worse than earlier
forms, merely different. For example, you may have attended college after completing high
school. The basic experience of attending school is the same at age eighteen as at age forty, and
yet it is a significantly different experience. You are a different person, your life is different and
your reasons may be very different.
Hudson describes four phases which he believes are continually repeated throughout the life
cycle.
Phase 1: Alignment - Getting My Act Together

Individuals are consciously and unconsciously inventing their life structure. A life structure
is a span of time when life seems clear, purposeful, promising and effective. During this
phase an individual develops their vision of their future and takes action to accomplish this
vision. As they move towards accomplishing this vision they reach a plateau. A plateau is the
point where much of the vision has been realized and individuals begin to question, “Is that
all there is?”
Phase 2: Out of Synch

During this phase adults continue to manage their life structure while searching for ways to
keep it thriving. It can be a confusing time as adults re-evaluate their vision and attempt to
make changes to regain their earlier sense of purpose. Unanticipated events may enter the
picture which affect the life structure or one’s view of it. Adults face a momentous decision
during this phase of attempting to restructure and rejuvenate the vision or to abandon the
vision. The latter decision throws adults into a Life Transition as they disengage from their
old vision. Hudson refers to this as cocooning, a time for endings in order to rebuild a new
life structure.
Phase 3: Disengagement
This is a time of being rather than doing, as adults turn inward. It is a time of letting go of
external structures, lost dreams, lost roles, lost youth, children, career, income, etc. It is a
time of self-renewal as adults regain a sense of self.
Phase 4: Re-integration
During this phase adults expand their self-renewal to include the external world. It is a time
of exploration, creativity, and networking as adults explore what their new life structure
might look like.
After reviewing your past experiences, developmental stages and transitions, your next step is to
prepare your Life History paper. This paper should be a 4-5 page essay, reflecting on your past
experiences and your development. Taking time to reflect on your life can be an important part
of your growth and development. It is usually a necessary process for adults who are setting new
goals in their lives. This paper should help the evaluator to understand who you are and the
context of your learning experiences.
As you work on the development of your portfolio, there will be experiences that you may not
want to share. We all have had experiences that were painful; that's part of life. As you reflect on
your past experiences you cannot avoid being reminded of such experiences, however, you do
not need to include the experiences in your portfolio.
* Some adult learners share a great deal of information about their personal lives, while others
focus only on their career and educational experiences. You must decide what you are
comfortable sharing in your portfolio.
A sample copy of a Life History paper appears on the following pages.

LIFE HISTORY PAPER
LAURA B.
In 1963, when I was 13 years old, my mother died after a long and courageous battle with
cancer. Looking back on her life, I realized she had left this world a better place by the way she
touched so many lives around her with such gentleness and caring. By example, her
determination and fortitude left me with an inner strength that would not only sustain me
through times of distress and disappointment but give me the ability to pull from each
experience every possible positive lesson that could be learned. It took many years before I was
truly able to understand the profound impact this experience would have on my life, in my
beliefs and on my values.
I left school, left home and married at the young age of 17 and started a full time position in the
kitchen of the Leamington District Memorial Hospital (LDMH). By working hard, I eventually
became a cashier in the cafeteria. In this position, I was able to meet the entire hospital staff and
was eventually approached by the Chief Lab Technologist, John Edwards. John offered me a full
time position cleaning the lab, which I looked at as an opportunity to advance. After three
months in this position, the job was transferred to the housekeeping department and John offered
to train me as an assistant lab technician under his direction and guidance. Technically, I learned
venipuncture, testing of lab specimens, urinalysis, blood sugar analysis, blood typing, taking
electrocardiograms and haematology. Personally, I learned about human behaviour, caring for
others, illness and dying and the need for dignity in all of us. John encouraged me to go back to
school to complete my grade 12, which I did, and I worked in the lab until my first child was
born in 1973. Through this experience I learned two valuable lessons that would benefit me
through my life. The first was the value of continuing education. Your formal education should
never end. By taking courses and continually upgrading, you keep your mind alert and open to
new ideas, concepts and information. You are able to grow, both personally and professionally
and are able to expand your horizons through life long learning.

The second lesson I learned through my experience at LDMH was the value of giving 100% to
your employer. One comment John made to me after an extremely demanding work day, has
remained with me for 20 years and had a major impact on my working life. “Laura, I know I can
always depend on you.” It sounds so simple, almost insignificant, but that comment meant to
me, being responsible, on time, trustworthy and knowing that if the effort I put in was 100% of
what I had to give, that it would be recognized. That comment has served me throughout my
lifetime.
In 1978, my husband and I started A and M Woodcrafts, a small manufacturing company,

making wooden furnishings and giftware. My husband's responsibility was purchasing,
production and manufacturing and my responsibilities included marketing, promotion and sales.
Although these were our designated areas of responsibility, often our work overlapped and I
would take part in staining, lacquering and packaging orders. We jointly hired staff and built an
effective and capable team of ten employees. I also took care of the office with regards to
bookkeeping, payroll and the accounts payable and receivable.
For 3 ½ years I marketed our product throughout southwestern Ontario, both to retail and
wholesale customers. Throughout this time my business knowledge and experience grew in areas
of sales, marketing and management. I also learned about human behaviour, initiative, drive,
perseverance and commitment to excellence. Because I had been away from my family for long
periods of time, having a live-in Nanny and feeling like a part time mother, I accepted an
arrangement to sell our products through a single distributor. In retrospect, I realized that by
giving away this control in the company was a great mistake. In 1981, Canada was in the middle
of a recession. Commercial lending rates had reached 23% and the distributor that we were
selling our products through declared bankruptcy leaving A and M Woodcrafts with a
tremendous receivable that we would never be able to collect. In late 1981 we were forced to
declare bankruptcy.
Through the experience of running a small manufacturing company, I gained an incredible

amount of knowledge and experience in business. Administrative and organizational skills,
financial planning, goal setting, customer service, human relations and marketing and sales were
now part of my experiential credentials. I often think we learn more, and more effectively, from

our failures than from our successes. We had taken an idea from conception through inception,
from development to expansion and from success to final closure.
In retrospect, I learned that you may not always be able to have total control over your financial
gain but from each experience you walk away much richer in wisdom, insight and experience. It
then becomes more important for your future to decide what you are going to do with this
knowledge.
The knowledge I had gained from A and M Woodcrafts, offered me an opportunity at Conestoga
College to teach their Ontario Management Development Programme. When I first started with
the College, I thought that I would be able to share my past experience and knowledge with
students who were interested in learning more about business and supervisory skills. After being
with the College for ten years and teaching adult students, I have not only been able to share
with them, but in return, have learned from their experience and expertise. I have taught
Communications, Human relations, Motivation and Leadership, Administration and Marketing.
As an instructor, presenter and teacher, I have learned about human behaviour and human
nature, interaction and interchange, public speaking and effective presentations and facilitating
and motivating. With every course there is new information and new students, new ways to learn
things and new ways to teach and always an opportunity to grow and improve.
In 1982, after 16 years of marriage, I went through a painful divorce and became a single
mother, supporting 3 children, a dog and a mortgage. I was working for Co-Operators Insurance
as a sales representative where my income was limited only by the hours I had to put into it.
Although I was financially successful and secure, I continued to work with Conestoga College
and was offered my first contract to teach the Ontario Basic Skills programme to other single
mothers who were trying to enter the workforce. Along with resume preparation, interviewing
skills, and job search techniques, I was able to share my experiences and knowledge in helping
students find their own inner motivation, develop a positive attitude and belief in themselves.
My own philosophy is that one's inner drive, discipline and determination determines your level
of success. Teaching has given to me an opportunity to help others recognize their own potential
and improve their own self esteem and self confidence. I have also recognized that the change is
not up to me, but instead, up to each individual at the time in their life that is right for them.

Through teaching and training, I have not only been financially rewarded, but more importantly
emotionally rewarded with thanks, praise, cards and roses from students who believe I have
made a difference in their lives. What better reward can there be for doing a job you love to do.
Teaching has also given me skills for doing effective presentations, selling ideas and new
concepts and planning and preparation. It has taught me how to set goals and monitor and
evaluate performance. I have learned about human behaviour and human relations and how to
find in an individual the strengths that will help them become a more fulfilled person and
motivated employee. I have learned to become a coach and a facilitator while encouraging
contribution and growth from each individual. Through my teaching experience I have become
confident in my own abilities to help others learn to help themselves.
In 1989, my youngest son, then 12 years old, was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. He was
admitted to intensive care at McMaster Hospital in Hamilton and over a period of seven days I
learned the most important lessons of my life. I learned the fragility of life. I learned to value
each person and each experience and to appreciate each day that we have been given. I learned
that until we can walk in the shoes of someone who has watched a loved one's life hang in the
balance for days on end we cannot appreciate and relish in the value of life itself. Life is too
short and unpredictable to think we can waste a moment, a day or a lifetime wallowing in self
pity or complaining about things we cannot change. We need to seize every moment, find the
pleasures and opportunities in it, learn from it and share it with all of those around us. We need
to touch people in a positive way and to leave this world a better place to be.

My determination, fortitude and persistence can be attributed to having such tremendous
admiration for my mother's ability to give to others even during times of personal distress and
adversity. She lived life to the fullest, taught by example and instilled in me the desire to do the
same.
Laura did not attempt to discuss all the experiences she listed in her Chronological Record. She
selected the experiences she felt were most significant and discussed how they had influenced her.
After reading Laura's Life History, you begin to develop a better understanding of who she is and
how she has developed. The preparation of the Life History paper is intended to help you reflect
on your experiences and examine how they have helped you to become the person you are today.
As you write your own Life History paper remember that it is not necessary to discuss all the
experiences listed in your Chronological Record. Experiences should be selected which
represent the most significant and influential events from the larger list of events. After reading
the Life History paper it should be easier to understand the learner from a more personal
perspective and to get a clearer picture of the forces which helped shape his/her development. The
evaluator should find this information useful as he/she attempts to understand the depth and
breadth of your learning experiences.

PART III
THE GOALS PAPER

This section of the Guide is designed to help you continue the process of self-assessment but the
emphasis will shift from the past to the future. Building on the insights you've acquired from
preparing your Chronological Record and Life History Paper and the insights you will
develop as you go through this phase of the Portfolio Development process, you will be asked to
set some goals and prepare a Goals Paper that describes these goals and your plans for
achieving them.
REASONS FOR SETTING GOALS

Most people would agree that being the best we can be and striving to achieve more of our
potential is desirable. However, the pressures of everyday life and normal human failures often
prevent us from giving much attention to achieving this potential. We are often inhibited by the
feeling that we have little control over our fate and we may simply be pre-occupied with day-to-
day issues and problems.
Setting goals is one useful way to help keep our attention focused on aiming toward achieving
more of our untapped potential. This happens because identifying goals can help us channel
more of our energy. The situation is comparable to driving a car. If you have a destination in
mind, you can use the car's energy to cope with most barriers to your progress. For example, if a
road is blocked, you can choose to turn off the engine and save gasoline while you wait for the
road to be re-opened; or, you can choose to drive the car along an alternate route. Through these
planned responses to the environment, you will eventually arrive at your destination. However,
what if you begin driving with no destination in mind? You are likely to randomly change
direction each time you encounter a barrier. As a result, while your car may have used just as
much gasoline as in the previous situation, your odds of arriving at a desirable destination are
small while your odds of becoming completely lost are greater.
Similarly, when you have a clearer life or career goal, you can direct your energy toward
attaining that goal and avoid scattering it in other directions. You can start planning the steps to
help attain your goal and begin avoiding unconscious steps away from it. For instance, if your
career goal is to become a buyer for a large retail store, it may not be logical to take a job
working on an assembly line, even if the latter job pays better. Of course, as with driving to a
destination, directing your energy toward a goal does not mean you will not have to make
detours or that you won't be delayed or distracted.
Moreover, if you are goal-directed, you will know that you charted most of this course yourself.
You will have a greater sense of being in control. In addition, having a goal clearly in mind
enables you to know when you have succeeded. This seems obvious, but it is an important
benefit of goal setting. “Success” is a term that most people use but never really define in their
own minds. As a result, a person can accomplish many tasks, receive many promotions, earn lots
of money, be recognized with awards and still not feel “successful.” Often, this is because she
does not know what “success” is - she has never developed a personal definition for the term.
Setting goals is a way of defining “success” for yourself - it in a way that allows you to
recognize your own successes, to be satisfied with them, and to be motivated to set new goals
and strive for new achievements. In other words, you gain a greater sense of your abilities and
potential.
Each person must define what success is for himself or herself. The individuals who are
successful are those who work to make their lives the way they want them to be. Anthony

Robbins (1987) identified the following seven characteristics that successful people have in
common: Passion, Belief, Strategy, Clarity of Values, Energy, Bonding Power, and
Communications.
First, they have Passion. Successful people have discovered a reason or purpose that drives them
to grow, and to achieve more of their potential. It gives them the fuel to accomplish their goals
and can help them through the rough times.
The second characteristic is Belief. Successful people believe in themselves and in their capacity
to grow and accomplish goals. If you say to yourself, “I could never do that,” then you will not,
no matter how hard you work. To succeed, you have to believe you can.
While Passion and Belief are the fuel for success, success does not automatically happen. The
third characteristic is Strategy. Successful people do not sit around waiting for things to happen.
They make plans - that is, they develop a strategy to achieve what they want. They also realize
the strategy is not carved in granite. It can be changed or modified if they are faced with
roadblocks or new opportunities. They develop a strategy which enables them to stay focused on
their goals.
The fourth characteristic of successful people is a Clarity of Values. Successful people have a
clear idea of their own values. Values are our specific belief systems about what is right and
wrong in our lives. Values are fundamental, ethical, moral, and practical judgments we make
about what really matters to us. Our values affect every decision we make either directly or
indirectly. Successful people understand the importance of values and have a clear notion of
their value system. They also know that values change, adapt and develop throughout life.
Remember when you were 18 and said, “I'll never do that,” only to find yourself at a later age
doing the thing you said you would never do. It may reflect a change in your values.
The fifth characteristic of successful people is Energy. Accomplishing goals takes effort.
Successful people do not hesitate to use their energy - physical, intellectual, and spiritual energy
- to accomplish what is important to them.
The sixth characteristic is Bonding Power. Successful people know they cannot accomplish
goals alone. Bonding power is our ability to connect with and develop rapport with people from
a variety of backgrounds and beliefs. No matter what you want to do, see, create, share, or
experience, it involves others. Often, other people can help you accomplish your goals more
quickly and easily. Successful people have learned this and have learned to develop a rapport to
solicit the help and partnerships they need.
Finally, successful people understand the importance of Communication. The way we
communicate with ourselves is as important as the way we communicate with others. Successful
people are those who have learned how to take any challenge that life gives them and
communicate that experience to themselves in a way that causes them to successfully change
things. Their self-communication is generally positive - they don't impose “should”, “oughts”, or
“cant's” on themselves.

Successful people have learned and mastered the art of communication. Communication is
perhaps the most important skill we can master. We spend most of our waking hours
communicating - reading, speaking, listening. Steven Covey's (1989) book, 7 Habits of Highly
Effective People, stresses that successful people have developed the art of empathic listening -
they seek first to understand and then to be understood. Empathic listening helps you to
understand another person's frame of reference. You try to see the world the way he sees it. You
don't have to agree with him, but you first try to understand, and from there you work on mutual
problem solving.
WHAT DOES THE GOALS PAPER HAVE TO DO WITH PLA AND PORTFOLIO
DEVELOPMENT?
Setting attainable goals is an important step in the portfolio development process - if you want to
create a portfolio that can help you earn credit for specific courses and/or recognition for
occupational competencies. In this case, goals are necessary because they will help direct your
efforts as you develop your portfolio. As a result of preparing your Chronological Record and
your Life History Paper, you probably realize that you cannot write about all your experiences.
It is important to be selective about which of your previous experiences will lead to the
identification and documentation of the maximum number of competencies/ credits and help to
clarify your career path.
Your personal/career goals are the starting point for this sorting process. This is how the process
works: once you have your goals in mind, you can select the college program or occupational
grouping that is most likely to help you achieve them. With this goal established, you can
examine the courses required for the diploma and/or requirements for the occupation and decide
which ones cover topics that match your learning from experience. Then you can sort through
your experiences and focus on the ones that yield relevant learning that is applicable to the
program or occupation you have selected. This entire process will be covered in much greater
detail later in the Guide, but the point to remember is that the process begins with clear goals.
It is important to remember that setting goals is only one part of the process. Once your goals
have been set, it is important to take the necessary action to carry out the plans, thus
accomplishing your goals or revising them if necessary.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN GOAL SETTING

The process of setting clear goals begins with remembering past experiences and doing a careful
self-analysis - analysis of your past experiences, your values, your interests, your abilities, and
your needs and wants. This introspection is essential because it is the only way to develop goals
that are truly your own - goals that you believe are worth attaining.

One phase of this self-analysis involves becoming more aware of your own values - of what is
important to you, of what makes you happy. When people list their values, they usually include
such things as money, leisure time, security, independence, social status, helping others and so
forth. However, the priority individuals assign to a particular value varies from person to person.
While one person may value financial security above all else, another may value leisure time
most.
Being aware of what you value most enables you to match these values to the types of rewards -
and costs - that are common in a particular career. For example, a career in sales may yield an
above-average amount of money. However, such a career may have less status than some other
fields. On the other hand, a career as a nurse may provide greater status, but you may forfeit the
ability to make large amounts of money. In the process of examining your own values, you may
become clearer about what you want and what you are willing to sacrifice in order to get it. The
activities which follow and the discussions with the portfolio resource person will help you with
this values clarification process.
Unless you are already certain about your career goals, you may need to give some special
thought to this area. As you set goals, in addition to understanding your own values you should
also be aware of your interests and what attracts and holds your attention. Once you clarify your
interests, you can begin to look for a career that allows you to earn money for doing tasks
similar to those you would choose to do for fun. A professional hockey player is obviously
someone who has found a way to match his livelihood to his interests and make lots of money
too! A less obvious example of the same sort of well-planned matching is the person who loves
to solve puzzles, and makes her/his living de-bugging computer programs.
However, while taking into account your values and interests, you must also honestly analyze
your abilities. From past experience, you know what you can and cannot do. Now you need to
analyze whether you lack certain skills simply because you were never trained in them, or
whether you lack aptitude in that area. Perhaps you can figure this out on your own; but, if you
cannot, there are several resources in the community which offer career counselling services to
help you.
If there are areas in which you have aptitude but require training, you must decide how much
time, energy, and money you are willing to devote to getting this training. This decision will
affect your career goals. You should decide how much time you can spend developing your
skills and set your goals accordingly.
How much time you can spend depends on your needs and wants - the final factor to analyze as
you set your goals. As an adult, you have a responsibility to meet your own basic survival needs
and perhaps, the needs of others. You must temper your goal-setting accordingly.
CRITERIA FOR GOALS

As you work on your Goals Paper, keep the following guidelines in mind: your goals should be-
Believable - Remember, if you do not believe you can accomplish something, you never
will.

Conceivable - Is the goal stated in such a way that you can conceive of accomplishing it? It
may not be very conceivable for you to become a professional basketball player if you are
only 4 feet, 11 inches tall. However, it may be entirely conceivable for you to learn the rules
of professional basketball, or improve your own free-throw percentage, or become a coach.
Achievable - Is the goal achievable? Do you need to break it down into smaller goals first?
Maybe you want a social work degree. your first step might be to earn a Social Services
Diploma, then a Bachelor of Social Work. Do you have the resources (time, money,
determination)?
Desirable - It must be a goal you want to accomplish, not what someone else wants you to
accomplish. You may be considering returning to school because of job pressures, but if you
don't desire education for yourself, you will find subtle ways to sabotage earning a college
diploma or university degree.
Measurable - The more measurable or specific you make your goals statement, the better it
will be for planning as well as evaluation: Did I accomplish my goal? If you say, “I am
going to increase my savings this year,” and in December of this year your savings have
increased by $1, did you accomplish your goal? Well, yes and no. Yes, it is $1 more; but
unless you are a small child, you probably had more than $1 in mind. A much more useful
goal statement would be, "I am going to increase my savings by $600 this year." You can use
this statement to plan to save $50 each month, from January through December of this year,
and on December 31, you can examine your saving account balance and quickly determine if
you have met your goal.
Stated with No Alternatives - A goal statement should never be written, “Maybe I will go
to school, or maybe I won't.” If you give yourself that choice, I’d bet money on “I won’t”
every time. In order for goals to be valuable, they should be stated “I will” or “I am (going to
school, etc.).”
Growth Facilitating - Goals should be established that are not harmful to ourselves or
others, but enable us to learn or accomplish something new.
As you work on your goals, you might find the following questions helpful:
* Are your goals in line with your personal interests, skills and opportunities?
* How do your goals statements fit with the other criteria mentioned above? Do you
believe in what you have stated? Are the goals stated with no alternatives? Can you be
even more specific?
* What is the relationship between your long-term and your immediate goals?
* How can your immediate goals help you accomplish the long-range ones?
* Have you established a timetable for reaching the immediate goals? Have you given
yourself enough time? Or can you really get these things done more quickly than you
thought?

STEPS IN SETTING GOALS
For this course, setting goals involves the following steps:
- Perform the self-analysis discussed in the preceding paragraphs.
- Based on this self-knowledge, formulate your long-term goals - decide what you want
your life to be like five or ten years from now.
- Set short-term goals - goals for next semester or next year. These goals should lead
logically to your long-term goals and serve as stepping stones. (For example, short-term
goals of securing a part-time job as a retail clerk and pursuing a diploma in Business
Administration would be stepping stones to a long-term goal of owning your own
business.)
- Identify and develop resources to help you achieve your goals.
- Write a Goals Paper
WRITING THE GOALS PAPER

Once you have gone through the steps described above and know your own goals, you can write
the goals paper that will be included in your portfolio. As you write this paper, make certain that
you clearly state your goals, both long-term and short-term. Also, be sure to discuss the thought
processes you went through in setting these goals. Answer such questions as: What are your
values? How do you know or how did you decide? What are your interests? What abilities do
you have? What skills do you need to develop? What are your needs and wants? What current
responsibilities are affecting your choice of goals? What plans have you made to help you
achieve your goals? What resources have you identified?
Keeping the above guidelines in mind, write a Goals Paper that emphasizes your future instead
of your past. In two typed pages, you should try to describe your hopes and aspirations - your
plans for the future!
A sample Goals Paper, on the next page, lists personal, educational and career goals.

SAMPLE GOALS PAPER
OCCUPATIONAL GOALS: LAURA B.
2 MONTHS
By December 31, 1992, my partner and I will have completed the business plan, brochure and
business cards for Amaryllis Associates Training and Development Inc. We will be marketing
Personal and Professional Life Skills Training programmes to agencies and business for staff
development. Courses and workshops will include Time Management, Team Building, Creative
Conflict Resolution, managing Stress, Assertiveness Training, Peer Training, managing Change,
Effective Presentations, Communications and Problem Solving Techniques. At this time both
Diane and I will be doing the training, writing and marketing for Amaryllis.
6 MONTHS
Amaryllis Associates Training and Development plans to have an office opened and contract
trainers hired to provide training of our programmes. Diane and I will have completed the
programme manuals for the above courses and have hired contract trainers to instruct the
workshops. There will also be special workshops “For Women Only” consisting of topics such
as Working Women-Balancing Your Roles, Projecting a Positive Self Image, Assertiveness
Training for Women and Management and Leadership Skills for Women.
1 YEAR
Amaryllis Associates Training and Development plans to have an office opened and contract
trainers hired to provide training of our courses.
We will have developed courses for Entrepreneurial Women's Studies which will be marketed
through educational institutions.
2 YEARS
We will be providing leadership and support to Small Business Support Groups for Women
Entrepreneurs within the region.
Team building and Leadership training will be provided to help them run their own group, as
well as courses in business management.
3 YEARS
We will be involved with the operation of a Women’s Business and Entrepreneurial Training
Centre affiliated with the college, the Ministry of Industry Trade and Technology and local
business. This centre will consist of training rooms, an incubator and private rental space as well
as providing co-operative secretarial, marketing and advertising support.
5 YEARS
Diane and I will be working as consultants for Women’s Entrepreneurial Studies programmes
and new business opportunities for women.

EDUCATIONAL GOALS
1 YEAR
Working with Roberta B. through the College's Experiential Learning Programme, by December
31, 1993, I will have applied for experiential learning credits towards a two year General
Business Diploma.
I will also have applied through the Ministry of Colleges and Universities for an Ontario
Management Development Programme (OMDP) Certificate in Business Management Studies.
3 YEARS
In three years I will have completed the necessary credits and received the General Business
Diploma from the college through continuing education.

EDUCATIONAL PLANNING
You have written your Goals Paper, listing your personal, career, and educational goals.
Writing your goals does not guarantee that they will be achieved. They are best achieved by
making plans and working to carry out those plans. It may be difficult to be successful without
these three components: 1) setting goals; 2) making plans; and 3) taking action.
Planning however, is more than just a list of things to do; it is a process and involves the
following tasks:
* identifying one's personal and professional goals and objectives
* identifying personal and professional opportunities, resources and strategies (or creating
tem as need be)
* setting target dates for accomplishment of objectives - i.e., professional involvement,
continuing education, and organization objectives
* specifying evidence of accomplishment in some record, file, or notebook
* specifying how valid the evidence is, i.e., how has it been validated and by whom
* consulting with others about your plan
* in implementing the plan, keeping track of the main goals
* evaluating accomplishments periodically, at least every six months
* reviewing and setting new goals following every evaluation and/or self-appraisal
There are usually several ways to achieve one’ goals. The planning process allows you to
pre-test the alternatives, mentally trying them out. By doing this, you can begin to develop the
plan that works best for you. Also the plan helps you stay focused on achieving your goals. By
writing down your plan you have a road map to which to refer. You actually have concrete
evidence that you are making progress.
The planning process can help you identify obstacles to successfully achieving your goals.
Obstacles come in all shapes and sizes: lack of money, lack of time, lack of confidence, illness,
lack of support, inflexible hours, community responsibilities, family responsibilities. If you
identify possible obstacles in advance, you can plan how you might try to resolve them before
they prevent you from accomplishing your goals.
Planning alone does not ensure success and as mentioned earlier it is important to develop your
plan and move toward implementing it.
As you begin to do this, you learn as you go and as you well know there is no more powerful
teacher than experience! As you begin to implement your plans, you are no doubt aware that you
may have to adjust your timetable and deal with detours. Don’ despair. Obstacles and
unexpected opportunities are part of the journey. Use your goals and your plan as a way to re-
prioritize, and develop contingency plans to accomplish your goals. When faced with an obstacle
in your plan, it may not be necessary to abandon your goals but rather to look for an alternate
route.
Preparing an educational plan can help you achieve your academic goals. As an adult, you

realize the importance of continuous learning, probably more than ever. Regardless of how much
importance you place on education, it may tend to fall third or fourth on your list of priorities.
You have to make a living, to raise your children, and so on. You have to juggle responsibilities
and priorities in your life. If you want a diploma, you have to somehow make space for it. An
educational plan can help you examine how to do so. The planning process helps you to think
how you might best proceed.
The forms on the next pages are worksheets for you to use to begin to develop your educational
plan. The purpose of this plan is to assist you to achieve your academic goals. As you develop it
you will decide which education or training programs will help you accomplish your goals and
you may find that you have several alternatives. Developing the educational plan will help you
decide which route is best and fastest. For adult learners, earning the diploma quickly is often as
important as the program they choose. Adults often have plenty of solid experience but they
need the diploma for verification of their credentials and to enhance their employability.
Developing the educational plan will help to insure that you take advantage of all the options and
services in the local community to help you meet your education and training needs. We are
aware that adults have a variety of needs and concerns as they consider returning to learning.
One of our goals is to minimize the obstacles and increase the supports needed for you to be
successful.
The first step of your educational plan is to list the courses you have completed at college
and/or university. If you have credits at a post-secondary institution, you may wish to request an
official transcript for your records.
Step two is to look at your education and training options and list the courses you wish to have
evaluated based on your prior learning. Remember, writing a portfolio is not the only method for
receiving credit/recognition of one’ learning. A variety of other methods are available. (See page
2 for a complete list of assessment options.) If you choose a method other than the portfolio
process, you will need some assistance to determine how best to organize the materials needed
for assessment and the most appropriate processes.
Note that the Educational Plan Worksheet forms ask for a projected completion date. It is a good
idea to try to set up a timetable for completing the evaluation of courses. You may also want to
take courses and work on the evaluation of your prior learning at the same time.
Step three is to list the courses that you need to complete your education and/or training goals
that involve new learning. These are activities you know you must take to acquire the skills
which you have identified. Again, your portfolio resource person can help you clarify just what
you need to complete the requirements.
As you work on your educational plan you may wish to think about your plans after you
complete your education/training goals. Do you want a Bachelor's degree, and then a Master’s
degree? If so, you need to think about where you want to go to earn your Bachelor's degree
before you finalize your educational plans. Not all the courses taken at one institution such as a
community college for example, will be accepted by Ontario universities.
You will have to negotiate an individual arrangement and you may wish to shop around at more
than one university.

Although investing in education can be a rather large expenditure it is an investment that lasts a
lifetime in terms of its long term benefits. Thus, you need to take your time and pick the best
program for you. Be as careful a consumer of education and training as you would be when you
buy a house. Talk with people at the facility, counsellors, instructors, faculty and students; check
out the facility in detail, visit the site; talk with participants and graduates. Do not be afraid to
shop and compare. Look for the circumstances which best suit your interests, needs, time frames,
learning style and resources.
Don't hesitate to investigate non-traditional programs. True, there are some “diploma mills”
offering mail-order diplomas and degrees with questionable value, especially in the USA, but
there are also many excellent legitimate non-traditional programs. More colleges and
universities in Canada are beginning to develop adult-oriented programs, designed to fit the
needs of working adults and degree programs that can be completed at a distance. In Ontario, for
example Waterloo University and Queens University are two schools with extensive distance
education (correspondence) programs which allow adult learners to pursue degrees on a
part-time basis and in some programs, to complete degree requirements without attending on a
full-time basis. Athabasca University in Alberta is another excellent example of a post-secondary
institution that reaches out to adult learners by offering a variety of part-time, distance education
programs across Canada. In addition, Athabasca has recently opened a career development
service with a prior learning assessment option.

EDUCATION TRAINING PLAN WORKSHEET
Date:____________________________ Name:_______________________________________
Total Courses Needed:______________ Name of Program:______________________________
Courses Completed to Date:_______________________________________________________
Advisor's Name:_____________________________Expected Graduation Date_______________
Program College/ Training/ How will you earn Projected
Part-Time Day of Evening

University Seminar the credit/demonstrate your competence? Completion
Learning Contract
Transfer Activities Date?
Credits
Course Challenge
Other
Full-Time Day
Portfolio Assisted Assessment
Other
ent

EDUCATIONAL PLAN WORKSHEET
Date:____________________________ Name:_______________________________________
Total Courses Needed:______________ Name of Program:______________________________
Courses Completed to Date:_______________________________________________________
Advisor's Name:_____________________________Expected Graduation Date_______________
Part-Time Day of Evening

Program College/ Training/ How will you earn Projected
Learning Contract
University Seminar the credit/demonstrate your competence? Completion
Credits Activities Date?
Course Challenge
Other
Full-Time Day
Portfolio Assisted Assessment
Other
ent

PART IV
THE CORE OF PORTFOLIO - THE NARRATIVE

OF COMPETENCIES

The most difficult part of the whole process is differentiating between what you have done, and
what you have learned from what you have done.
As mentioned earlier, prior learning rather than prior experience will determine whether credit
and/or recognition is awarded. For example: Mary worked as a purchasing agent for 10 years,
Tom has been the proprietor of a furniture refinishing business for 3 years, Edna has worked as a
volunteer in the local community for ten years, and Mark has been involved in training managers
for the last 5 years. These are brief descriptions of various experiences; they are not statements
of competence of learning and by themselves cannot be evaluated for credit and/or recognition.
The primary consideration in evaluation is your ability to demonstrate knowledge and skills
expected by faculty in post-secondary institutions or content experts in business and industry.
The standards and outcomes established for existing courses and occupations act as the basis for
evaluation and to the degree that you can document your competency in direct relationship to the
course/occupational standards, credit/recognition can be awarded.
Before proceeding any further, remember that you must describe your learning in such a way
that it meets the following criteria. Prior learning should:
- be measurable.
- be at a level of achievement defined by faculty and or content experts in the
workplace - that is, you must demonstrate the competencies or course objectives at the
same level of understanding as someone who has taken the course or is competent in the
occupational area.
- be applicable outside of the specific job or context in which it was learned.
Understanding how to use one particular computer software package may not be
acceptable as post-secondary credit or workplace recognition. You can't get formal credit
or recognition just for learning how to play Super Mario Brothers. Your understanding of
computers may not go beyond that particular application. On the other hand, you may
have a thorough understanding of interviewing, which you can apply to any professional
situation, based on your personal experience and independent reading on the subject.
- have a knowledge (theory) base. Do you know the terminology - specific facts -
conventions - trends - principles of that course or occupation? Can you relate - list -
repeat - name - record - define - recall the specifics of the course or occupation?
- imply a conceptual as well as a practical understanding. Do you have knowledge of
the theories and structure? Can you analyze elements of the subject? Can you analyze
relationships? Can you evaluate what you know?
Not all of the experiences listed on the Chronological Record or in your Learning Experience
Worksheet will have resulted in learning significant enough to meet the above criteria. For
example, George has worked as a cook in a fast food restaurant for five years. The repetitive
manual skill involved is demonstrable - but is it worthy of formal credit/recognition? Does it
have a knowledge base? Is there a program at the college or an occupation for which George
might be eligible to receive credit and/or recognition if he can demonstrate that he already
possesses some of the required skills and knowledge?
George has also been a member of the executive for his church for five years. As a result of this

experience he learned about leadership skills, financing and communications. These learning
outcomes are more difficult to demonstrate, but they fulfil the other important criteria for
significant prior learning. They have a knowledge base, and imply a conceptual as well as a
practical understanding.
The difficult task is to identify and relate prior learning to specific post-secondary courses and
occupational categories. You have listed your significant life experiences on your Chronological
Record. Your next step is to identify and describe the learning derived from these experiences.
The example on the following pages is designed to help you with this process. This worksheet
will help you begin to identify what you have learned from your experiences and begin to focus
on matching your learning to specific post-secondary programs or occupations.
Using your Chronological Record to guide you through this process, briefly complete the
information requested on the worksheet. We have provided an example of how you might
complete the worksheet. Once you complete the worksheet, this information will also be helpful
as you develop your Competencies because the Competency requires you to discuss the
information listed on the Learning Experience Worksheet in more detail.

LEARNING EXPERIENCE WORKSHEET – Laura B.
EXPERIENCE Time Spent Description of Duties, Tasks Description of Learning Outcomes and Documentation Can
In Activity and Activities Competencies You Suggest Ways an
Evaluator Can Judge
These?
Employment:
1. Assistant Lab 4 years - assisted chief technologist, took - steps involved in administering various lab - job descriptions, job
Technician samples, prepared reports tests, obtain specimens for testing by evaluations
performing venupuncture, blood sugar - letters of commendation
analysis, urinalysis
- marketing, promoting, selling,
2. Self-Employed 4 years
bookkeeping, payroll, - stages involved in establishing a small Original Business Plan:
Family Business
production, employee relations business; setting up bookkeeping and - sales and marketing
payroll system materials
- steps involved in customer service and - product samples
employee relations - letters from suppliers
- setting production and marketing goals and bank manager
- implementing sales and marketing plans
- evaluating sales and marketing strategies
- locating potential clients,

3. Sales Person 7 years scheduling and attending - setting goals, schedule time, identify and - job descriptions
meetings, identifying insurance priorize tasks, developing a work plan - letter of commendation
needs, collecting information, - verification of
- interviewing skills and knowledge to
preparing quotations, employment
obtain necessary information
completing forms, delivering
policies, understanding auto and - how to ask questions, active listening,
life insurance policies and observing verbal and non-verbal behavior,
programs identifying and assessing clients needs,
writing reports that were clear and accurate
Education (non-credit courses

and seminars):

- Transactional Analysis
- Flower arranging 3 days - steps involved in identifying and assessing my - certificate from LUAC
- Life Underwriters Training values and beliefs - course outline
Course 30 hours - personal goal setting - sample assignment
- basic components of
2 years
Volunteer Experience: Organization Abilities: - letter from minister
- Chairperson – United - instructing individuals and groups - certificate from volunteer bureau
Baptism Committee - presenting ideas, concepts - sample terms of reference for review
- United Way – Citizens - interpersonal skills committee
Review Committee
Recreation and Hobbies:

- Flower Arranging - certificate of completion
- Interior Decorating - course outline
- sample flower arrangement (picture)
Military Experiences
Licenses, Awards,
Publications:
Magazine Articles
1. Dining Out
2. Starting a Small Business
3. Home Alone
Reading:
- Teaching - annotated bibliography
- Management - annotated bibliography
Other:
- Writing Proposals - work plan of training program for
women entrepreneurs
Once Laura completed the Work/Learning Experience worksheet, she focused on the column “Description of Learning Outcomes and
Competencies”. She noticed that she had mentioned small business development and management, interpersonal communications,
instructing, presenting ideas and organizational abilities several times. Her next step was to examine the college catalogue for
Communications, Teaching and Business Management Courses.
Using the forms on the next two pages, complete your Work/Learning Experience Worksheet.
SAMPLE LEARNING EXPERIENCE WORKSHEET

Experience Time Spent Description of Duties, Tasks Description of Learning Outcomes Documentation: Can You
in Activity and Activities and Competencies Suggest Ways an
Evaluator Can Judge
These?
Employment:
Education (non-credit
courses and seminars):
Volunteer Experience:
Recreation and Hobbies:
Military Experience:
Licenses, Awards,
Publications:
Travel:

Professional Reading:
Other:
Other:
Other:
Other:

Now, take another look at your list of learning experiences. Add to it any significant learning
you may have omitted that the following list of activities might bring to mind:
1. Work - include any activity for which you were paid, including military service.
2. Homemaking - include those activities related to child-rearing, home maintenance,
marriage, etc.
3. Volunteer experiences - include internships or apprenticeships without pay, community
aid, community activities, political activities, church activities, service organizations,
elective offices held without pay, volunteer work in social service agencies, time
contributed to supervising youth organizations, etc.
4. Non-credit courses and seminars - include in-service training, workshops, clinics,
conferences, discussion groups, evening courses, lecture series, television or radio
courses, correspondence courses, etc. (for which no academic credit was given).
5. Recreational activities and hobbies - include performing in a musical group, acting or
working in a community theatre, sports, artistic activities, nonfiction writing, public
speaking, nature interest, attending plays and concerts, visiting art museums, restoration
of furniture, clothing construction and design, gardening, or any other leisure time
activity pursued for the purpose of personal satisfaction and enjoyment.
6. Independent reading, viewing, and listening - include any subject areas in which you
have done intensive reading for which you have not received college credit, as well as
significant articles read, television programs which you have viewed, or radio programs
to which you have listened. Significant plays or movies may also be of importance.
7. Travel - include study tours, significant vacations and business trips, living for extended
times in various parts of the country or abroad, participating as a worker or volunteer in
special volunteer activity such as a neighbourhood improvement project.
8. Conversations with experts - list any significant extensive and intensive conversations
with experts which you have had since you graduated from high school and which were
not related to any activity for which you have already received college or university
credit.
After completing the sample worksheet, pay particular attention to the “Description of Learning”
column. In our example, the learner has extensive learning in Small Business Development,
Management and Communications. Using a college catalogue, she read the course descriptions
for courses in those subject areas and listed the course numbers for courses that might match her
learning. With help from the portfolio resource person she obtained and examined the course
outlines for those courses, selecting courses she felt matched her learning.

After completing the preceding worksheet, the next step is to decide whether your learning is
related to specific courses taught at a college or university which can help you meet your
education/career goals.
You could begin by searching the post-secondary institutions catalogue, reviewing program and
course descriptions. Carefully read each course description, and relate it to your learning
experiences. More detailed information about the courses is usually available in the form of
course outlines and some course textbooks. Please consult with the portfolio resource person to
obtain these materials.

COURSE TRAINING LIST WORKSHEET
Experience Taught at Taught at College or No Post-Secondary

College/University University not course equivalent (may
required for my required for my be field placement or
program program practicum credit in
Samples: some programs)
1) College 001-050A
Teaching Selling 001-075B
Insurance
2) Human 051-827D
Resource
Management
3) Microcomputer 045-290D
Skills
4) Bookkeeping 041-300C

After identifying learning which you interpret to be post-secondary-equivalent or related to a
specific occupation or group of occupations, you are ready to articulate that learning in the form
of a “Competency”. A Competency is a narrative detailing your learning from prior experiences
as it relates to a specific post-secondary course or occupational profile. You will prepare a
Competency for each of the areas for which you hope to receive credit. Your objective is to
provide the evaluator with: 1) an explanation of the experiences that have helped you learn about
the skills and knowledge covered in a particular course or occupation; 2) an overview of your
skills and knowledge about the course or occupation; and 3) documentation to verify and support
your request.
The competency is prepared on a three-column form using the following headings: Description
of Experience, Learning from Experience and Documentation.
Name:_______________________________________Page:________________of____________
Course No.____________________________________
Course Title:__________________________________
Description of Experience Learning From Experience Doc.
NOTE: If you have a word processing package and a PC, you may find it easier to create your
own form, using the appropriate headings.

Column 1 - Description of Experience. In the first column, you will describe your learning
experience. The tendency is to write about your experience rather than your learning. You will
want to be careful to keep the description of your experience separate from the learning you
acquired. The first column of the form is reserved for describing your experience only.
In describing your experience, you should indicate:
1. where the learning took place;
2. when and for how long the experience lasted;
3. your job title
4. your job’s major responsibilities (limit yourself to a brief description);
5. the number of people supervised, if you were in a supervisory role;
6. a description of seminars and workshops you attended;
7. titles and authors, as well as publisher and copyright date, of books and articles which
were helpful to you; and
8. any description that will help an evaluator to better understand the circumstances of your
learning.
Column 2 - Learning from Experience. The learning from your experience should be specified
as precisely as possible in the second column of the Competency form. The learning should be
clearly defined and expressed. It should relate to the specific courses for which you wish to
demonstrate competence.
To relate your own learning to a specific course or occupation, you should refer to the course
description, the course outline and/or occupational profile. Pay particular attention to the
learning outcomes expected for that activity, comparing them to your own learning. Use the
learning outcomes to help organize your description of competence. You may wish to purchase
resource materials such as text books or technical manuals to help you refresh your memory
about the skills and knowledge needed to be successful in that area.
The primary criterion for award of credit is your demonstration that your learning is comparable
to the learning outcomes defined by the faculty or subject matter experts in the course or
occupation for which you are seeking credit/recognition. Since theoretical learning is often not at
required levels despite impressive practical learning, and since learning from experience is
seldom identical to what is expected in the classroom or the workplace for example, you may
find that you are strong in most of the major outcomes or competencies, but weak in one or two
others. In this case, you should attempt to do some individualized study to develop learning in
the weak area or areas. Any additional readings, essays, or projects you do should be described
in the Competency, placing the products of your individualized study activity (i.e., annotation
of chapters of a text or manual you have read; essays; projects; etc.) in the Documentation
section of your portfolio.

The following are suggested “learning terms” you might utilize in the Learning From
Experience section to help you clearly distinguish your experience from your learning. In
performing this task it is important that you use language that is open to few interpretations and
avoid using words which are open to many interpretations. The following lists serve to illustrate
this point:
USE WORDS OPEN TO FEW AVOID WORDS OPEN TO MANY

INTERPRETATIONS INTERPRETATIONS
- to write - to know
- to recite - to recite
- to identify - really understand
- to differentiate - to appreciate
- to solve - to fully appreciate
- to construct - to grasp the significance of
- to list - to enjoy
- to compare - to believe
- to contrast - to have faith in
While at times it may be difficult to state your learning using verbs which describe specific
behaviors or actions, it is important to practice doing so because this method allows you to
demonstrate that learning has occurred and to clarify the skills and knowledge for which you are
seeking credit/recognition.

BLOOM’S TAXONOMY OF COGNITIVE OBJECTIVES1
Least Level Interpretation Sample Associated

Complex Verbs in Objectives
define
1. Knowledge of: The learner can recall state
 a) specifics and recognize facts, list
b) dealing with specifics terms and principles in label
c) abstractions, principles the form they were reproduce
 taught.
justify
 2. Comprehension The learner can illustrate
a) translation understand the meaning explain
b) interpretation of his/her knowledge, contrast
 can interpret or explain. classify
 The learner can use predict

3. Application general principles or assess
abstractions in concrete choose
 and different situations. find
construct
 The learner can break analyze

4. Analysis material down into its identify
parts and know the compare
 inter-relationships. criticize
separate
 The learner can combine summarize
5. Synthesis of: elements of his/her argue
a) a unique communication knowledge into a new derive
 b) a plan structure. relate
c) abstract relationship generalize
The learner can judge judge

6. Evaluation the value of material for evaluate
a) using evidence a specified purpose. defend
Most b) using set criteria select
Complex determine
1 Bloom B.C. et al, Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: Cognitive Domain New York: McKay, 1956 Note: A useful way to
remember Bloom’s taxonomy is the sentence A Bloom makes a good CAASE for learning… Get it?

Examples of some cognitive and psychomotor skills and what verbs may be used to construct
specific learning outcomes.
Skills Active Verbs (examples)
Cognitive ~ Recall Define, List, Identify, Name, State,

Recognise, Outline
Cognitive ~ Understanding Explain, Interpret, Predict, Distinguish,

Summarise, Justify, Compose
Cognitive ~ Application Analyse, Solve, Calculate, Evaluate, Plan,

Devise, Select, Compose, Organize,
Compile
Practical ~ Manual Skills Assemble, Measure, Manipulate, Construct,

Perform, Use
Practical ~ Behavioural Skills Demonstrate, Communicate, Provide

Support, Advise
In drawing up specific learning outcomes it is important to avoid ambiguous language.
Avoid words like: Use words like:

Know List
Understand Describe
Be familiar with Evaluate
Become acquainted with State
Have a good grasp of Explain
Obtain a working knowledge of Select
Appreciate Identify
Realize the significance of Distinguish
Be aware of Design
Believe Construct
Be interested in Solve
Although the above list is arranged in pairs of contrasting words or phrases there is no
suggestion that the word in the second column is meant to replace the word or phrase in the same
row of the first column. It should be understood that it is not suggested that these are not worth-
while goals for a university or college student. However, these words are inappropriate for
describing how a teacher will recognize whether goals seeking knowledge, appreciation or
understanding have been achieved.

WRITING LEARNING OUTCOMES
When Bloom’s Taxonomy is combined with a list of action verbs, we have a good basic tool for
writing objectives (learning outcomes).
Knowledge: Involves bringing to mind the appropriate facts and combination of facts.
list record underline
define name relate
recall repeat
Comprehension: Lowest level of understanding includes understanding of basic concepts,

principles, theories, etc.
describe express recognize review
discuss identify report tell
explain locate restate translate
Application: The selection and use of general rules, procedures and methods for a specific
situation. Involves the process of manipulating information to obtain a particular result.
apply dramatize operate organize

employ illustrate practice give examples
demonstrate interpret schedule predict
Analysis: The breaking down of an organized structure to identify the elements, their
relationships, and the organizational principles involved. Includes the ability to re-organize the
structure.
analyze contrast differentiate inventory
appraise criticize distinguish question
calculate debate examine relate
categorize determine experiment solve
compare diagram inspect test

Synthesis: Putting together elements and parts to form a new whole. This involves working with
pieces, principles, rules, etc., and organizing them into a new structure not clearly there before.
arrange compose design plan

assemble construct formulate prepare
collect create manage propose
organize set-up
Evaluation: Judgement about the value of data, materials, results or methods. Includes
quantitative and qualitative judgements in relation to both obvious and obscure criteria.
appraise compare grade revise

assess estimate judge score
choose evaluate measure select
rate value

The following are samples of learning statements which have been used to introduce learning
sections, and may serve to help you get started (it is important to personalize your portfolio by
the use of the word “I”:
* I can describe the steps necessary to prepare all financial statements for a small business.
* I can explain giving reasons for my answer why an important principle of effective
public speaking is to know one’s audience.
* I can list the six styles of leadership, and describe which style works best for me.
* I can discuss the basic configuration of a computer system.
* I can explain and use the operating system for the IBM S34.
* I can discuss the importance of goal setting and planning in order to improve the
operation of the department.
Those experiences that did not lead to learning that are difficult to document or that are
unrelated to the occupation or course you are requesting to have assessed should not be included
in the sections of the portfolio that will be evaluated. Learning that satisfies the criteria needed to
demonstrate competence should be stated clearly and concisely.
Since you are writing a Competency or Course Match to request credit/recognition for a
particular course or occupational competency, it is important that the Competency only focus on
course objectives or learning outcomes. Your learning experiences will seldom match the
identified competencies in exact order. You will need to organize your competency to cover only
the competencies for whichever course/module you are describing at the time. For example,
Laura was owner of a small manufacturing firm, a salesperson for a Life Underwriters
Association and a Community College teacher. She had extensive experience in both
Management and Communications. She was able to write three Competencies (one for a
Management course and two for a Communications course), separating her experiences to match
the course objectives for each course.
The following are examples of how Laura related her learning to course objectives. Here are
three different courses, with one learning objective described for each course:
MAN 225 - Human Resources Management
Objective: Differentiate between the various modes of motivational behaviour with emphasis on
the theories of Maslow and Herzberg.
Experience: Attended a learning activity sponsored by the Life Underwriter’s Association of
Ontario which is part of a two year program. The course consisted of 100 hours of classroom
instruction over a six month period.
Learning from Experience: I learned from my small business activities and in the Life
Underwriters Training Program that a person's behaviour is really a person’s way of acting.
Individuals behave according to their own nature and thoughts. Their behaviour is simply a
reaction to a situation. Their attitudes, values, environment, their way of life, their association
with people and their job assignment all have an effect on their behaviour. According to
Abraham Maslow, man’s behaviour is directly related to satisfying his physiological and
psychological needs.
A. Physiological needs are:

1. Food
2. Water
3. Rest
B. Psychological needs are:

1. Safety - to feel safe from danger and pain
2. Belonging - to be a part of the group or organization
3. Self-Esteem - to feel worthy and respected
4. Self-Actualizing - to become all he or she can be potentially
COM 211 - Effective Communication I
COM 212 - Effective Communication II
Objective: Explain the seven important elements of effective listening.
Experience: During the four years of running my own business, I had many opportunities to
make presentations to employees, customers and suppliers. I also attended the Life Underwriters
Association course in Toronto on Communication in 1989. Each student was required to prepare
and present three ten-minute speeches.
Learning from Experience: I learned how to be an effective listener by applying the following
principles:
A. Being prepared to listen both mentally and physically.
B. Taking the responsibility for comprehending by comparing what is being said to
similar experience.
C. Listening to understand rather than to relate.
D. Controlling the emotions by watching out for trigger words and not letting annoying
mannerisms detract from what is being presented.
E. Listening for main ideas rather than the minute details.
F. Being mentally agile by concentrating on what is being said.
G. Taking notes to remember the main ideas.
Laura will add the rest of the objectives for each course, until she has met all the requirements
for the courses she is challenging.
Column 3 - Documentation. Important components of each competency are references to the

documentation you have acquired in order to verify the description of your learning. These
documents make up the final section of your portfolio and should be referenced in the third
column of each competency. (The next section of this Guide contains details about
documentation.)
As with any type of writing, before you write the competency you need to develop a plan for
presenting your experience and learning. You will need to decide what experience you wish to
include in your competency, what skills and knowledge you want to discuss with specific
experiences, and in what order you want to present your ideas.
Keep in mind why and for whom you are writing the competency. You are writing the
competency to request credit/recognition for a specific course or occupational category,
explaining how you have acquired learning in that field (Description of Experience), and what
you have learned about the program/occupation (Learning from Experience). You are writing
the competency for the faculty member or subject matter expert who is evaluating whether you
possess the same competencies he or she is trying to convey to the traditional classroom student
or expects of a successful person in that particular occupation.
As with any writing assignment you will probably need to spend time organizing your ideas
before you begin to write the Competency. The worksheet and description of steps on the
following pages will help you prepare your first Competency.
STEPS FOR WRITING A COMPETENCY
Step 1 - Identify major learning objectives
After selecting the occupation or program for your first Competency, you need to carefully
review the course objectives or occupational competencies. You will find this information in the
course outline in the case of post-secondary credits or in a job description or occupational profile
in the workplace. You may find it helpful to list the stated competencies on the worksheet in
your own words. This should help you understand what the evaluator will be looking for. It may
also help you focus on gaps in your learning which you may need to review.
Step 2 - Identify experience(s) relating to learning objectives.

The next step is to determine what experiences helped you learn the identified competencies
listed in Step 1. Review your Chronological Record and list the experiences under Step 2 of the
worksheet. It is usually difficult to determine exactly when you learned something. Examine
your experiences and decide which experiences will help you best explain how and what you
have learned.
Step 3 - Organize Step 1 and Step 2.

By collecting the information for Step 1 and Step 2, you have the basic components of the
Competency. However, they appear as two separate lists: 1) the course objectives/occupational
competencies, and 2) your experiences.
Before you can write the competency you should think about how you will merge Step 1 and
Step 2, i.e. what experiences are you going to use to discuss which course objectives/
occupational competencies? You do not need to discuss outcomes in the same order presented on
the course outline or job description. Rarely do people learn from experience in the same order
as a textbook, course outline or occupational profile.
The most common way to merge the two lists is to use your chronological order of experiences,
fitting the objectives to the experience. Usually you will not be able to make an exact match with
your experiences and the identified competencies. You will need to decide which experiences
will enable you to discuss your learning to its best advantage.
Chronological order may not be the only way to organize your competency statement. You may
have another idea which may be more effective for demonstrating your learning from
experience. The important point is to look at the information in Step 1 and Step 2 and decide
how you will match the two lists. Develop a strategy for writing your Competency; otherwise
you will find it difficult to get started or you may find that you tend to ramble and repeat
yourself.
Step 4 - Writing the Competency.
You are now ready to use the 3-column Competency format to write your Competency. Keep
in mind that the information you listed in Step 2 should be discussed in the “Description of
Experience” column, and the information you listed in Step 1 should be discussed in the
“Learning from Experience” column. The format is designed for the evaluator to read first
about your experience and then about the associated learning, and to review the appropriate
documents, moving back and forth between the columns.
Step 5 - Documentation.
Documentation is discussed in detail in the next section of this Guide.
Step 6 - Revise
After preparing the worksheet, you are ready to prepare the competency in its final form. As you
review your worksheet, ask yourself:
Have I covered the course objectives/occupational competencies?
Have I explained my experiences clearly enough for the evaluator to understand the
situation?
Have I organized my experiences and learning so that the evaluator can easily follow along?
Have I separated my learning from my experience?
Am I being clear and concise?
Am I leaving too much for the evaluator to assume?
Am I repeating myself too much?
The following pages are an example of how Laura used the worksheet to develop a Competency
for Effective Speaking I (COM 211) and Effective Speaking II (COM 212). You can use the
worksheet on pages 55 and 56 to begin to prepare your competency or you may find using
notebook paper like Laura has done works better for you.
SAMPLE COMPETENCY WORKSHEET - LAURA B.
STEP 1 - IDENTIFY MAJOR LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THE COURSE (COM
211 AND 212)
After reviewing the course outline and textbook for COM 211 and COM 212, Effective
Speaking I and II, Laura developed her own list of topics for the course:
1. Components of a Well-Organized Speech

* Selecting an Interesting Topic
* Thesis Statement
* Organization of Material
* Ending Speech
2. Important Elements of Listening
* Setting Listening Goals
* Focus on Important Words, Phrases, Ideas
* Non-Verbal Feedback
3. Ways to Establish Rapport with an Audience
4. Entertaining Speech
* Selecting a Topic
* Organization of Speech
* Presentation
* Critiquing the Speech
5. Informative Speech
* Selecting a Topic
* Research
* Organization of Speech
6. Persuasive Speech
* Planning
* Developing Persuasion
* Techniques in Changing Attitudes
STEP 2 - IDENTIFY EXPERIENCES RELATING TO LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Next Laura reviewed her chronological record to determine what experiences helped her learn
about the topics she listed in Step 1.
Prepared business plan
Organized training classes
Workshops - gave classroom presentations and critiqued others
Interviewed and hired staff
Selling products/services
College teaching
Proposal writing
Nov. 1993 co-ordinated conference
STEP 3 - ORGANIZE STEPS 1 & 2

Laura gathered the basic components of the competency. Next she had to merge the information
from Steps 1 and 2, matching experiences with course objectives.
Co-ordinator
* Organization of project materials
* Presentation skills
* Listening skills
Training Materials
* Research material
* Organization of ideas
* Presentation of ideas
Classroom
* Developing persuasion skills
* Organization
* Non-verbal communication skills
* Use of humor
* Listening skills
Sales Person
* Listening skills
* Overcome nervousness
* Presentation techniques
Owner/Manager
* Informative speeches
* Established rapport
STEP 4 - WRITE THE COMPETENCY

On the following pages you will find the completed competency for Effective Communication I,
II.
COMPETENCY WORKSHEET
Competency Worksheet for

(Course)
Step 1 - Identify Major Learning Objectives (Course Outline)
Step 2 - Identify Experience(s) Relating to Learning Objectives

(Chronological Record)
Step 3 - Organize Step 1 and Step 2
Step 4 - Write Competency
Description of Experience Learning From Experience Doc.
Step 5 - Documentation
Step 6 - Revise
Name: LAURA B.
Course No.: COM 211, COM 212
Course Title: EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION I & II
DESCRIPTION OF LEARNING FROM DOC.

EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCE
1983 - 1987 Planning & Organization
Co-operators Insurance. My respon- I learned how to identify and set long term
sibilities included: Prospecting for and short term goals which were
clients, contacting potential clients, challenging but attainable. I learned how A-1
scheduling and attending meetings with to schedule time and prioritize activities. I
potential clients, identifying their learned to plan my work and then work
insurance needs, collecting information my plan. I learned persistence and
and preparing quotations, presenting the determination in reaching goals.
insurance which would best fill the
client's needs, accurate completion of Communication Skills -
necessary forms, delivery of the Questioning & Interviewing
insurance policy, follow-up and contact
after the sale, knowledge of home and I learned to identify when and how to use
auto insurance and knowledge of life open ended and leading questions to get
insurance policies. maximum information. I learned active
listening skills so that I could clearly
1985-1986 understand the message. Listening skills
are usually taken for granted, but in the
I attended weekly training sessions for insurance business, it was critical to get B-1 to B-4
two years at Life Underwriters Asso- accurate and truthful information in order
ciation Training Course (LUATC) while to assess as risk. Active listening consists
employed as sales representatives at of: concentrating on the individual,
Co-operators Insurance. avoiding external distractions, avoiding
internal distractions such as letting your
1988 mind wander, keeping an open mind, not
jumping to conclusions, creating a positive
I wrote the exam and received Insurance communication environment and clarifying C2
Broker Licence from Insurance Brokers the message you received to be sure it has
Association of Ontario. been understood.
I learned to identify and assess the needs

of a client. I learned to identify unreliable
information by asking questions which
could show the answers were not similar
enough to be truthful.
Name: LAURA B.
DESCRIPTION OF LEARNING FROM DOC

1988 - 1990 I learned to identify key words or phrases D-1

which indicated the client wished to
Cowan McVicar Insurance Broker purchase the insurance.
Responsibilities included: Prospecting Professional

for clients, contacting potential clients, Selling/Communication Skills
scheduling meetings with potential
clients, identifying their insurance needs, I learned that product knowledge and a
preparing quotations, presenting the belief in the product and company were
insurance which would fill their needs, important for the client to believe in you. I
delivery of the insurance policy and learned to think of myself as a professional
follow-up and contact after the sale. with in depth knowledge of auto, home,
commercial and life insurance. I made
recommendations to clients for coverage
based on professional evaluation of their
needs and financial situation. I could
identify factors which helped to assess a
risk to be acceptable or not based on a set
of criteria. I made sure I was aware of
competitive products on the market which
enabled me to sell the strengths of my
company. I had a successful career in sales
because I learned how to implement
professional selling techniques, design and
implement a marketing plan and set and
achieve my goals.
Name: LAURA B.
DESCRIPTION OF LEARNING FROM DOC

1991 - 1993 I learned how to design and deliver

educational programs to adults
Teaching at Conestoga and using language that is clear,
Mohawk Colleges concise, jargon free and based on E-1 to E-7
the experience of the learners.
Responsibilities included: re-
searching, designing, imple- I learned the steps involved in the
menting and evaluating training preparation and presentation of
programs for adults, research and materials to adult learners and the
design and implement training importance of acknowledging the
manual for women entrepreneurs skills and expertise of the audience
as part of effective
communication.
I learned to identify verbal and

non-verbal signs which indicate
interest in the topic being
presented.
I learned how to apply techniques

involving the use of humour to get
the attention of the audience in
1991 order to relax them, to help make a
point clearly and concisely.
Authored several articles for
magazines in Western Ontario on I acquired skill and knowledge in
the topics of dining out and the effective use of the over head
starting a small business. projector.
F-1 to F-5
I was able to identify the steps
involved in researching my topic
before writing the article and to
accurately identify the target
audience for whom the article was
intended.
I learned how to develop and

organize my materials so that my
writing skills were effective and
professional.
PART V
DOCUMENTATION IN PLA
Documentation is a critical element in the assessment of one’s prior learning. Its main purpose is
to help provide evidence that the learning being sought for credit took place and can be verified.
IMPORTANT POINTS TO CONSIDER: documentation can be divided into two categories -

direct and in-direct.
DIRECT - products, performances, reports, plans, etc., created by you. Generally direct
documentation is the strongest evidence to support PLA requests.
IN-DIRECT - information about your achievements such as letters written by employers,
business partners, etc., awards, commendations, performance appraisals, official
records (such as transcripts). In-direct documentation generally refers to
information about you and your achievements.
Usually direct evidence is preferable to in-direct evidence.
FOUR BASIC DOCUMENTATION CRITERIA:

1. Directness - a copy of something you have produced, designed, created, etc.
2. Authenticity - did you produce, create, design, etc. alone or with others?
3. Breadth - does it show more than superficial knowledge/skill/depth?
4. Quality - at what level(s) of mastery is the learning demonstrated?
It is important to select and organize your documentation so that it will enhance your request for
credit and/or recognition. Appropriate documentation can help to establish the credibility of your
portfolio and lend authenticity to your description of learning experiences.
The types of documents you will need to gather for your portfolio will become more apparent as
you identify the courses and/or occupational competencies for which you wish to write
competencies. Remember, you are trying to document your learning and not the experiences.
The documentation you use for Effective Speaking would be different from what you use to
document your learning for Principles Management. For Effective Speaking you might use an
outline of a presentation, certificates from training in which you participated on how to be a
trainer, and evaluations of speeches you presented. For Principles of Management you might
include job descriptions, certificates of supervisory training, a bibliography of readings, and
work samples.
REVIEWING DOCUMENTATION (EVIDENCE)
Key Questions to Consider:
1. Validity Does the documentation relate to the standards/learning outcomes for

which credit is being sought? Does it match all or part of the standards for
the trade, program or profession?
2. Sufficiency Can the documentation serve as conclusive proof for one or more of the
modules being assessed? What else might be required?
3. Currency Is the documentation relatively recent and up-to-date in relation to the

standards for the occupation/program?
4. Authenticity Is the direct evidence the work of the candidate? Does the indirect
evidence give an accurate picture to support his/her claims of
competence?
EVIDENCE CONTINUUM
TYPE OF ACTIVITY DOCUMENTATION
Work Experience Good

* Samples of work produced
* Evidence of suggestions adopted
* Explanation of tasks performed
* License, supported by performance
standards for acquiring the license
* Membership in, supported by requirements
for, membership in professional/trade
organization
* Scores on licensing exams
Average (if standing alone)

* Job descriptions
* Promotion evaluations
* Evidence of promotion
* Explanation of ranking, rating, or
classification system in company or
organization
* Licenses
* Membership in professional or trade
organizations
Acceptable
* Awards
* Letters of commendation
* Letters of corroboration from superiors,
peers, clients (without other documentation)
* Congratulations on high performance
Military Service Good

* Certificates of completion and grades
attained in service schools
* Work samples
Average
* Service schools attended, courses completed
* Military records
Acceptable
* Military separation paper
Community Service Activities Good
* Evidence of training undertaken and completed,
necessary to achieve the goals and objectives of
the service activity
Average
* Any of the acceptable documentation, with
verified written description of activity
Acceptable
* Commendations
* Awards
* Newspaper and magazine clippings
* Letters of corroboration from fellow volunteers,
clients served, supervisors
Non-College Courses and Training Good

* Learning outcomes or course objectives
* Evaluation instruments used in the course and
grade achieved
Average
* Number of assignments
* Time spent on outside assignments
* Number of class hours
* Number of clinical or practicum hours
* Course description/outlines
Acceptable
* Certificate of completion
* Syllabus
* Diploma
* Letter confirming student's enrolment
Special Accomplishments Good

* Books published
* Lectures given on specific topics, with
evaluations
* Writing samples
* Audiovisual presentations
Average
* Copyrights or patents obtained
* Programs from performance activities
* Proposals written
Acceptable
* A lists of books read
* Exhibit
* Speeches given
* Conversations with experts
Some learning experiences will be difficult to document for a variety of reasons, such as the fact
that “It was so long ago that no one would remember me,” or “I had all the information stored in
the basement and it flooded,” or “the business is no longer in existence and all their records are
gone.” In cases like these, more recent learning experiences may be better sources of
documentation.
In your efforts to document your learning you will assemble a package of documentation to
present to the evaluator. Not all of your documentation will be “good” as previously defined but
in total it should document your learning.
It is easy to get caught up in the process of gathering and submitting documentation, placing
more emphasis on this task than on the competency statement or any other part of the portfolio.
Excessive documentation should never be used as a substitute for clear articulation of the
learning experiences.
Remember, your focus should be on quality, not quantity. A few pieces of very strong
documentation are much better than a box full of poor or inappropriate documentation.
As you acquire verification letters, it is important that you use the following points as a guide.
1) The person preparing the statement should have observed you directly.
2) One person may verify more than one of your experiences. The statement should,
however, comment directly and clearly on each experience.
3) The letter should describe the learning experience and identify the competencies
acquired. The letter should also address the quality as well as the quantity of the
competencies.
4) The person writing the letter of verification should identify his or her relationship to
you (supervisor, peer, subordinate) as well as his or her qualifications for commenting
on you experience.
5) The letter should be written on the official letterhead of the company, organization, or
institution with which the author is associated. If it is not possible for the author to use
paper with an official company or organization logo or letterhead, a brief explanation
should be included in the letter.
6) The letter must be signed.
Since most people have probably never been asked to write the kind of letters you want as your
documentation, you must explain your needs very carefully. The letter and background
information on the following pages are designed as a guide which you may wish to use as you
contact the people knowledgeable about your learning.
One form of documentation used frequently to verify prior learning is letters written by people
who can verify your learning*. The key word is verification - not be confused with
recommendation! The following examples illustrate the difference between a useful
verification letter and an unacceptable letter of recommendation which tells the evaluator
nothing about your level of knowledge or skill.
Acquiring letters which document your learning from experience may take longer than you
would expect. Sometimes several contacts are necessary before a letter is secured. For this
reason, it is important to keep track of when you make contacts in order to follow up your
requests and ensure timely receipt of documentation. Then, if several weeks pass and an answer
has not been received, there is still time to make additional inquiries by mail, by telephone or in
person. Some employers prefer to send documentation directly to the evaluator.
Third party letters can verify many types of learning, but adult education courses,
correspondence courses, on-the-job training programs or special institutes or conferences
probably need a different form of documentation. You should document your participation in
these endeavors by means of transcripts, letters from the sponsoring organization certifying
attendance, products of your participation (e.g., tests, term papers, certificates) or a letter from
the instructor.
Verification of your participation in a course, and of the course's duration, will be considered
minimal documentation. Your documentation will be strengthened if you can provide an outline
of content, a bibliography, and an evaluation of your work.
Other excellent forms of documentation are samples of your work. For example, on your job you
many have prepared a complex budget, developed a manual for your employees, or written a
computer program. These are samples of your work which could be used as documentation.
In other cases, you could use as documentation products your have created while pursuing an
avocation or special project. For instance, writing samples, published work, audiovisual
presentations or samples of artwork or photography are verifications of learning.
Whatever forms of documentation you use, keep the following suggestions in mind as you
acquire your supporting materials:
1) Many documents for each learning experience are not always necessary. Quality is
more important than quantity and too much documentation can actually complicate
the review process. After you have assembled all your documentation, you should
review it carefully and eliminate duplication or items that do not specifically and
directly contribute to supporting your request for credit.
*Note: These letters are usually stronger forms of documentation when presented in conjunction with
other forms of documentation (See Evidence Continuum Pages 78 & 79.)
2) Documentation for every learning experience that contributed to a particular skill or
competence may not be necessary. Sometimes it is difficult or even impossible to
obtain documentation for each experience that contributed to your learning or skills in
a particular area. Do not spend a lot of time or energy in trying to dig up ancient
history. If the skill in question is one that you have continued to use and you can
provide evidence of its current existence, that should suffice.
3) If products such as canvases, pottery or machines are to be used as documentation, they
could be photographed or reduced to slides.
4) Often items are not easily presented in an 8 ½” x 11 binder. Rather than trying to
include the product in your portfolio, place a photograph or description of the item in
the portfolio with the statement AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
This is also true of large documents you have prepared, e.g., procedures manuals,
computer programs, or training manuals. Rather than trying to include the entire
document, making the portfolio extremely awkward to handle in addition to incurring
unnecessary duplication expense, include a brief description of the item (possibly a
table of contents or executive summary), a copy of the cover page of the document, and
the statement AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
5) You should underline those parts of the documentation relevant to the claimed learning
outcomes with a colored pen or highlighter.
6) You should retain originals of any valuable documents such as licenses, certificates,
letters, or commendations, and instead use copies in the portfolio.
7) Some of your documentation may be highly confidential and cannot be included in the
portfolio. If you can share the information with the faculty evaluator in your presence,
then place a brief description of the item(s) in the portfolio, along with the statement
CONFIDENTIAL, AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
SAMPLE
LETTER REQUESTING DOCUMENTATION
(Today's Date)
Dear__________________________:
As a ____________ post-secondary student pursuing a degree/diploma in _______________, or

as a ___________________ (type of skill) pursuing a licence/certificate in _________________.
I am writing to request that you write a letter verifying my learning and my experience with your
organization. As you may know, _____________ institution/employer has a rigorous process for
evaluating and granting credit/recognition for prior learning gained from a wide variety of
experiences. To receive credit/recognition, I must describe my learning and provide verification
that such learning took place. Evaluation is ultimately the task of ____________ faculty/subject
matter experts in my area(s) of competency.
The letter which I would like you to write is more than the usual letter of recommendation. This
letter should:
1) specify the period of time I worked under your supervision;
2) describe the particular duties that I was required to perform;
3) describe the learning involved in performing these tasks;
4) evaluate my general level of performance.
This letter is not easy to write and I am enclosing background information about my work for
you and certain other information which may be useful to you in writing it. Since the letter may
be considered in my evaluation for academic credit, the contents will be carefully scrutinized.
The letter should be directed to ___________ College or ___________ Employer, etc. To
Whom It May Concern or Workplace Supervisor, c/o (name), PLA Co-ordinator. If you have
any questions about the letter or would like any further information, please call me at (phone #).
I would greatly appreciate it if you would send this letter to me by (Date). I wish to express my
thanks for your support and assistance in this matter.
Sincerely,
Eileen Carter
The following should accompany your request for a verification letter on a separate sheet:
SAMPLE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Employee Name: Eileen Carter

Date of Employment: February 1979 to August 1989
Occupation: Executive Assistant and Home Support Co-ordinator
1. Executive Secretary
Duties: Scheduling appointments, assisting in the preparation of monthly agenda for
board meetings, taking minutes of board meetings, keyboarding and word
processing, training staff in basic computer applications, greeting the public.
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

I learned the procedures for WordPerfect 5.1 and MS Dos operating systems, how to
write minutes and develop agendas for board meetings, how to schedule appointments
and deal with impatient, angry and upset people.
2. Home Support Co-ordinator

Duties: Managed a caseload of 65 seniors, taking applications for various types of
assistance such as meals on wheels, appointments with medical specialists,
liaising with a variety of community service providers, making referrals,
planning, implementing and evaluating programs, interviewing and counselling
and preparing reports.
LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE

I learned to be a competent interviewer and the steps involved in completing application
forms accurately and neatly. I learned the importance of identifying both verbal and
non-verbal behaviour, as well as being able to distinguish feelings from information in
the helping interview. I learned the steps involved in making effective referrals to other
agencies and I learned to design, implement and evaluate programs to meet the social
and emotional needs of senior citizens. I learned the steps involved in the process of
advocacy and when to advocate. I also learned how to write clear, concise reports and
how to present verbal reports on my client’s progress.
SAMPLE I
VERIFICATION LETTER - APPROPRIATE AS DOCUMENTATION
(Date)
PLA Co-ordinator
(College)
(Address)
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is intended to verify that Ms. Eileen Carter was employed by Community Help for
Seniors in Maberly, Ontario from February 1979 to August 1989.
While working for our agency, Mrs. Carter held the positions of Executive Assistant for a two
year period (1979-1981) and Home Support Co-ordinator from 1982-1989. As executive
secretary to the director, she took an active role in scheduling meetings, taking minutes at board
meetings, typing all correspondence and reports to the board, and installing a word processor and
computer data base for the agency. She also helped train several other staff in WordPerfect 5.1
and MS Dos operating system.
As home support co-ordinator, she carried a caseload of 65 seniors and was responsible for
ensuring that their physical and emotional needs were being adequately met.
She possessed first-rate interviewing and counselling skills. She was an excellent listener and
had a broad knowledge of other agencies in the community. She was able to make effective
referrals to them on residents' behalf.
Ms. Carter planned several programs for seniors and her planning skills were excellent. While
competent in all phases of program planning, she was especially skilled at assessing needs,
setting goals and program implementation and evaluation.
Eileen worked well on her own. She was responsible, competent worker who needed very little
guidance. She also was a team player and functioned well in group situations. She was
supportive of others in the agency, positive in her verbal and non-verbal interactions and went
out of her way many times to assist other workers when emergencies arose or the workload
became onerous. As her supervisor for five years and having seen her rise through the ranks
from secretary to home support programs co-ordinator, I had the utmost respect for her as a
mature counsellor and a fine human being.
She handled all of her duties with confidence, skill and sensitivity. She fulfilled the requirements
of her job and often went well beyond what is normally expected of people in such positions.
She was a credit to our agency and human service work in general.
Yours truly,
Jean P. Sparling, Executive Director, Community Help For Seniors

SAMPLE II
RECOMMENDATION LETTER - INADEQUATE AS DOCUMENTATION
(Date)
PLA Co-ordinator
(College)
(Address)
(Address)
To Whom It May Concern:
I am pleased to furnish a letter on behalf of Ms. Eileen Carter, a person I have known and
respected for several years.
She began work at the agency in a clerical position and through a combination of hard work and
perseverance became Home Support Co-ordinator.
Eileen was always an energetic, alert and willing worker who carried out the requirements of her
job in a professional, competent fashion. She often willingly did more than her job description
required, handling the extra workload with relative ease; in a very responsible manner.
Eileen in summary, was a valuable part of the agency staff. Her commitment and dedication to
working with the elderly helped us to provide a first rate service to an important and growing
segment of our community.
Yours truly,
Jean P. Sparling, Executive Director

Community Help For Seniors
The second letter, although positive and supportive in its comments about Ms. Carter’s skills and
knowledge, is too vague. It is more like a general letter of recommendation which is commonly
used when a person is applying for a job. The first example on the other hand, specifically
identifies and describes in more detail her knowledge and skill in a variety of areas; computers,
counselling, planning programs, scheduling, making referrals to other agencies and group work.
It is this type of detail that helps to answer questions which faculty evaluators may raise about
one's claim for credit in any given course.
See appendices for sample documentation for Communication I and II for Laura B.
PART VI
ASSEMBLING
THE
PORTFOLIO
It is important that your portfolio be assembled in a professional manner. The overall
presentation of your portfolio could affect the grade you receive for the course being evaluated.
Watch your grammar, sentence structure, and use of punctuation. The typing should be neat and
easy to read, allowing for a wide-enough margin on the left side for binding. If you are using
copies, make sure they are clear and readable. Take time to proofread your material and
correct errors. Remember first impressions are important and may make a difference!
Each section of your portfolio should be clearly labelled, and the entire documentation should be
enclosed in a binder. (Flat binders are preferred to ringed ones, for mailing purposes.)
The sections of the portfolio should be assembled in the following order:
1) the cover letter, which states your name, program, portfolio course instructor, credit
request, and synopsis of experience.
2) your life history paper, which highlights the important transition stages of your life;
3) your goals paper, describing your personal, career, and educational goals;
4) a year-by-year chronological record of your experiences since leaving high school, up
to the present time;
5) each competency/course match (in three-column form), which provides concise
statements of your experience and learning, related to each particular course request;
6) the course outline you obtained from the portfolio course instructor; and
7) the documentation for the learning experiences described in the narratives, separated
alphabetically using dividers or index tabs. e.g. for the first portfolio evaluation request
use the letter A to denote documentation intended to support your claim and the letter
B to denote the second source of documentation and so on.
Make sure you label the outside of your portfolio. The label should include:
Your Name
Today's Date
Name of the Program
The Course(s) for which you are requesting assessments
Your Portfolio Course Instructor's Name
Make a COPY of EVERYTHING

before it is submitted to the PLA Co-ordinator
When your portfolio is sent for evaluation, you should submit each course request in a separate
cover. Each folder includes a Cover Letter and a copy of your Life History, Goals Paper and
Chronological Record.
You may retrieve your portfolio when your evaluation has been completed. The best time to
retrieve your portfolio is after you receive your copy of the evaluation form, signed by your
evaluator. However, you should keep your portfolio available for one year following the
evaluation in case there is a question about your grade competency rating.
SAMPLE
COVER LETTER
(Date)
TO: Name of Post-Secondary Institution
FROM: (Student’s Name)
RE: Evaluation of Prior Learning Portfolio
PROGRAM: Name of Post-Secondary Program
MENTOR/FACULTY: (Student’s Portfolio Resource Person)
SUBJECT: Portfolio Assisted Prior Learning Assessment

- Portfolio Development Process
I respectfully submit my expectation for evaluation of this prior learning portfolio for the
following course(s):
1. 071-406J Presentations I 45 hours

2. 071-406J Presentations II 45 hours
3. 045-623C Introduction to Word Processing 45 hours
4. 045-628C Keyboarding 45 hours
5. 085-155E Interviewing and Counselling I 60 hours
Total Work/Volunteer Experience: 28 Years

General Office Administration and
Human Services Work
PART VII
THE EVALUATION OF THE PORTFOLIO

When your portfolio is completed and assembled, it is ready to be reviewed and evaluated. The
review is performed by a committee made up of people who assist with and administer the
Portfolio development process. The Committee’s role is to review your portfolio to make certain
that it meets the basic criteria as outlined in this Guide. Specifically, the committee will use the
following questions as they review your portfolio:
1) Have you separated your experience from your learning?
2) Have you discussed the course objectives?
3) Have you documented your learning?
4) Is the portfolio prepared in a professional manner, i.e., typing, spelling, writing
style, neatness, etc.?
5) Have you included all the parts of the portfolio?
6) Is the portfolio correctly labelled?
7) Have you labelled each section of the portfolio, using index tabs?
After the review, the Committee makes recommendations to you about the readiness for
evaluation of each of the competencies you have prepared. The Committee will suggest one of
several alternatives:
If the Committee says the portfolio is acceptable, then it is ready to be sent to an
evaluator.
Revise means the competency should be modified before it is sent to an evaluator, but
the Committee feels the revisions will be minor and the portfolio can go to an evaluator
as soon as possible. You should arrange to see your portfolio resource person for aid in
making the needed revisions.
Unsuitable means the competency is not likely to be favourably evaluated in present
form and probably needs some major changes.
Note: It is strongly advised that you follow the recommendations of the Portfolio
Review Committee. If a learner chooses to disregard these recommendations, a
note will accompany the portfolio when it is sent to the evaluator, advising the
faculty of the Committee's concerns.
NOTE: Approval by the Committee in no way indicates that credit is

guaranteed for a particular course. Committee approval only indicates that the
competencies are ready to go on for an evaluation by an appropriate evaluator.
The evaluation of your portfolio will take place as soon as possible. The evaluation of your
portfolio involves the following steps: (In the case of post-secondary credits the following steps
are usually common to most educational institutions.)
1) You initiate the evaluation process by submitting a “Portfolio Evaluation Application
Form” with your evaluation fee to the Registrars office. Your portfolio course instructor
or the PLA Co-ordinator will provide you with the application form when your portfolio
has been approved to be evaluated. The evaluation fee is a flat amount based on the
number of courses for which you are requesting evaluation at that time. Generally the
evaluation fee is $89.00 per evaluation request.
2) You can submit the Evaluation Application Form at any time during the semester, but the
competency must be ready to be evaluated before you pay for the evaluation. Evaluation
fees are not refundable if you change your mind later about the evaluation. Contact
your portfolio instructor or the PLA Co-ordinator for specific instructions before
submitting an Evaluation Application form.
If it is late in the semester your portfolio may not be sent to the faculty evaluator until
near the end of the school year (May-June). (Additional delays may occur during the
summer due to faculty vacations.)
3) Once you have registered and paid for the evaluation, the PLA Co-ordinator sends
your portfolio to a faculty evaluator who teaches the courses for which you are
requesting credit. (Note: There may be a delay if there is no appropriate evaluator
available for the course you requested; your portfolio instructor or the PLA Co-ordinator
should notify you of any special circumstances.) The faculty evaluator then begins
reading your portfolio. You will receive written or verbal notification telling you exactly
who has received your portfolio and when from the PLA Co-ordinator.
The faculty evaluator may contact you by phone or by mail to arrange a meeting with
you on campus. If you do not hear from the faculty person within two weeks after he/she
receives your portfolio(s), then it is likely that a personal interview will not occur.
4) During your personal meeting with the faculty evaluator, you may be asked to verbally
answer questions about your learning; or, the faculty person may ask you to provide
more information. The faculty evaluator may even ask for a demonstration of your skills
(especially in skill areas such as drafting, computer programming, etc.). In some
instances, a faculty evaluator may return a portfolio evaluation to the PLA Co-ordinator
without asking for a personal interview.
5) Either during or soon after your meeting with the evaluator, you will know the results of
your evaluation. The possibilities are:
Possibility #1 - You have demonstrated competence and should be awarded credit
for the course or occupational competency requested, for a grade of A, B, C or D or
according to a competency rating scale.
Possibility #2 - You have demonstrated competence and should be awarded credit
for a different course or competency, other than the one requested. You must agree
to the substitution before this possibility is used and the person making the
recommendation must be a qualified evaluator for the alternate course he/she
suggests. You would also be awarded an A, B, C or D grade for this new course or
a rating appropriate to the occupational competency.
Possibility #3 - You have not demonstrated competence and will not be awarded
credit/recognition for the course/competency requested.
In the case of post-secondary credit, when the evaluation is completed and the results have been
returned to the PLA Co-ordinator, you will be sent a copy of the evaluation form. At the time
you receive these results the Registrar’s Office receives the same information, and is instructed
to include this information in your permanent record.
Please remember that the faculty evaluator has a responsibility to his/her discipline and to other
students who have learned the course material through class attendance. You may receive credit
only if there is documented proof that the required learning has taken place. If the learning falls
short in any way, the faculty evaluator may deny credit or require some additional course work
to fulfil the course requirements.
Posting of Portfolio Grades

You may need to check with the Registrar’s Office.
Mini-Contract
The faculty evaluator may determine that you do not have sufficient understanding of significant
portions of the learning objectives for the course. The evaluator may be willing to initiate a
mini-contract to help you supplement your knowledge with learning activities. The mini-contract
describes what you and the faculty evaluator have agreed upon to complete your evaluation.
There may be an additional fee for this process, since the teacher actually performs two
evaluations for the same competency, as well as directing your learning - ask your portfolio
course instructor for details.
Challenging A Grade
If you feel that you did not receive a fair evaluation, there are specific procedures you can follow
to challenge the results. Please consult the PLA course outline and the Loyalist calendar for
proper procedure.
PRIOR LEARNING ASSESSMENT (PLA)
Request for Evaluation
Student Name:_________________________________ Student #:____________________
Courses to be Evaluated Method of Evaluation

Course Code Name (Examination/Portfolio)
1. Faculty Assessor may contact student by mail or phone for a personal interview.
2. Credit award is not automatic. The assessor is under no obligation to grant credit if learning is below the level expected of traditional
students in the classroom in that course. Additional demonstration of learning (verbal exam, written exam, practical demonstartion, etc.)
may be required.
3. Student requesting an assessment of prior learning are required to pay an assessment fee. Students will not receive a refund if credit is
denied.
4. In exceptional circumstances, supplementary assignments may be requested, if an area of learning falls short of a particular course
outcome/objective. Special reading assignments, learning contract, projects or reports and interviews, may be required, in addition to the
initial assessment process. If minimal additional time is spent with students, assignments may be arranged informally.
5. Faculty Assessor may contact references or employees as named in the portfolio to verify sources of documentation.
6. Submission of portfolios must allow sufficient time for completion of the evaluation and processing of paperwork in order for the grade to
appear on transcript.
7. By signing this application, I certify that all fo the information/documents provided, to support this assessment are authentic, accurate and
true. I agree that my application for credit may be denied if I have falsified any information in any way. I authorize the use of all
documentation, assignments, projects, exams and portfolio by Faculty Assessor, for the purposes of assessing prior learning. I understand
that receiving a credit for prior learning does not guarantee entry into a program of study.
___________________________________________________ ______________________________________
Student Signature Date
The information on this form is collected under the legal authority of the Ministry of Colleges and Universities Act, R.S.O. 1980, Chapter 272,
S.S.; R.R.O. 1980, Regulation 640. The information is used for administration and statistical purposes of the College and/or the Ministries and
Agencies of the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada. For further information, please contact the Registrar of the College.
Amount Due: Total Number of Courses ____________ x $ = $ _____________
Please make cheques or money orders payable to Loyalist College (Student Number must be written on the cheque or
money order). Mail or deliver the payment with this form to the cashier as soon as you have been approved for
evaluation. The fees are non-refundable. The PLA Co-ordinator will be advised of your payment.
Loyalist College
Prior Learning Assessment
PORTFOLIO/CHALLENGE EVALUATION FORM
Assessor:__________________________________ Student:_________________________________
Course Code:__________________________ Credit Hours:_____________________________
Course Name:_________________________ Program (If applicable)_____________________
IT IS MY JUDGEMENT AND RECOMMENDATION THAT THE ABOVE NAMED STUDENT :
 Has demonstrated competence in  A The student has demonstrated

the required learning outcomes knowledge and skills that meet all of
and should be awarded credit for the required learning outcomes at an
the course named above with the exceptional level of performance
following letter grade: and/or competency.
The student has demonstrated

 B knowledge and skills that meet all of
the required learning outcomes at
more than an acceptable level of
performance and/or competency.
 C The student has demonstrated

knowledge and skills that meet the
required learning outcomes at more
than an acceptable level of
performance and/or competency.
 Has demonstrated competence and should be

awarded credit for a course other than/in addition to, Course Name:________________________________
the one requested. (Please complete a separate
evaluation form per course. Course Code: _____________________________
Program: ___________________________
 Learning is incomplete in the course named above and a mini-learning contract is necessary before a grade
can be received.
 Has not demonstrated competence and should not be awarded credit for the course named above.
Basis of Evaluation/Comments:____________________________________________________________________
Date: ______________ ___________________________ Date: ________________________________________

Assessor’s Signature Dean’s Signature
94/11 Please return one copy of this form, along with the portfolio to the PLA Co-ordinator, room 3N8 by the date on the cover letter unless
other arrangements have been made. Thank you.
APPENDICES
DOCUMENTATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A-1 Verification of Employment at Co-Operators Insurance
B-1 to 4 1. Life Underwriters Training Course Certificate

2. LUATC - Course Outline
C-1 R.I.B.O. Licence and Examination Information
D-1 Letter from Cowan McVicar and Associates
E-1 Courses developed and written for Conestoga College
F-1 to 5 Magazine Articles - written for local publication

A-1
VERIFICATION OF EMPLOYMENT AT CO-OPERATION INS.
B-1
LIFE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION TRAINING COURSE
LUATC CERTIFICATE
B-2
LUATC COURSE OUTLINE – TAKEN 1985/86
B-3
B-4
C-1
RIBO LICENCE AND EXAMINATION INFORMATION
D-1
LETTER FROM COWAN MCVICAR AND ASSOCIATES
E-1
COURSE WRITTEN FOR CONESTOGA COLLEGE
COURSE OUTLINES:
E-2
E-3
E-4
F-1
DINING OUT ARTICLES WRITTEN FOR THE ST. GEORGE LANCE
F-2
F-3
F-4
F-5

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CONTENTS

THE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.................................................................5

PART I The Chronological Record.....................................................................................12

PART II Life History............................................................................................................19

PART III The Goals Paper.....................................................................................................32

PART IV The Core of the Portfolio - The Narrative of Competencies.................................46

PART VI Assembling the Portfolio.......................................................................................88

PART VII The Evaluation of the Portfolio.............................................................................92

occupation and workplace-based assessment. It is designed to provide those adults who

information to assist in this challenging and rewarding task.

It is by no means a final product nor is it an original piece of work. It is a compendium of

organizations, individual adult educators, post-secondary institutions and workplaces across

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

NOTE: Clear, concise writing is essential to an effective presentation of your learning.

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

WHAT OBJECTIVES WILL I ACCOMPLISH AS A RESULT OF PARTICIPATING IN

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

* These two components are optional.

WHAT ARE THE STEPS IN THE PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT/EVALUATION

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE PORTFOLIO RESOURCE PERSON?

HOW IS CREDIT/RECOGNITION AWARDED FOR PRIOR LEARNING?

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

THE CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

TRANSFORMATION PATTERNS - Development as growth, using these three themes as the

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

Phase 1: Alignment - Getting My Act Together

Phase 2: Out of Synch

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

In 1978, my husband and I started A and M Woodcrafts, a small manufacturing company,

Through the experience of running a small manufacturing company, I gained an incredible

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

THE GOALS PAPER

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

REASONS FOR SETTING GOALS

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

FACTORS TO CONSIDER IN GOAL SETTING

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

CRITERIA FOR GOALS

PLAR - A Guide to Assist in the Preparation of a Portfolio

Total Courses Needed: Name of Program:________________

Advisor's Name:_______________Expected Graduation Date_

Total Courses Needed: Name of Program:________________

Advisor's Name:_______________Expected Graduation Date_