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Check out:
PLAR Foundation Training Brochure (pdf)
PLAR Practitioner Training Brochure (pdf)
PLAR Portfolio Development (pdf)

PLAR Training Courses Delivery Overview

Red River College provides a variety of workshops and courses to assist with the effective development and implementation of PLAR.

Basic and advanced courses in PLAR are available through onsite workshops, online delivery, live video streaming, week long institutes and customized training. Courses can be customized to relate the principles and processes to specific environments and participant needs. All courses are facilitated by experienced PLAR practitioners. Courses may be completed for College credit and a RRC Certificate of Achievement or for audit purposes and a RRC Certificate of Participation.

PLAR FOUNDATION COURSE

Acquire the fundamental knowledge and skill to effectively implement PLAR! Learn about: the basic principles of PLAR; how to develop learning outcomes, sound assessment practices, the portfolio and other methods of assessment; the role of the Advisor Assessor and Facilitator; and how to put PLAR into context for development of a credible system. This 40-hour course is offered as a series of 7 sessions or may be completed as individual workshops via onsite and online delivery.

PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT COURSES

RRC provides a variety of courses to assist participants to work through the basic process of portfolio development to develop a portfolio for personal growth, career development, providing evidence of prior learning for courses/programs, and for professional purposes.

Courses include:

  • Portfolio Development Course (40 hours)
  • Career Portfolio Development Course (30 hours)
  • Professional Portfolio Development Workshop series (16-20 hours)
  • Train the Trainer Professional Portfolio Development Course (24 hours)

Learn how to develop a professional portfolio as well as train the trainer strategies for group facilitation of the portfolio development process.

PLAR PRACTITIONER (ADVANCED) COURSE

Gain an advanced level of PLAR learning and put it into practice! Learn about adult learner focused organizations, innovation and quality in PLAR, how PLAR supports adult learning and encourages organizational change. Explore in depth the roles of the Advisor, Assessor and Facilitator and the processes and practices to maintain quality in PLAR systems. This 42-hour course is intended for those who have completed the PLAR Foundation Course (or who have equivalent prior learning) plus related experience in the PLAR field and is available onsite, online and via live video streaming.

PLAR FOUNDATION TRAINING - SUMMER INSTITUTE 2006

June 12 -16, 2006

Red River College (RRC) of Applied Arts, Science and Technology is pleased to once again present a PLAR Foundation Training Summer Institute. The institute provides an intensive 5 day workshop series that incorporates the basic PLAR Foundation Course (40 hours).

Who participates in the institute? Past participants have included ~ faculty/staff from colleges and universities, career counselors, human resource professionals and individuals from government, professional associations, regulatory bodies, apprenticeship, business and industry.

What will you learn? You will learn about: PLAR principles; the development of learning outcomes; processes and flexible assessment practices including portfolio development; the roles of advisors and assessors in PLAR and designing a credible PLAR system. Participants may choose to complete the training for course credit recognition (RRC Certificate of Achievement) or as a participatory course (Certificate of Participation). This institute may be applied as a credit for the Independent Study course in the tri college Certificate in Adult Education.

DATE: Monday, June 12 – Friday, June 16, 2006
TIME: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm each day
PLACE: Red River College, Boardroom A137- 2055 Notre Dame Ave.
COURSE FEE: $350.00 (includes course resource materials)
FACILITATORS: Gail Hall ~ RRC PLAR Course facilitator.

Please note that this year we will also have guest presenters including: Deb Blower, RRC Facilitator and other subject matter experts. The facilitators bring many years of PLAR learning and training experience at the provincial, national and international levels.

Note: Space in the Summer Institute is limited. Early registration is recommended. Registration forms must be received by May 23, 2006.

For one week last July, twenty-three (23) participants from across Canada, (Manitoba, Nova Scotia, British Columbia, Alberta and Nunavut) attended this special summer institute.

Here’s some of what they had to say about the 2005 PLAR Foundation Summer Institute:

Most valuable learning….

“Everything was valuable and ALL input from group discussions and participants as a whole added clarification”.

“Develop assessment tools, advising role and marketing PLAR”
“PLAR and Flexible assessment practices”

“All valuable as supports building strong foundations and understanding in PLAR”

The Resources and Course Facilitation….

“Excellent! Very well presented, organized & clearly met the learning outcomes”

“Excellent! Content, great; handouts, good; website, great; great input! Great group of participants.”

“Course Facilitators are absolutely enthusiastic on this topic. The knowledge brought to the table from the facilitators is amazing. I am so happy I had this opportunity to pick their brains.”

Overall Comments on the 2005 PLAR Foundation Summer Institute…

“Simply amazing! Will have other PLAR staff attend the next summer session.”

“This training gave me great insight into PLAR and its content.”

“Thank you for a great week. I really enjoyed the opportunity to share information with people from varied locations, disciplines and applications. Sessions were well organized and resources will be very useful.”

“I would recommend this highly at all levels of industry, institutions and interest groups.”

“Thanks again for a wonderful week. It was great learning experience and a lot of fun.”

2006 PLAR Foundation Summer Institute details:

Monday, June 12, 2006 ~ Introduction to Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR)

Day 1 provides an introduction to PLAR, learning outcomes and an overview of PLAR activities/resources/projects in Canada. Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Explain what PLAR means and some basic assumptions on which PLAR is founded;
  • Explain uses of PLAR in different environments and describe the benefits for learners, institutions, and the workplace;
  • Describe the steps in the PLAR process and various methods used to assess PLAR;
  • Utilize resources and contacts for PLAR;
  • Define learning outcomes;
  • Analyze courses and workplace tools to identify learning (knowledge skills and abilities);
  • Write and use learning outcomes for courses or job performance.

Tuesday, June 13, 2006 ~ PLAR and Flexible Assessment Practices

Day 2 is intended to provide a framework for quality PLAR practice and principles of sound assessment. It encourages the participants to broaden their thinking about the evidence of learning and valid assessment processes. Upon completion of this workshop, participants should be able to:

  • Outline a model for PLAR, including team composition and roles;
  • Explain the principles of sound assessment;
  • Describe the relationship of learning outcomes to teaching, learning, assessment and to workplace resources and tools;
  • Describe different forms of evidence of learning;
  • Use various assessment methods for PLAR and identify benefits, challenges of each;
  • Determine assessment criteria to measure prior learning.
 

Wednesday, June 14, 2006 ~ PLAR and the Portfolio

Day 3 will assist participants to discover how portfolios can be used for assessing prior learning as well as a career/professional development tool. Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe the portfolio both as a process and a product;
  • Describe the benefits of a portfolio in educational, career and workplace environments;
  • Identify how to inventory transferable skills from life, work and formal training;
  • Analyze the strengths of various types of evidence used in portfolios;
  • Describe a valid model for organizing a portfolio;
  • Identify common pitfalls in assessment;
  • Apply principles of sound assessment when reviewing portfolios and other evidence of learning.
 

Thursday, June 15, 2006 ~ Advisor/Assessor Roles in PLAR

Day 4 will focus on the development of the advising and assessing function in PLAR. Participants will explore the roles, functions and activities of the PLAR practitioner in helping to advise learners for assessment and in assessing learning. The session also explores PLAR practitioner competencies. Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Identify the knowledge, skills and abilities required of PLAR advisors and assessors;
  • Provide information, advice and support to individuals to access PLAR;
  • Complete administrative responsibilities throughout the process;
  • Provide advisory services to individuals throughout the PLAR process, including orientation, identification of goals, documentation of learning, preparing for assessment and post-assessment guidance;
  • Self assess to the National Benchmarks for the Canadian PLAR Practitioner (CAPLA 2000) and RRC PLAR Practitioner Profile;
  • Identify key strategies for creating an inclusive culturally diverse learning environment.
 

Friday, June 16, 2006 ~ Putting PLAR into Context

Day 5 focuses on how to integrate PLAR most effectively and efficiently into program areas, institutions and/or other organizations. This workshop is very useful for those just beginning to integrate PLAR. Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

  • Describe how PLAR fits within an organization;
  • Describe key components of a credible PLAR system;
  • Describe current standards for PLAR practice and their benefits;
  • Identify some of the most recent research findings related to PLAR;
  • Describe provincial, national and international activity.
 

To Register:

Please complete the registration form (click here for downloadable form) and mail or fax with course fee payment.

Registration forms should be faxed to:

Ellie Snowball
RRC Continuing Education
Fax: 204-949-9105

or mailed to:

Attention :Ellie Snowball
RRC Continuing Education
Princess Street Campus
P104-160 Princess St,
Winnipeg, MB, R3B 1K9

Note: Space in the Summer Institute is limited. Early registration is recommended. Registration forms must be received by May 23, 2006

For further information or questions, please contact:

Deb Blower, PLAR Facilitator
Red River College
C519-2055 Notre Dame Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0J9
Phone: 204-632-2065
Email: dblower@rrc.mb.ca
Information is also available at www.rrc.mb.ca/prior.