1.5 How is Learning Assessed for PLAR credit?

When you apply for PLAR, a faculty member who is an expert in the subject will review your knowledge and skills. They will compare what you know and can do with the learning outcomes of a specific course or program.

There are two main ways your learning can be assessed:

1. Challenge Evaluation

A challenge evaluation lets you show what you know by completing an assessment. This option works best if your learning closely matches the course content and you feel confident in your knowledge and skills.

Examples of challenge evaluations include:

• Written exam: Answer questions about course topics.
• Oral exam: Talk with an evaluator about what you’ve learned.
• Project or presentation: Complete a task or present your work.
• Skill demonstration: Show your abilities in a hands-on way.
• Interview: Share your experiences and how they connect to the course.
• Essay: Write about what you’ve learned and how you learned it.

2. Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of documents that tells the story of your learning. This option works well if you’ve built knowledge and skills over time through work, volunteering, or personal experiences.

A portfolio often includes:

• Résumé: Your work and volunteer experience related to the specific course.
• Employment letters: Proof of your responsibilities and achievements.
• Samples of work: Projects, reports, or other materials you created.
• Certificates or training records: Evidence of professional learning.
• Life history or goals paper: A short summary of your key learning experiences and your future goals.
• Educational plan: How PLAR fits into your program of study.
• Learning outcomes comparison: A description of how your experience matches the course requirements.
• Demonstration of knowledge: The portfolio may also require you to complete a task relevant to the course material, such as answer questions related to a case study, demonstrate your communication skills, or walk through a scenario where you need to make decisions.

The purpose of both the challenge evaluation and the portfolio are to allow you to demonstrate that you already have the knowledge and experience that you would have gained by participating in the course for which you are seeking PLAR credit.

To learn more about how to build your portfolio, see the  Portfolio Guidelines 

Not sure which option is right for you?
Don’t worry! Fanshawe advisors and faculty members will help you understand whether a Challenge Evaluation or Portfolio is the best fit for the course for which you are seeking credit.