With a grant from the Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC) Foundation, The American Council on Education (ACE) plans to establish a network of academic institutions and training providers focused on improving the process for earning college credit through prior learning experiences.
Prior learning experiences are “what an individual learns outside the traditional classroom environment,” according to Michele Spires, the executive director for Learning Evaluations at ACE.
“There are all sorts of learning that occurs with employers and employees,” she said. “There are people who are owning individual studies on something that they just love to do as a hobby or a side passion.”
Adult learners, which make up almost half of all students at a post-secondary institution, are students aged 25 and older, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Some challenges faced by adult learners when pursuing their degree includes financial barriers as well as balancing school with work and family obligations. For undergraduate students specifically, 38% are above the age of 25, 58% work while enrolled in college and over 25% are raising children, according to the Lumina Foundation.
“These [challenges] are fairly standard and even intensified right now with COVID-19,” said Spires. “If we can leverage what learning has occurred outside of traditional classroom that is being validated by [ACE] through our rigorous process and make those connections, it is going to save time and money and really support adults.”
As part of the two-year project, participating schools and organizations will identify transferable skills within various disciplines as well as technical training. Through the use of the Credly Acclaim Digital Credentialing Platform, students can receive badges online for their skills and connect with both colleges and employers.
