Leveraging Prior Learning to Support Pathways

"One of my favorite movies is Good Will Hunting. Will Hunting (played by Matt Damon) is a 20-year-old janitor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Although he works a blue-collar job, he is secretly a self-taught genius with an extraordinary gift for mathematics and an exceptional memory. One day, he anonymously solves a complex math problem left on a chalkboard by Professor Gerald Lambeau, astonishing the faculty."

"Whenever I write or talk about prior learning assessment (PLA), I think of that movie. It tells the story of an individual who learned and could demonstrate mastery of complex concepts outside the traditional classroom. While Will may have been a genius, there are millions of people who, like him, have gained valuable knowledge and skills through life, work and experience and deserve the opportunity to have that learning recognized."

Will Hunting exemplifies an individual who learned complex subjects outside formal schooling, demonstrating mastery despite not fitting the conventional student mold. Prior learning includes apprenticeships, on-the-job training, military service, employer certifications, and industry credentials that build practical, job-relevant skills. Postsecondary institutions and credentialing systems often fail to recognize competencies gained through life and work, wasting untapped potential. Prior learning assessment (PLA) validates experiential learning, creating more equitable education pathways and enabling nontraditional learners to convert real-world experience into recognized credentials that better align education with employment needs.

Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs