Survey of prior learning assessment practices in pharmacy education

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Spring 2001 by Fjortoft, Nancy F, Zgarrick, David P

Our review of the literature in pharmacy education led us to the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy5,6(17). Faculty at Maryland developed an extensive portfolio process by which students may petition for advanced standing for a limited number of specific didactic and experiential credits. University of Maryland allows students to transfer in courses completed elsewhere, but the majority of their students' advanced standing is by portfolio review. They do not evaluate PLA by examination. Faculty at University of Maryland spent a considerable amount of time laying the foundation for prior learning assessment via portfolio. They developed criteria and competency statements, and defined what kinds of documentation would be appropriate for each competency. There was considerable practitioner involvement at this stage. A course was developed to assist students in developing their portfolio. Extensive written documentation is also available to the student and to the faculty to guide them in evaluation. They adhere to the standards for good PLA practice developed by CAEL(7). Standards of Good Practice

Pharmacy educators, cautious of "giving away credit," adhere to strict and high standards of prior learning assessment practice. Standards of good practice in PLA have been clearly defined by Whitaker in his publication "Assessing Learning: Standards, Principles & Procedures"(1). This CAEL publication built on the work of Warren Willingham(18) and Susan Simosko(19) and systematically organized principles and procedures of PLA. This book was developed in response to rising interest in PLA, the growing number of adult students in higher education, and a desire for greater accountability to consumers of higher education(1). The standards were developed after two years of intensive interviews with hundreds of learners and educators. Those standards are:

1. Learning outcomes or objectives need to be clearly defined.

2. Criteria for success need to be clearly defined.

3. Learning must be verified or documented.

4. Learning must be at college-level.

5. Learning should be balanced, i.e. appropriate to the subject matter, between theory and practical application.

6. Review must be done and awarding of credit must be made for appropriate subject matter and by academic experts.

7. Credit should be appropriate to the academic context in which it is accepted(1).

Perhaps the single most important criteria for good practice is the first standard, i.e., learning outcomes or objectives need to be clearly defined. Pharmacy educators collectively and individually at the program level, have deliberated on the outcomes and objectives of pharmacy education. In order to appropriately assess prior learning and match it with specific courses, it is imperative that objectives and learning outcomes are articulated and communicated to students.

METHODS

A questionnaire was developed to survey the methods of PLA used in pharmacy education. Based on the literature, the methods of PLA are defined below for the purposes of this study.