TESU portfolio tips

[tesu-acct-student]

UPDATE ON MY PORTFOLIOS

I initially wrote here that I would be submitting three portfolios but I determined that I could do one more. So I did ACC-406. Between Tuesday and Wednesday I uploaded all four portfolios (ENG-216, ACC-340, ACC-406, ACC-440) to my TESU Google Sites account. I paid for them this morning ($379) by telephone with my credit card. By so doing, I am now enrolled in the April term. I am now awaiting receipt of the SME's (subject matter expert) contact information. Once I receive the contact info, I will give this person access to my portfolios. I don't know how long I will wait to receive the contact info, nor do I know how long it will take for them to review the portfolios. The review process seems different than when I last did it, and I'll update again when I have more info.

I will say this for now: it seems like it is possible to enroll in the term first, then do the portfolios during the term. But I personally would not do it like that. I would obtain the CD/LO (course description/learning outcomes) and work on the portfolios before enrolling in the term. This way, if something comes up while working on the portfolio, there's no time pressure to finish.

[tesu-acct-student]

PLA terminology may be causing confusion

I've been reading some of the posts here regarding PLAs. It seems that there is some confusion regarding the terminology. Assuming I'm correct, I'd like to clarify what I've seen. PLA stands for Prior Learning Assessment, and I have seen it used in similar ways:

1. Used as a synonym for the PLA-100/200 course sequence. These are the preparatory courses needed in order to learn how to develop a portfolio. At TESU, PLA-100 is one credit. PLA-200 is two credits. Once taken, these will appear in General Education. A letter grade is given. I don't know anything about these kinds of PLA courses from other institutions or how they transfer into TESU.

2. Used as a synonym for the portfolio submitted for evaluation. Each portfolio is typically three credits but can be more or less depending on what the Course Description says. These courses can appear anywhere on the transcript depending the major, the courses chosen, and where they will best fit into the transcript. No letter grade. They are CR courses. There are a couple different rates for these credits. First we have $379 for 12 credits. After that, it is $215 for six credits. There is also an option for taking PLA-100 and having three credits evaluated as part of that course. A student qualifies for these rates by taking the PLA100/200 sequence. There may be other ways to qualify but I am not certain as to what they are. At least in Sept. 2013, the policy was that completing a portfolio at TESU prior to their implementation of PLA100/200 was not a way to qualify for those rates.

3. Used as a way to discuss the entire process of #1 and #2.

I've seen these meanings get mixed up here more than once, and even while I was taking PLA-200. For example, I saw a comment here where the person was using "PLA," and thought somebody else meant the first meaning above, but I could tell from the context that the "somebody else" meant the second meaning (I'm deliberately leaving it vague but I hope you get the gist). At least, that's what it looked like to me. And the mix-up was creating confusion.

In order to help avoid this confusion, I am going to try and use terminology that is more clear. For example, if I am referring to #2, I will try to remember to say "portfolio." If I am referring to #1, I will try to remember to say, "PLA100/200." Etc.

[sanantone]

PLA terminology may be causing confusion

I've been reading some of the posts here regarding PLAs. It seems that there is some confusion regarding the terminology. Assuming I'm correct, I'd like to clarify what I've seen. PLA stands for Prior Learning Assessment, and it can mean three things that are similar:

1. PLA can mean the PLA-100/200 course sequence. These are the preparatory courses needed in order to learn how to develop a portfolio, and in order to qualify for the rate of $379 for 12 credits. At TESU, PLA-100 is one credit. PLA-200 is two credits. Once taken, these will appear somewhere in General Education (let me know if I'm wrong about that). A letter grade is given. I don't know anything about these kinds of PLA courses from other institutions or how they transfer into TESU.
2. PLA can mean: the actual portfolio submitted for evaluation. These courses are typically three credits each but they can be more or less depending on what the Course Description says. These courses can appear anywhere on the transcript depending the major, the courses chosen, and where they will best fit into the transcript. No letter grade. They are CR courses.
3. PLA can mean: the entire process of #1 and #2.

I've seen these meanings get mixed up here more than once. For example, I saw a post where the person thought somebody else meant the first meaning, but I could tell from the context that the "somebody else" meant the second meaning (I'm deliberately leaving it vague but I hope you get the gist). At least, that's what it looked like to me. And the mix-up was creating confusion.

In order to help avoid this confusion, I am going to try and use terminology that is more clear. For example, if I am referring to #2, I will try to remember to say "portfolio." If I am referring to #1, I will try to remember to say, "PLA100/200." Etc.

I have never seen anywhere that you need to take PLA 100 and 200 to qualify for the $379 rate for a portfolio assessment. That is the only rate they have. They don't charge for portfolio assessments by the credit hour.

[tesu-acct-student]

I have never seen anywhere that you need to take PLA 100 and 200 to qualify for the $379 rate for a portfolio assessment. That is the only rate they have. They don't charge for portfolio assessments by the credit hour.

It is possible that I don't have the correct information. Here is what I based that on:

PLA-100 and PLA-200

Scroll down to the chart and diagram.

Edited to add: yes, I realize that they don't charge by the credit hour for portfolios.

[sanantone]

It is possible that I don't have the correct information. Here is what I based that on:

PLA-100 and PLA-200

Scroll down to the chart and diagram.

Edited to add: yes, I realize that they don't charge by the credit hour for portfolios.

TESU is making a comparison with how they used to charge for portfolio assessments. Up until a couple of years ago, they charged by the credit hour.

[tesu-acct-student]

I have never seen anywhere that you need to take PLA 100 and 200 to qualify for the $379 rate for a portfolio assessment...

See also here:

PLA and Portfolio Help Scroll down the last question.

I guess the next question is this: are there people who have submitted 12 credit portfolios for the $379 fee who did not take PLA100/200 (or transfer in equivalent courses from elsewhere)?

[tesu-acct-student]

From what I can tell so far, if somebody had successfully completed portfolios prior to TESU's adoption of PLA100/200, then that person would be eligible to submit portfolios without taking PLA100/200 (or transferring in equivalent courses from elsewhere). After Mark Singer posted here, I reviewed everything on the subject, including some of my older emails with TESU. I concluded that taking the PLA100/200 sequence is what made me eligible for the $379 fee. If I had not taken those courses, I believe I would have had to pay the per credit fee. But again, I might be wrong about the fee in that case. It is clear to me now that TESU's information on their website does NOT explicitly state that PLA100/200 is REQUIRED in order to submit 12 credit portfolios for the $379 fee.

Here is what I want to have clarified by TESU. Can somebody who:

• did not successfully submit a portfolio prior to the implementation of PLA100/200, AND
  
• has not completed PLA100/200 (nor transferred in equivalent courses from elsewhere)...
  

...submit portfolios for the $379 fee?

[sanantone]

From what I can tell so far, if somebody had successfully completed portfolios prior to TESU's adoption of PLA100/200, then that person would be eligible to submit portfolios without taking PLA100/200 (or transferring in equivalent courses from elsewhere). After Mark Singer posted here, I reviewed everything on the subject, including some of my older emails with TESU. I concluded that taking the PLA100/200 sequence is what made me eligible for the $379 fee. If I had not taken those courses, I believe I would have had to pay the per credit fee. But again, I might be wrong about the fee in that case. It is clear to me now that TESU's information on their website does NOT explicitly state that PLA100/200 is REQUIRED in order to submit 12 credit portfolios for the $379 fee.

Here is what I want to have clarified by TESU. Can somebody who:

• did not successfully submit a portfolio prior to the implementation of PLA100/200, AND
  
• has not completed PLA100/200 (nor transferred in equivalent courses from elsewhere)...
  

...submit portfolios for the $379 fee?

Transferring in an equivalent, introductory, PLA course from elsewhere is required to submit a portfolio for assessment if you have never done a PLA at any college and don't want to take TESU's PLA courses. It's not a requirement for the price; it is a requirement to submit a portfolio at all. You need an introductory course if you have never been awarded credit for a prior learning assessment. For example, I do not need an introductory PLA course because I was awarded PLA credit from Empire State College. If I had never done a PLA before, I would need to take the introductory courses at TESU, Kaplan, LearningCounts, or somewhere else. If you have never been awarded credit for a PLA and have never taken an introductory PLA course, TESU will not allow you to submit a portfolio for assessment.

When talking about TESU, it is important to use their terminology to avoid confusion. What most schools call a PLA is called a portfolio assessment at TESU. TESU's PLA courses are just introductory courses that teach you how to put together a portfolio. They aren't the actual PLA (prior learning assessment).

[tesu-acct-student]

Transferring in an equivalent, introductory, PLA course from elsewhere is required to submit a portfolio for assessment if you have never done a PLA at any college. It's not a requirement for the price; it is a requirement to submit a portfolio at all. You need an introductory course if you have never been awarded credit for a prior learning assessment. For example, I do not need an introductory PLA course because I was awarded PLA credit from Empire State College. If I had never done a PLA before, I would need to take the introductory courses at TESU, Kaplan, LearningCounts, or somewhere else...

I guess I don't understand what you are saying. You're saying:

that students need an introductory course in order to submit a portfolio if they have no portfolio credits already
if they have portfolio credits from anywhere they can submit a portfolio to TESU without taking PLA100/200

I actually agree with both of those statements.

Edit: CRUD, hit the wrong button and posted too soon!

Question: if they have never submitted a portfolio anywhere, and they have never taken an intro PLA course anywhere, then what fee do they pay if they want to submit one or more portfolios to TESU?

[sanantone]

I guess I don't understand what you are saying. You're saying:

that students need an introductory course in order to submit a portfolio if they have no portfolio credits already
if they have portfolio credits from anywhere they can submit a portfolio to TESU without taking PLA100/200

I actually agree with both of those statements.

Yes. If you have never been awarded credit for a PLA and have never taken an introductory PLA course, TESU will not allow you to submit a portfolio for assessment. It has nothing to do with how much they charge you. The first 12 credits will always be $379 and each additional 6 credits is $215. There is no other price listed for the portfolio assessment fees.