TESU portfolio tips

[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.