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A Decade of Global Prior Learning Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review

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Title: A Decade of Global Prior Learning Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review
Language: English
Authors: Carrie J. Boden (ORCID 0000-0001-5991-5908), Catherine A. Cherrstrom (ORCID 0000-0002-4903-053X), Todd Sherron (ORCID 0000-0003-3871-2727), Maria Moham, Lindsey Wilson, Kandi Pomeroy
Source: Journal of Continuing Higher Education. 2024 72(1):104-121.
Availability: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 18
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Information Analyses
Descriptors: Prior Learning, Evaluation, Educational Research, Periodicals, Educational Trends
DOI: 10.1080/07377363.2022.2119800
ISSN: 0737-7363
1948-4801
Abstract: Prior learning assessment (PLA) uses testing or competency portfolios to assess and grant credit for college-level learning, thus offering personal and professional empowerment to adult learners. The purpose of this review was to systematically examine global academic literature related to PLA over a decade. An earlier review of U.S. literature focused solely on PLA, but this review focused on the globally used term recognition of prior learning (RPL) and prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR). Data collection followed a structured process to identify all peer-reviewed journal articles published over a decade that meet inclusion criteria. Data analysis included thematic coding to identify categories leading to themes. Major findings included journals publishing about PLA, author perspectives and affiliations, underlying empirical studies, and eight major themes: studies of programs, policy and systems, studies of PLA, technology tools, theory building, assessment practices, workplace applications of PLA, and immigration.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1417699
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0176179458;gwp01jan.24;2024Mar26.04:55;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0176179458-1">A Decade of Global Prior Learning Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review </title> <p>Prior learning assessment (PLA) uses testing or competency portfolios to assess and grant credit for college-level learning, thus offering personal and professional empowerment to adult learners. The purpose of this review was to systematically examine global academic literature related to PLA over a decade. An earlier review of U.S. literature focused solely on PLA, but this review focused on the globally used term recognition of prior learning (RPL) and prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR). Data collection followed a structured process to identify all peer-reviewed journal articles published over a decade that meet inclusion criteria. Data analysis included thematic coding to identify categories leading to themes. Major findings included journals publishing about PLA, author perspectives and affiliations, underlying empirical studies, and eight major themes: studies of programs, policy and systems, studies of PLA, technology tools, theory building, assessment practices, workplace applications of PLA, and immigration.</p> <p>Keywords: Prior learning assessment (PLA); recognition of prior learning (RPL); prior learning assessment recognition (PLAR); systematic literature review; immigration; equality</p> <p>PLA offers a path for adult learners to access a broad range of occupations and careers (Boden et al., [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref1">11</reflink>]; Cherrstrom & Boden, [<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref2">19</reflink>]). Recognizing the power and potential of PLA, Cherrstrom et al. ([<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref3">20</reflink>]) systematically examined related U.S. academic literature over a decade. The purpose of the current review was to systematically examine global (outside of U.S.) academic literature related to PLA during the same decade (2010–2020). Research questions from the U.S. review also guided this global review: Where, when, and how many peer-reviewed journal articles about PLA have been published in the last 10 years? What institutions and organizations do authors represent? What percentage of articles are based on empirical studies? What PLA-related findings and results do authors examine and discuss in the peer-reviewed literature? Answering these questions will add to the literature and inform local and global PLA practice. The research design also guided the review.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-2">Research Design for a Systematic and Integrative Literature Review</hd> <p>Systematic and integrative literature reviews use rigorous methods to identify literature and then collect and analyze data to create new knowledge by identifying themes, synergies, and gaps (Booth et al., [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref4">13</reflink>]; Kennedy, [<reflink idref="bib49" id="ref5">49</reflink>]; Torraco, [<reflink idref="bib89" id="ref6">89</reflink>]). The research design for this review mirrored the original U.S. review (Cherrstrom et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref7">20</reflink>]). To identify literature, inclusion criteria comprised peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2010 to 2020 in English, the primary language of authors, this journal's readers, and scholarship (Kirkpatrick, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref8">50</reflink>]). However, instead of using the U.S. term PLA (Brigham & Klein-Collins, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref9">14</reflink>]), this search used the more globally prevalent terms of recognition of prior learning (RPL) or prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR) (Stenlund, [<reflink idref="bib85" id="ref10">85</reflink>]) in the article abstract and at least five times in the article. Rather than use various terms within this article, we will exclusively use PLA hereafter. The initial search yielded 211 publications but decreased to 85 journal articles after eliminating duplicates and those not meeting the inclusion criteria.</p> <p>Data collection comprised Garrard's ([<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref11">33</reflink>]) matrix method for a structured process with rigor, quality, and clarity (Torraco, [<reflink idref="bib89" id="ref12">89</reflink>]). We used an Excel spreadsheet to systematically capture data, with each row summarizing one peer-reviewed journal article. Over 30 columns organized data collected about each article, including the journal, author, content, context, and underlying empirical study, if applicable. To determine the latter, we looked for a research purpose and questions or hypotheses, descriptions of populations or participants, and data collection and analysis methods. As the last step, we downloaded and saved a copy of each article.</p> <p>Data analysis comprised examination of matrix data and thematic coding of each article's main purpose. First, we analyzed data with a special emphasis on those columns aligned with research questions. In the second and third steps, one author inductively coded each article for a primary purpose, and another independently confirmed the coding scheme. Weekly sessions to discuss coding, clarify meaning and structures, and reach inter-coder agreement supported reliability and validity (Creswell & Poth, [<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref13">27</reflink>]). After clustering codes into categories, as the fourth step, the second coder re-read articles, one category at a time, to finalize coding categories and identify major findings.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-3">Findings</hd> <p>Major findings from this global review included journals and publication years, author perspectives and affiliations, underlying empirical studies, and major themes based on the primary purpose of each article.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-4">Journals and Publication Years</hd> <p>Table 1 depicts 51 journals publishing 85 global PLA articles with respective authors and publication years. Thirty-seven journals each published one article, while 14 journals published multiple articles. One journal, <emph>International Journal of Lifelong Education</emph>, published nine articles, more than any other journal. Six of those articles were published in a special issue about global PLA and contributed to 2013 being the most productive year for global PLA literature. For the entire decade, Figure 1 illustrates the number of articles published each year, ranging from 5 to 14 articles.</p> <p>Graph: Figure 1. Number of PLA articles published by year.</p> <p>Table 1. Journals publishing prior learning assessment articles with underlying studies denoted.</p> <p> <ephtml> <table><thead><tr><td>Journal</td><td>Article Author(s)</td></tr></thead><tbody valign="top"><tr><td><italic>Adult Education Quarterly</italic></td><td>Cooper (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr23">2011</xref>)*, Sandberg (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr75">2012</xref>)*, Snyman and van den Berg (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr83">2018</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Africa Education Review</italic></td><td>Hlongwane (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr40">2018</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Andragoška Spoznanja: The Andragogic Perspectives</italic></td><td>Singh and Ehlers (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr82">2019</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education</italic></td><td>Sandberg and Andersson (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr77">2011</xref>)**, Stenlund (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr85">2010</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Australian Journal of Adult Learning</italic></td><td>Hamer (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr36">2010</xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr37">2011</xref>), Cameron and Miller (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr18">2014</xref>), Manshor et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr55">2014</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing</italic></td><td>Pryor (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr71">2012</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Australian Journal of Maritime & Ocean Affairs</italic></td><td>Ghosh and Bowles (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr34">2013</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Australian Social Work</italic></td><td>Valentine et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr91">2016</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>British Educational Research Journal</italic></td><td>Sandberg (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr76">2014</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Canadian Journal for the Study of Adult Education</italic></td><td>Bélisle and Rioux (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr6">2016</xref>)**, Moss (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr64">2018</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Canadian Social Work</italic></td><td>Sutherland et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr86">2010</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>College Quarterly</italic></td><td>Kawalilak and Wihak (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr48">2013</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Contemporary Readings in Law & Social Justice</italic></td><td>Velciu (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr93">2014</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Expert Systems With Applications</italic></td><td>Biletska et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr9">2010</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Health SA Gesondheid: Journal of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences</italic></td><td>Mothokoa and Martiz (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr65">2018</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning</italic></td><td>Hlongwane (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr41">2019a</xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr42">2019b</xref>)**, Ions and Sutcliffe (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr44">2019</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Journal for Research in Vocational Education and Training</italic></td><td>Paulos (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr67">2015</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Journal of Continuing Education & Lifelong Learning</italic></td><td>Naudé (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr66">2013</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Journal of E-Learning & Distance Education</italic></td><td>Harris and Wihak (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr39">2018</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Journal of Higher Education</italic></td><td>Shaketange and Kanyimba (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr80">2016</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Journal of Lifelong Education</italic></td><td>Andersson and Fejes (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr2">2010</xref>), Armsby (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr4">2013</xref>)*, Barros (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr5">2013</xref>)**, Cooper and Harris (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr24">2013</xref>)*, Guo and Shan (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr35">2013</xref>), Hamer (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr38">2013</xref>), Harris and Wihak (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr39">2018</xref>)**, Pitman and Vidovich (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr69">2013</xref>)*, Tuomainen (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr90">2018</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Journal on New Trends in Education & their Implications (IJONTE)</italic></td><td>Yazici and Aya (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr96">2015</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning</italic></td><td>Brown (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr15">2011</xref>)**, Santa Mina et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr79">2011</xref>)**, Wihak (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr95">2011</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Adult and Continuing Education</italic></td><td>Lima and Guimarães (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr54">2016</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Community Psychology</italic></td><td>Miguel et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr59">2015</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Curriculum Studies</italic></td><td>Boahin et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr10">2014</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Education & Work</italic></td><td>Houlbrook (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr43">2012</xref>)**, Maurer (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr88">2016</xref>), Rothboeck et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr74">2018</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Education Policy</italic></td><td>Pitman and Vidovich (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr68">2012</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Interactive Media in Education</italic></td><td>Conrad and McGreal (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr22">2012</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of International Migration & Integration</italic></td><td>Van Kleef and Werquin (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr92">2013</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Learning for Development</italic></td><td>Srivastava and Jena (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr84">2015</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Nursing Management (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.)</italic></td><td>Jooste and Jasper (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr46">2010</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Social Work Values & Ethics</italic></td><td>Gair (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr31">2013</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Vocational Education & Training</italic></td><td>Callan et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr16">2015</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Journal of Workplace Learning</italic></td><td>Berglund & Andersson (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr8">2012</xref>)*, Cameron (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr17">2012</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>KEDI Journal of Educational Policy</italic></td><td>Lee et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr52">2016</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>McGill Journal of Education</italic></td><td>Moss (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr63">2011</xref>), Bofelo et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr12">2014</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Mousaion</italic></td><td>Hlongwane (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr40">2018</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Open Learning</italic></td><td>Conrad (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr21">2010</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Open Praxis</italic></td><td>Friesen and Wihak (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr30">2013</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Participatory Educational Research</italic></td><td>McIntyre-Mills et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr58">2014</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Procedia Food Science</italic></td><td>Rosa et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr72">2011</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Revista Internacional de Organizaciones</italic></td><td>Mara and Brunet (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr56">2017</xref>)</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences</italic></td><td>Kubiak and Sandberg (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr51">2011</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>South African Journal of Higher Education</italic></td><td>Frick and Albertyn (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr29">2011</xref>), Jacobs (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr45">2018</xref>), Jordaan et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr47">2018</xref>)*, Rossouw et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr73">2016</xref>)**, Singh (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr81">2011</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Studies in Continuing Education</italic></td><td>Cooper et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr25">2017</xref>), de Graaf (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr88">2014</xref>)*, Miguel et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr60">2016</xref>)**, Sandberg and Kubiak (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr78">2013</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Studies in Higher Education</italic></td><td>Letseka and Pitsoe (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr53">2014</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Studies in the Education of Adults</italic></td><td>Bencivenga (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr7">2017</xref>)*, Galloway and Edwards (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr32">2017</xref>)*</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Teaching and Teacher Education</italic></td><td>Alexander et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr1">2010</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Transportation Research Procedia</italic></td><td>Todorova et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr88">2016</xref>)**</td></tr><tr><td><italic>Widening Participation & Lifelong Learning</italic></td><td>Miller (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr61">2017</xref>), Molla (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr62">2010</xref>), Pokorny et al. (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr70">2017</xref>)**, Talbot (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="bibr87">2017</xref>)**</td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>1 *Denotes articles with underlying studies using qualitative methods (<emph>n</emph> = 20).</p> <p>2 **Denotes articles with underlying studies using mixed methods (<emph>n</emph> = 30).</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-5">Author Perspectives and Affiliations</hd> <p>This review's 85 articles collectively represented 169 authors with duplicates, resulting from authors with multiple publications, and 137 individual authors. Affiliations included organization types, countries, and continents. Authors were primarily affiliated with higher education institutions (88%), followed by agencies (3%), consulting firms (2%), businesses, education boards, government, nonprofit organizations, and healthcare (each 1%), and one undeclared affiliation. Multiple authors collaboratively wrote 52 articles; solo authors wrote 33 articles.</p> <p>The 137 authors affiliated with 22 countries and five continents. South Africa had the most authors, 35 comprising over one-fourth of all authors (26%), followed by Canada with 26 (19%), and Australia with 18 (13%). The remaining 19 countries had between 1 and 12 affiliated authors. Despite the global focus of this review's search terms, two authors were affiliated with the U.S.: Brown ([<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref14">15</reflink>]) published in an international journal, and Kim (see Lee et al., [<reflink idref="bib52" id="ref15">52</reflink>]) published with two authors from Korea. Affiliated countries aligned with five continents—Europe (39%), Africa (32%), North America (28%), Oceania (6%), and Asia (1%)—and excluded Antarctica and South America.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-6">Underlying Empirical Studies</hd> <p>Fifty of 85 articles (59%) included underlying empirical studies. Twenty studies used qualitative methods and 30 studies used mixed methods; no studies exclusively used quantitative methods (see Table 1). One author, Hlongwane ([<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref16">40</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref17">41</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref18">42</reflink>]), used mixed methods and published three articles based on the same data. In addition to publishing the most articles in this review, <emph>International Journal of Lifelong Education</emph> published the highest percentage of articles (21%) with underlying studies.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-7">Major Themes</hd> <p>This review identified eight themes based on the major purpose of each article: studies of programs, policy and systems, studies of PLA, technology tools, theory building, assessment practices, workplace applications of PLA, and immigration. In the next section, we discuss collective findings and elaborate on the eight themes.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-8">Discussion of Findings</hd> <p>This section discusses journals publishing about PLA, author perspectives, underlying empirical studies, and eight major themes.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-9">Journals Publishing about PLA</hd> <p>Academic journals play a key role in expanding knowledge and research (Cope & Kalantzis, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref19">26</reflink>]; Wellington & Nixon, [<reflink idref="bib94" id="ref20">94</reflink>]). During the last decade, 51 journals expanded PLA knowledge and research, publishing 85 articles. Fourteen journals published multiple articles, with one—<emph>International Journal of Lifelong Education—</emph>publishing the most, nine articles. The quantity and variety of journals and number of articles indicate continued interest in PLA. This finding identifies sources of and avenues for dissemination of PLA research and practice.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-10">Author Perspectives</hd> <p>Journal editors, reviewers, and authors support and contribute to the body of existing literature (Cherrstrom et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref21">20</reflink>]; Cope & Kalantzis, [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref22">26</reflink>]). Thus, discerning an author's perspective is critical in examining academic literature. This review's 85 articles represented 137 unique author perspectives, predominately affiliated with higher education institutions (88%). Although not surprising given the emphasis on publishing in higher education, author perspectives from agencies, consulting firms, businesses, education boards, government, nonprofit organizations, and healthcare will further benefit PLA. This finding illustrates the critical role of higher education institutions in PLA research and practice.</p> <p>In addition to professional affiliation, an author's personal experience may influence motivation to study PLA. Based on this global review, PLA is particularly popular in countries with large numbers of people who have restricted access to the industry. Authors affiliated with South Africa (26%), Canada (19%), and Australia (13%) comprised 58% of total authors. As a result of apartheid in South Africa, a large proportion of South Africans do not have formal qualifications and are thus restricted from the workforce (Hlongwane, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref23">40</reflink>]). In Canada, PLA serves to credential a large and growing immigrant population (Wihak, [<reflink idref="bib95" id="ref24">95</reflink>]). In Australia, PLA could increase industry access to traditionally marginalized aboriginals (Hamer, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref25">37</reflink>]). This finding illustrates how the contextual positioning of authors contributes to the saliency of PLA.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-11">Underlying Empirical Studies</hd> <p>In this review, 59% of articles had underlying studies using qualitative or mixed methods. In a similarly designed review of U.S. literature, only 23% of articles were based on underlying studies (see Cherrstrom et al., [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref26">20</reflink>]). Thus, global articles reported significantly more empirical research than U.S. articles. However, the latter included studies exclusively using quantitative methods, unlike the global review. This finding illustrates the need for continued and increased empirical studies of PLA, using a variety of methods.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-12">Eight Major Themes</hd> <p>In the introduction to a special issue of <emph>International Journal of Lifelong Education</emph>, Andersson et al. ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref27">3</reflink>]) described PLA as a phenomenon with variations in "context, concepts, and conceptions" (p. 405) in addition to practice. The eight major themes identified in this review illustrate such variation—studies of programs, policy and systems, studies of PLA, technology tools, theory building, assessment practices, workplace applications of PLA, and immigration.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-13">Studies of Programs</hd> <p>This first theme included 16 articles focused on case studies of PLA programs. PLA creates professional development opportunities and offers numerous other positive impacts for candidates. For example, in India, PLA increases income opportunities, occupational safety, social status, and openness to further learning within the workforce (Rothboeck et al., [<reflink idref="bib74" id="ref28">74</reflink>]). PLA also empowers students through academic achievement, leadership competence, policy control, source of power, nature of power, instruments of power, and participation behaviors (Miguel et al., [<reflink idref="bib59" id="ref29">59</reflink>]; Miller, [<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref30">61</reflink>]; Pokorny et al., [<reflink idref="bib70" id="ref31">70</reflink>]). Despite the benefits to and success of PLA candidates, PLA remains an underutilized resource (Jacobs, [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref32">45</reflink>]; Singh, [<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref33">81</reflink>]).</p> <p>Continuous challenges and learning barriers may account for the persistent low enrollment of candidates in PLA programs. Cooper ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref34">23</reflink>]) conducted a case study of activists completing a master's degree in philosophy through PLA and found that activists bring significant tacit knowledge gained through work experience. Tacit knowledge is difficult to recognize, articulate, and write about and does not easily translate into academic knowledge, creating a barrier for PLA candidates (Cooper, [<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref35">23</reflink>]; Ions & Sutcliffe, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref36">44</reflink>]). In addition, Shaketange and Kanyimba ([<reflink idref="bib80" id="ref37">80</reflink>]) found that admission tests to PLA programs assess academic knowledge, not tacit knowledge. In another setting, Rossouw et al. ([<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref38">73</reflink>]) found that most applicants thought PLA assessments were fair, but some did not like theoretical written exams, preferring a combination of portfolio and oral interviews. Nonetheless, Singh ([<reflink idref="bib81" id="ref39">81</reflink>]) found that PLA candidates in an MBA program performed better than traditional students in some areas, without the need for additional mentoring or support. Assessment of PLA presents challenges and barriers for many candidates.</p> <p>Solutions to overcome challenges and barriers include giving PLA applicants a pre-application orientation as well as in-process feedback, shortening the PLA process, and equipping applicants and assessors with a PLA toolkit (Rossouw et al., [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref40">73</reflink>]). Sandberg ([<reflink idref="bib75" id="ref41">75</reflink>]) suggested an increase in mutual understanding between teacher and student, a conversation-focused interview to assess knowledge, and a discussion of how students' prior learning is transformed into course credit. Notably, due to the lack of a formal pathway, many qualified adult educators do not have formal teaching qualifications (Galloway & Edwards, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref42">32</reflink>]). However, development opportunities, like workshops, could provide valuable growth opportunities for adult educators (Galloway & Edwards, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref43">32</reflink>]). Although these findings illustrate assessment challenges and barriers for PLA candidates, findings also present professional growth opportunities for PLA educators as a solution.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-14">Studies of PLA</hd> <p>Studies of PLA comprised 14 articles focused on PLA implementation. In Canada, PLA was established to address challenges in immigration settlements and integration. However, a legislative bill resulted in budget cutbacks and intensified the struggle to acquire governmental funding for PLA (Moss, [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref44">64</reflink>]). Other past challenges in Canada included a lack of consistent PLA terminology and cohesive programming across types of institutions and industries. PLA has faced a variety of challenges in Canada and beyond.</p> <p>PLA faces restrictions in practice. Harris and Wihak ([<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref45">39</reflink>]) found that the knowledge and curricular conditions of undergraduates gaining course credit through PLA are unequally applicable to all students. For example, implementation of PLA is possible in academic programs drawing on social sciences and humanities, but science-based programs are less amenable to implementing PLA for course credit. Additionally, highly regulated labor markets have more controlled access, decreasing the feasibility of implementing PLA in certain fields. Similarly, Rosa et al. ([<reflink idref="bib72" id="ref46">72</reflink>]) found that most PLA recognition was for foreign language certification, but half of the countries studied imposed a limit on the number of credits that could be recognized through PLA. Thus, even in areas where PLA can be implemented, restrictions are often placed on students.</p> <p>Another PLA implementation challenge is the method of assessment (e.g., exam, portfolio, oral presentation, etc.). Tuomainen ([<reflink idref="bib90" id="ref47">90</reflink>]) investigated Finnish university students' preferred method of PLA assessment and found that students preferred exams over portfolios as the method for assessing their English. Additionally, Bélisle and Rioux ([<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref48">6</reflink>]) argued that written PLA assessments serve as a barrier for some but a lever for others. Thus, assessors should not assume writing is a barrier for all adults without a degree. These findings identify three areas of growth for PLA: legislation, crediting, and assessment methods.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-15">Policy and System</hd> <p>Fourteen studies suggested policies and systems to bolster PLA. In studying the implementation of PLA at Athabasca University, Conrad ([<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref49">21</reflink>]) observed that only a small number of students seek out PLA. Conrad suggested that PLA would benefit from policies allowing flexible and open access to PLA as well as from the centralization of PLA service personnel. With quality assurance in policy implementation and personnel to champion PLA, institutions could see an increase in students enrolled in PLA programs.</p> <p>The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) has standardized PLA policies, creating an enabling environment for effective and credible implementation of PLA (Hlongwane, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref50">41</reflink>]). SAQA serves to deconstruct and confront the marginalization formed by gaining human capital only through formal institutions, thus re-humanizing those who experience historical race and class exclusions (Alexander et al., [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref51">1</reflink>]). SAQA provides a tool for access and for redress in South Africa.</p> <p>Like SAQA, the Financial Qualifications System in Malaysia aims to integrate and harmonize all professional qualifications in the financial services industry, based on Finance Accreditation Agency learning standards and PLA (Manshor et al., [<reflink idref="bib55" id="ref52">55</reflink>]). In South Africa and Malaysia, PLA has become webbed into the countries' qualification systems. In countries like Ghana, however, PLA needs to become an integral part of the country's technical and vocational education and training (Boahin et al., [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref53">10</reflink>]). Thus, although some countries have found a way to integrate PLA into qualification systems, many countries still have a long way to go. These findings illustrate that alignment of PLA requirements with industry demands could expand the reach of PLA.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-16">Technology Tools</hd> <p>Eleven articles illustrated how technology tools benefit PLA, including to demonstrate skills, serve as resources, and electronically accredit or credential learning. The use of e-portfolios allows employers to increase participation in training apprentices in fields like baking, building, construction, stonemasonry, plumbing, and gas fitting (Callan et al., [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref54">16</reflink>]). Additional e-portfolio advantages include flexibility and money savings for apprentices. Tools can also standardize credit and grade conversion rules for PLA, such as the University Course Credit Grade syntax. These credit conversion rules standardize the analysis of students' transcripts from different universities and countries (Biletska et al., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref55">9</reflink>]). An electronic credit conversion tool can serve to move PLA toward standardization.</p> <p>PLA can also be used to recognize learning gained from Open Distance Learning (ODL). Such recognition could have enormous benefits for many skilled but uncertified workers exploited by employers, like those in the Indian workforce (Srivastava & Jena, [<reflink idref="bib84" id="ref56">84</reflink>]). Additionally, ODL systems can directly transfer learned skills to the workplace, making it more apt for PLA. In South Africa, Letseka and Pitsoe ([<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref57">53</reflink>]) proposed that African governments should prioritize ODL for previously and currently racially marginalized groups as a mode of access to accreditation. Adding access to higher education is likely to grow as ODL allows countries like South Africa to make meaningful contributions to the global economy through a knowledgeable citizenry and workforce. South Africa and India are just two examples of countries benefiting from accrediting workers' skills.</p> <p>Finally, in a study from England and Wales, Talbot ([<reflink idref="bib87" id="ref58">87</reflink>]) found that Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), as well as Open and Distance Learning (ODL) tools, are mostly consumed by professionals to further learning, not by disadvantaged workers and learners. More work is required to ensure the quality of online courses, like MOOCs and ODL, before implementation as a vehicle for PLA. Likewise, Friesen and Wihak ([<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref59">30</reflink>]) suggested that uniformity and standardization in exams, portfolios, and other tools can help move the ad hoc and disparate connections between Open Education Resources (OER) and PLA to recognized, large, and scalable credentialing communities. In addition, synchronous courses offer more uniformity and structure, leading to more successful completions of a course (Friesen & Wihak, [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref60">30</reflink>]). These findings illustrate that technology tools can help increase flexible access to PLA, standardize course crediting, and credential exploited workers.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-17">Theory Building</hd> <p>Ten articles comprised theory building and discussed learner experience of PLA. Ideally, PLA meets the needs of learners and higher education institutions. However, honoring learners and curriculum together does not always work because universities stress upholding academic standards through curriculum needs (Kawalilak & Wihak, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref61">48</reflink>]). To approach PLA in a way reflecting university, curriculum, and learner needs, Kawalilak and Wihak ([<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref62">48</reflink>]) suggested clear curriculum outcomes to achieve transparency during the PLA process. Houlbrook ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref63">43</reflink>]) found that PLA asks for informal learning to be validated in explicit and formal ways. Houlbrook ([<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref64">43</reflink>]) proposed continued facilitation of access that does not perpetuate the status quo, vigilance against complicity in systemic hegemonic applications of PLA, and development of criticality. Further congruence between learner and university needs and knowledge is required to improve the learner experience of PLA.</p> <p>In addition to the macro-level, PLA challenges knowledge structures at the micro-level for personal empowerment. Frick and Albertyn ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref65">29</reflink>]) offered a Trojan Horse approach where boundaries of PLA are permeable, the curriculum is flexible, and practice-based learning programs are evident. This flexibility allows learners to have more control over their learning. The Trojan Horse approach reflects a radical pedagogy at South Africa's Workers' College, using learners' personal experiences as a starting point from which to interpret and re-contextualize knowledge into broader theoretical concepts and academic knowledge (Bofelo et al., [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref66">12</reflink>]). Such models reflect a push toward learner-centered PLA approaches.</p> <p>As a heavily personal process, PLA requires learner-tailored approaches. Miguel et al. ([<reflink idref="bib60" id="ref67">60</reflink>]) found that the primary impact of PLA is personal, as study participants gained confidence, the realization of prior learning skills, valorization of their life experience, and motivation to continue learning. Additionally, Kubiak and Sandberg ([<reflink idref="bib51" id="ref68">51</reflink>]) found that PLA graduates tend to look for ways to accommodate their personal styles at work, reflecting PLA as a vehicle for personal growth which continues into the professional setting. These findings on theory building highlight the need for learner and university congruence, which could be rooted in a need for increased learner influence in the PLA process.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-18">Assessment Practices</hd> <p>Seven articles addressed a variety of issues surrounding PLA assessment practices. The PLA assessment process fails to recognize certain aspects of nontraditional knowledge, which restricts opportunities for candidates. Further, PLA candidates will continue to have restricted opportunities in relation to traditional students unless PLA is integrated into formal learning (Sandberg & Andersson, [<reflink idref="bib77" id="ref69">77</reflink>]). Thus, scholars have suggested innovative approaches to PLA assessment as well as differentiating PLA from academic learning to increase efforts to meet nontraditional learners' needs.</p> <p>Naudé ([<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref70">66</reflink>]) considered three views of knowledge with boundaries: the traditional view, where knowledge occurs through curriculum learning; the permeable view, which emphasizes general skills and personal qualities; and the possible third space. The third space encompasses the area between disciplinary and transdisciplinary knowledge in which all forms of learning come together for recognition and validation. This opens opportunities for those excluded from communities of practice by asking the question, "How can this knowledge be recognized?" (Naudé, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref71">66</reflink>]). From this perspective, PLA must consider learner aspects, such as identity, learning, and assessment (Hamer, [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref72">37</reflink>]). Additionally, assessment practices are an important part of whether the process is accepted by the participants.</p> <p>Other scholars support a unique form of knowledge accreditation that should not be compared to academic knowledge. Cooper et al. ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref73">25</reflink>]) posited that experiential knowledge is not readily equated with codified, academic, or professional knowledge. However, PLA candidates must take assessments, a practice typically related to academic knowledge. Thus, PLA tends to recognize specialized forms of experiential knowledge that parallel formal knowledge. Likewise, Hamer ([<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref74">36</reflink>]) discussed disappointments and hazards, such as PLA benefiting those with formal training, leading to disengagement in nontraditional learners. To widen access, Cooper et al. ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref75">25</reflink>]) proposed viewing PLA as a specialized form of pedagogy differentiated from academic learning. These findings illustrate an opportunity to increase the reach of PLA, using assessments tailored to nontraditional learners through methods like acknowledging the third space and constructing PLA as a specialized form of pedagogy.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-19">Workplace Applications of PLA</hd> <p>Seven articles illustrated PLA application in the workplace and continuing professional development. Jooste and Jasper ([<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref76">46</reflink>]) found that learning outcomes of a postgraduate nursing management program could be acquired through working, then recognized through portfolio compilation. Thus, managers can facilitate continuing professional development through portfolios. Employees' professional development through PLA also benefits their work communities. In the U.K. and Sweden, Sandberg and Kubiak ([<reflink idref="bib78" id="ref77">78</reflink>]) found that paraprofessional workers in health and social care experienced increased self-esteem, leading to greater awareness and growth of possessed skills, as well as increased solidarity within their work communities. Thus, facilitating PLA in the workplace would benefit employees and employers. However, different companies and municipalities have different PLA practices (Berglund & Andersson, [<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref78">8</reflink>]), leading to employers controlling what learning is recognized as well as a lack of transportable knowledge for employees. These findings illustrate that PLA practices in the workplace would benefit from standardization.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-20">Immigration</hd> <p>Six articles spotlighted PLA for immigrants, including challenges and potential solutions. Bencivenga ([<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref79">7</reflink>]) investigated the role of volunteers and professionals in their initial assessments of migrants' non-formal and informal learning and skills. Volunteers and professionals habitually overlooked prior learning due to cultural biases and translational challenges. Such practices perpetuate systemic racism and result in the continued exclusion of groups based on ethnic origin. These practices hurt economies, especially those suffering from labor shortages. Thus, constructing programs to accredit immigrants would benefit economies in addressing labor shortages and the need for competent professionals (Van Kleef & Werquin, [<reflink idref="bib92" id="ref80">92</reflink>]). Sutherland et al. ([<reflink idref="bib86" id="ref81">86</reflink>]) offered two possible solutions to increase access to PLA for immigrants: occupation-specific language assessments to remove language barriers and self-assessments to build immigrants' confidence. These suggestions would help address the accreditation of immigrants' skills once they are in country.</p> <p>Another way to increase immigrants' access to PLA comprises online assessment before immigration. Santa Mina et al. ([<reflink idref="bib79" id="ref82">79</reflink>]) presented an accessible, fully online, affordable PLA assessment tool for internationally-educated nurses immigrating to Canada. Beginning the PLA process from home countries, participating nurses found the experience challenging but rewarding, enjoyable, and easy to use. These findings illustrate challenges and solutions for accrediting prior learning of immigrants, which could improve labor shortages.</p> <p>Collectively, findings identified journals publishing about PLA, disclosed author perspectives based on organization type and country, discussed underlying empirical studies and methods, and examined eight major themes. These findings offer implications and ideas for future research.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-21">Implications and Future Research</hd> <p>This review offers implications for theory and practice, with the latter leading to recommendations for future research. For theory, the review added a systematic examination of literature related to PLA beyond North America. For future research, we recommend continued examination of global PLA literature to share findings and results for enhanced practice and expanded use of empirical studies in PLA using a variety of methods.</p> <p>For practice, this review identified two findings and two issues with major implications. First, PLA can address historic and systematic racism and inequality. In this review, authors reported such efforts in countries like South Africa (Alexander et al., [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref83">1</reflink>]; Hlongwane, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref84">41</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref85">42</reflink>]; Jacobs, [<reflink idref="bib45" id="ref86">45</reflink>]; Jooste & Jasper, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref87">46</reflink>]; Letseka & Pitsoe, [<reflink idref="bib53" id="ref88">53</reflink>]; Rossouw et al., [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref89">73</reflink>]) and Australia (Hamer, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref90">36</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref91">37</reflink>]). PLA supports equity, access, and redress for students in marginalized and special groups. Future research can focus on how PLA provides such support and how to scale application for greater impact.</p> <p>Second, PLA assists immigrants in demonstrating professional competencies and equivalating credentials when migrating to a new country. In this review, authors reported such efforts in immigrant countries, such as Canada (Guo & Shan, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref92">35</reflink>]; Moss, [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref93">64</reflink>], Santa Mina et al., [<reflink idref="bib79" id="ref94">79</reflink>], Sutherland et al., [<reflink idref="bib86" id="ref95">86</reflink>]; Van Kleef & Werquin, [<reflink idref="bib92" id="ref96">92</reflink>]) and Sweden (Andersson et al., [<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref97">3</reflink>]). Arriving immigrants' skills are commonly overlooked due to language barriers and cultural biases in the new country (Bencivenga, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref98">7</reflink>]). Such practices perpetuate labor shortages because they prevent immigrants from joining the workforce. However, fully online PLA and credit conversion tools support credentialing of immigrants before they arrive in a new country, offering accessibility, affordability, and standardization of PLA (Biletska et al., [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref99">9</reflink>]; Santa Mina et al., [<reflink idref="bib79" id="ref100">79</reflink>]). Future research can examine technology tools to assess knowledge or accredit skills for immigrants before immigration.</p> <p>Two important PLA issues overlap with implications for practice: assessment processes and lack of transparency. First, this review found that PLA assesses academic knowledge rather than tacit knowledge, which creates a barrier for nontraditional students (Hamer, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref101">36</reflink>]; Ions & Sutcliffe, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref102">44</reflink>]; Shaketange & Kanyimba, [<reflink idref="bib80" id="ref103">80</reflink>]). This barrier seems to originate from a misunderstanding of how experiential knowledge is formed and should be assessed. Some scholars have proposed that PLA and experiential knowledge should be considered separate from academic knowledge (Cooper et al., [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref104">25</reflink>]; Naudé, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref105">66</reflink>]). One author suggested tailoring assessment to nontraditional learners rather than tailoring their knowledge for assessment (Naudé, [<reflink idref="bib66" id="ref106">66</reflink>]). Methods of assessment also varied, from essay to examination, and presented challenges for some students (Bélisle & Rioux, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref107">6</reflink>]; Rossouw et al., [<reflink idref="bib73" id="ref108">73</reflink>]). Collectively, these findings indicated a need to learn how to assess tacit knowledge and meet learners where they are. Future research can identify and test assessment methods that better grasp the tacit knowledge demonstrated by PLA candidates.</p> <p>Second, PLA lacks transparency throughout the process. PLA programs seem to prioritize the needs of universities over learners, resulting in a lack of curriculum and expectation transparency (Houlbrook, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref109">43</reflink>]; Kawalilak & Wihak, [<reflink idref="bib48" id="ref110">48</reflink>]). Competing institutional priorities and a lack of effective teacher-student communication may contribute to the esoteric nature of the PLA process. In addition, many adult educators do not have formal training in the implementation of PLA programs (Galloway & Edwards, [<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref111">32</reflink>]). Future research can examine how PLA programs can provide more adequate training for instructors and evaluators to effectively serve curriculum and learner needs.</p> <p>In conclusion, learning takes place in a variety of contexts, beyond traditional or virtual classrooms. PLA also takes place in a variety of contexts, encompassing a broad range of theory and practice. Around the world, PLA researchers and practitioners study PLA and related programs, build theory, influence policy and systems, harness technology as tools, improve assessment practices, assess prior learning in the workplace, and use PLA as a tool to integrate immigrants into the workforce. While facing many challenges, PLA offers opportunities and empowers adult learners. Let us learn from one another and continue to build PLA knowledge and theory, enhance practice for learners and assessors, and further influence policy to benefit all.</p> <hd id="AN0176179458-22">Disclosure Statement</hd> <p>No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.</p> <ref id="AN0176179458-23"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref51" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Alexander, G., Van Wyk, M. M., Bereng, T., & November, I. (2010). Legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) – The case for recognition of prior learning sites and knowledges in South Africa's transforming education system. Teaching and Teacher Education, 26 (1), 45 – 52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2009.06.012</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Andersson, P., & Fejes, A. (2010). Mobility of knowledge as a recognition challenge: Experiences from Sweden. 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Boden; Catherine A. Cherrstrom; Todd Sherron; Maria Mohamed; Lindsey Wilson and Kandi Pomeroy</p> <p>Reported by Author; Author; Author; Author; Author; Author</p> <p></p> <p>Carrie J. Boden , PhD, is professor and former chair of the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies at Texas State University. She has designed and taught courses in traditional, hybrid, and online formats, and she has developed and overseen the implementation of several online program initiatives for adult learners. Her work has been recognized with several teaching, research, innovation, and service awards. Dr. Boden is founding editor of the Adult Learning in Professional, Organizational, and Community Settings book series. Her research primarily focuses on adult learning, theory, and practice, specifically prior learning assessment and transformative learning.</p> <p>Catherine A. Cherrstrom , PhD, is associate professor at Texas State University in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. Prior to joining Texas State, she had a career in the financial services industry, most recently as Business Banking Market Executive, leading teams and serving business clients. Dr. Cherrstrom is a recipient of AAACE's Commission for Professors of Adult Education's Early Career Award for research and co-recipient of the Malcolm Knowles Award for Outstanding Adult Education Program Leadership. Her research interests include adult learning, non-traditional students, and prior learning assessment; STEM knowledge and teaching development; and adult career development and transition.</p> <p>Todd Sherron , PhD, is assistant professor of practice and prior learning assessment (PLA) coordinator at Texas State University in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. Dr. Sherron leads the Texas State Reskilling, a grant-funded program dedicated to undergraduate education. He has served as a program evaluator for Math and Science partnership, NSF, NIH, USDA, Texas Workforce Commission, and Texas Education Agency. His research interests include PLA, veteran learners, and program evaluation.</p> <p>Maria Mohamed is a graduate research assistant at Texas State University in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. She assists Dr. Boden with her research on PLA, including work for this project. She is completing a master's in professional counseling at Texas State University and expects to graduate in 2024.</p> <p>Lindsey Wilson was a graduate research assistant at Texas State University in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. She earned the department's Outstanding Graduate Research Assistant Award for her work assisting Dr. Todd Sherron in administering the prior learning assessment program and for conducting research with this team. Having graduated with a master's degree, Lindsey now works for the School of Information at the University of Texas at Austin as a Graduate Program Career Coach.</p> <p>Kandi Pomeroy is a graduate research assistant at Texas State University in the Department of Organization, Workforce, and Leadership Studies. She is pursuing a Master of Arts in Rhetoric and Composition and works closely with Dr. Carrie Boden in her research into adult education and transformative learning, including work for this project.</p> </aug> <nolink nlid="nl1" bibid="bib11" firstref="ref1"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl2" bibid="bib19" firstref="ref2"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl3" bibid="bib20" firstref="ref3"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl4" bibid="bib13" firstref="ref4"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl5" bibid="bib49" firstref="ref5"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl6" bibid="bib89" firstref="ref6"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl7" bibid="bib50" firstref="ref8"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl8" bibid="bib14" firstref="ref9"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl9" bibid="bib85" firstref="ref10"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl10" bibid="bib33" firstref="ref11"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl11" bibid="bib27" firstref="ref13"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl12" bibid="bib15" firstref="ref14"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl13" bibid="bib52" firstref="ref15"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl14" bibid="bib40" firstref="ref16"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl15" bibid="bib41" firstref="ref17"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl16" bibid="bib42" firstref="ref18"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl17" bibid="bib26" firstref="ref19"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl18" bibid="bib94" firstref="ref20"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl19" bibid="bib95" firstref="ref24"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl20" bibid="bib37" firstref="ref25"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl21" bibid="bib74" firstref="ref28"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl22" bibid="bib59" firstref="ref29"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl23" bibid="bib61" firstref="ref30"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl24" bibid="bib70" firstref="ref31"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl25" bibid="bib45" firstref="ref32"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl26" bibid="bib81" firstref="ref33"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl27" bibid="bib23" firstref="ref34"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl28" bibid="bib44" firstref="ref36"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl29" bibid="bib80" firstref="ref37"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl30" bibid="bib73" firstref="ref38"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl31" bibid="bib75" firstref="ref41"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl32" bibid="bib32" firstref="ref42"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl33" bibid="bib64" firstref="ref44"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl34" bibid="bib39" firstref="ref45"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl35" bibid="bib72" firstref="ref46"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl36" bibid="bib90" firstref="ref47"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl37" bibid="bib21" firstref="ref49"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl38" bibid="bib55" firstref="ref52"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl39" bibid="bib10" firstref="ref53"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl40" bibid="bib16" firstref="ref54"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl41" bibid="bib84" firstref="ref56"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl42" bibid="bib53" firstref="ref57"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl43" bibid="bib87" firstref="ref58"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl44" bibid="bib30" firstref="ref59"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl45" bibid="bib48" firstref="ref61"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl46" bibid="bib43" firstref="ref63"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl47" bibid="bib29" firstref="ref65"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl48" bibid="bib12" firstref="ref66"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl49" bibid="bib60" firstref="ref67"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl50" bibid="bib51" firstref="ref68"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl51" bibid="bib77" firstref="ref69"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl52" bibid="bib66" firstref="ref70"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl53" bibid="bib25" firstref="ref73"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl54" bibid="bib36" firstref="ref74"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl55" bibid="bib46" firstref="ref76"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl56" bibid="bib78" firstref="ref77"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl57" bibid="bib92" firstref="ref80"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl58" bibid="bib86" firstref="ref81"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl59" bibid="bib79" firstref="ref82"></nolink> <nolink nlid="nl60" bibid="bib35" firstref="ref92"></nolink>
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1417699
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: A Decade of Global Prior Learning Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carrie+J%2E+Boden%22">Carrie J. Boden</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5991-5908">0000-0001-5991-5908</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Catherine+A%2E+Cherrstrom%22">Catherine A. Cherrstrom</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4903-053X">0000-0002-4903-053X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Todd+Sherron%22">Todd Sherron</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3871-2727">0000-0003-3871-2727</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Maria+Moham%22">Maria Moham</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lindsey+Wilson%22">Lindsey Wilson</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kandi+Pomeroy%22">Kandi Pomeroy</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Continuing+Higher+Education%22"><i>Journal of Continuing Higher Education</i></searchLink>. 2024 72(1):104-121.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 18
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2024
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Journal Articles<br />Information Analyses
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Prior+Learning%22">Prior Learning</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation%22">Evaluation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Research%22">Educational Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Periodicals%22">Periodicals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Educational+Trends%22">Educational Trends</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1080/07377363.2022.2119800
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0737-7363<br />1948-4801
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Prior learning assessment (PLA) uses testing or competency portfolios to assess and grant credit for college-level learning, thus offering personal and professional empowerment to adult learners. The purpose of this review was to systematically examine global academic literature related to PLA over a decade. An earlier review of U.S. literature focused solely on PLA, but this review focused on the globally used term recognition of prior learning (RPL) and prior learning assessment and recognition (PLAR). Data collection followed a structured process to identify all peer-reviewed journal articles published over a decade that meet inclusion criteria. Data analysis included thematic coding to identify categories leading to themes. Major findings included journals publishing about PLA, author perspectives and affiliations, underlying empirical studies, and eight major themes: studies of programs, policy and systems, studies of PLA, technology tools, theory building, assessment practices, workplace applications of PLA, and immigration.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2024
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: EJ1417699
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1417699
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  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/07377363.2022.2119800
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 18
        StartPage: 104
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Prior Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Evaluation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Periodicals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Trends
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: A Decade of Global Prior Learning Assessment: A Systematic Literature Review
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Carrie J. Boden
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            NameFull: Catherine A. Cherrstrom
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            NameFull: Todd Sherron
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            NameFull: Maria Moham
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            NameFull: Lindsey Wilson
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            NameFull: Kandi Pomeroy
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            – D: 01
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              Type: published
              Y: 2024
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              Value: 72
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Continuing Higher Education
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