Experiential / Independent Learning Support

There are several support mechanisms in place to help students learn more about experiential and independent learning options and how to make them work for you.

 

Competency Connection Workshops- A good place to start

If you are just beginning in the college or just beginning to think about experiential learning options, the Competency Connection and the experiential learning workshops conducted by the Director of Experiential Learning, Diane Dujon, are a great place to start.

 

Through the workshops you will be able to learn more about how to identify competencies that you can do outside of classes. You will get tips and practice in developing proposals for independent learning and ideas about how to assess the prior learning that might apply to CPCS competencies. The workshops are also great opportunities for you to connect with other students who might share interests with you and plan ways in which you can team together to develop project that work toward competencies.

Competency Connection Workshops Fall 2006	5.30-6.30	11.30-12.30
Planning Independent Learning Experiences: Getting Involved	September 25	September 27
Using Prior Learning to Demonstrate Competence	October 16	October 18
Working in Small Groups	October 23	October 25
Making Competencies Happen	November 6	November 8
Creative Competency Demonstration	November 20	November 22

Need Help Finding an Evaluator?

If you have a good idea about what experiential learning is and some ideas about competencies you want to work on, your next step is to identify faculty who will work with you. It is always advisable to go into any meeting with a plan in mind for what you want to do. Once you've got that, there are resources to help you find people to work with you:

 

• The Yellow Pages: list of faculty who have agreed to evaluate the different competencies in our curriculum. If you're ready to meet with someone to talk specifics about a competency, you may directly approach any of the faculty listed.
• The Competency Connection: The Competency Connection staff can also help you find faculty who may have expertise in a particular area of interest to you and who would be a good match for what you want to do.
• Your advisor: Your faculty advisor may be a good resource in terms of helping you make connections with other faculty who you can work with on different competencies. Don't be afraid to ask.
• Student Services: The advising staff in Student Services can also direct you to faculty and resources that are appropriate to your interests and to the competencies you want to do.

 

Once you make the connection, it is up to you to make an appointment and sit down with the different faculty to think together about a plan for completing the competency.

Independent / Prior Learning Registration Workshops for the Majors

At the beginning of the semester, we will hold a series of workshops where faculty from the different majors and concentrations will be available to advise students about independent learning options. The faculty will be able to help students assess which competencies may be doable through independent or prior learning and which faculty in the major are the best ones for the student to make connections with. Dates, times and locations of these workshops will be posted outside Student Services and on the Student Support page of the CPCS website.

 

Extreme Prior Learners

Some students come into CPCS with lots of experience and prior learning that is directly related to the curriculum. We call these students "Extreme Prior Learners." For Extreme Prior Learners, trying to demonstrate that experience competency by competency may not be the most effective or efficient way to go. They need to sit with someone to take a more holistic approach to their prior learning who can help them think how to best package it and apply it across the curriculum.

 

Ann Withorn is a special advisor for Extreme Prior Learners. Most students who fall into this category will be referred to Ann during their first semester by Sarah Bartlett and/or their Critical Learning Seminar instructor. If you think you fall into this category and would like a referral, contact Linda Hardenbergh in Student Services.