PLAR Principles

PLAR is perfectly compatible with the maintenance of standards for education and training and can help learners achieve those standards while concentrating their efforts on new learning. Here are some principles to guide our practice:

• content specialists determine competency levels and award recognition and credit
• credit will be awarded in the context of the currency and relevance of the documented learning
• assessment methods shall be reasonable and fit both the learner and the learning to be measured. The methods used are valid in the context in which they are applied and are implemented in a fair and consistent way
• evaluation policies should be documented, clearly articulated and available to the public

PLAR looks at learning, not just experience. What's the difference?

Learning takes place through different kinds of experiences such as working, training, reading, traveling, community involvement and family responsibilities, but learning does not come automatically with experience and may differ from person to person.

Learning can involve the acquisition of:

• skills
• knowledge
• attitudes such as self-reliance, collaboration, concern for quality

In PLAR, it's the learning that counts. Not only that, what's important is whether the knowledge or skills people have learned up to the present time are relevant to a particular educational credential, specific workplace training requirements, or a trade or occupational standard.