Assessing for Prior Learning/Getting started

Managing your way through the course work
This is all manageable

(even though it may look a lot at first glance - you are seeing the full course at once!)

Nibble at this course in bite size chunks.

Remember that Heather is available to support you through this course. She will stay in regular contact to help keep you progressing through the course.

The course work is laid out in modules. Information about each module is set out under headings on the main page.

There is information about what you are required “to do” for each module. This will include a link to a page that focuses on the topic for the module to help guide your learning. The key points for that module will be summarised, thus highlighting the core work for that module. The page may also offer useful links to additional resources to begin further exploration.– please note this is not set work but simply supplying other options to assist with further independent study.

Within the module information boxes on the main page you will also find the following heading: Links and Resources (at a glance) - this contains a list of the web-links in each learning module so that you can find things again easily if at a later point you want to go back to a particular resource.

Read the Course Outline
Assessing for Prior Learning course outline Reading this is the first step so that you can familiarise yourself with the expectations and requirements of the course.

Get started by planning a timeline
If you haven’t already done so it is a good idea to bookmark the main page for this course as it makes it so much easier to go back to each time.

Your Learning Journal
To help keep track of your learning throughout this course you are asked to maintain a learning journal. This is your personal learning record.

The form that this takes is entirely up to you. Some people prefer to keep a written record which may be a word document or perhaps you may wish to use a blog and encourage some feedback from others, some may prefer a research notebook or to use voice or video recordings.
 * If you need more ideas or information click on the attached study skills advice sheet on learning journals.

Whatever form you choose, you do need to make excerpts of your journal available to the course facilitator. Refer back to the first assessment: Assessment Activities and Criteria - 1). The Process of Assessing for Prior Learning. Guidance is provided in terms of the focus and marking criteria for each journal submission.

So choose the format for your learning journal, gather any resources you need to do this and make a start.

Now What?
Time to explore and play

Have a look at the next module – Introduction to RPL and start exploring the topic.

Remember Heather is there for any queries, support and back up.