Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning Information Guideines for Students EXTENDED CAMPUS

This subject materia is issued by Cork Institute of Technoogy on the understanding that: Cork Institute of Technoogy expressy discaims a form of iabiity to any person in respect of this pubication and any consequences arising from its use. For more information, contact RPL Coordinator, CIT Extended Campus Cork Institute of Technoogy, Bishopstown, Cork. T: +353 21 433 5132/5133 E: rp@cit.ie

Contents Purpose of this Information Guide Introduction to the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) System How to appy for RPL Prior Forma Learning Cases Prior Experientia, Combination or Advanced Entry Cases Fees and Registration Assessment of the Portfoio Vauing Learning at Work The Portfoio Structure The Learning Portfoio Outine Structure CV and Job Description Section Learning Achieved Section Basing a Caim on Prior Forma Learning Combination of Forma and Experientia Learning Experientia Learning Ony Learning Outcomes How to Answer the Learning Outcomes Exampes of Learning Outcomes and the Answer Provided Portfoio Inventory Section Putting the Portfoio Together RPL at a Gance 4 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 9 10 11 12 12 12 13 13 14 14 19 22 23

Purpose of the Information Guide This Guide has been deveoped to assist those interested in seeking academic credit for earning aready acquired prior to registering on a course in CIT. This system is referred to as the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and appies to a courses at a eves as accredited by CIT. The booket has been designed to assist students to answer such questions as: What is RPL? Is my earning reevant? How do I appy? How do I structure my appication? What kind of evidence is required to support my appication? What does it cost? Support is provided to students and potentia students who wish to appy through the RPL Coordinator in CIT. In CIT RPL can be used to gain: an exemption or mark for a modue or for a number of modues; entry to a course in first year where an appicant may not meet the standard entry requirements; advanced entry to a course at a stage other than first year There are two main categories within RPL 1. the recognition of earning which has aready had forma certification within the higher education system in Ireand or abroad, often referred to as forma earning. 2. the recognition of earning which has been gained through experiences in the workpace, in vountary work or esewhere, usuay referred to as experientia earning. Every course in CIT is mapped to the appropriate eve on the Nationa 4 Recognition of Prior Learning

Framework of Quaifications (NFQ) www.nfq.ie. Courses are considered in terms of credits, modues, semesters and stages. A stage is equivaent to one academic year of a fu-time course which normay runs from September to June. Each stage is made up of two semesters. The number of credits for each stage is 60 uness otherwise stated. The number of credits for each modue is normay 5. Detais of courses and modues are incuded in the http://courses.cit.ie database onine. Stage = 2 Semesters/60 Credits 1 Semester (fu time) = 6 Modues 1 Modue (normay) = 5 Credits* *uness otherwise stated, e.g. Projects may equa 10 or more credits. The RPL system aows for earning to be measured and recognised regardess of where it was gained. This means that a student can be granted credits and/or exemptions from modues on CIT courses where they can show that they have achieved sufficient prior earning. The appication for RPL is structured as a portfoio document. A portfoio is a coection of information and documentation which supports an appication and provides evidence of the earning. Information Guideines for Students 5

Introduction to the Recognition of Prior Learning System CIT has a process whereby forma recognition can be given for prior earning regardess of where or how it was gained. There are some imitations with regard to this system which are outined in the RPL website at www.cit.ie/rp. How to Appy for RPL If you are interested in appying for recognition of your prior earning you must first register and pay for the reevant course and modues as norma. If you do not register, then the modue assessor wi be unabe to enter your resut on the marking system. It is aso recommended that you woud discuss your case with the course coordinator or modue ecturer before beginning the appication process. To present a case for assessment you must decide on what basis you are making a caim: Have you previousy competed a certified course in a higher educationa institution which covers the materia in the modue? Do you have substantia reevant earning from the workpace or ife experience? Is your earning a combination of both types of earning, i.e. forma and experientia? Deadine for RPL Appications The deadine for appications for exemption is the end of week 6 of the reevant semester to ensure assessment for that semester. Appications can be received after that date, however, there is no guarantee that the materia wi be assessed within the semester. Appications for Advanced Entry must be received prior to the start of the academic year. 6 Recognition of Prior Learning

Prior Forma Learning Cases The RPL Appication Form must be competed in fu. It is important that each appicant ceary identifies the modue for which the appication is being made. The Appication Form is avaiabe onine at www.cit.ie/rp. When the appication is based on a previous forma course it is necessary to state what prior exam(s) form the basis of the case and present this information aong with proof of earning on the appropriate tempate which is aso avaiabe onine at www.cit.ie/rp. Proof of forma earning must incude the foowing: Transcript of resuts Syabus of previous subject(s) Past exam papers Pease note: where transcripts of resuts are used as evidence of earning, the originas must be presented for verification purposes and a photocopy must be submitted with the appication form. If the above is not avaiabe in Engish then it must be transated and stamped by a transation service. The onus is on each appicant to ensure that the information they submit is accurate. Prior Experientia, Combination or Advanced Entry Cases For appications based on prior experientia earning or a combination of experientia and forma earning it is recommended that, having initiay discussed your case with the Course Coordinator, you shoud seek support from the RPL Coordinator to prepare your case and attend an RPL workshop. If you fee you have sufficient earning for advanced entry to a course you must arrange to meet and discuss your case with either the Head of Department or the Course Coordinator initiay. The appication must be submitted in fu, prior to the start of the academic year. RPL Workshop Workshops in the processes of RPL are hed at mutipe times and days in the first six weeks of a semester. These are timetabed at a time suitabe for both fu-time and part-time students. Each student shoud attend one of these workshops and access the reevant information onine and in this handbook, prior to booking an individua support session with the RPL Coordinator. Information Guideines for Students 7

Fees and Registration For cases based on prior academic earning the fu modue fee is payabe. Once the appication has been assessed, the outcome successfu and formay recorded in the modue exam board, an examination fee is hed and the difference is refunded. Fu modue fee is payabe for a other cases (i.e. experientia or combination). Assessment of the Portfoio The assessment of the portfoio(s) is competed by appropriate academic staff and not by the RPL Coordinator. Vauing Learning at Work If you are undertaking a course in CIT which has been deveoped in partnership with your workpace then it may contain a significant eement of work based earning or recognition of prior earning. If this is the case then the information contained in this booket may aso be of use to you. In order to accuratey and sufficienty capture the earning from work it may be usefu to create a virtua or physica fie where you can record critica incidences or activities as they occur. These can then be used to support your caim for recognition of earning from the workpace. If you have questions on how to start this process contact the RPL company advisor by emai rp@cit.ie. 8 Recognition of Prior Learning

The Portfoio Structure The format of the portfoio is dependent on the basis of the caim and wi vary from appicant to appicant. An overview of a structure and some guidance is provided beow. A genera outine of the portfoio is provided on the website. The Learning Portfoio Outine Structure Curricuum Vitae and Job Description Empoyment Current Empoyment Previous Empoyment Education Third Leve Education Training Other Education Reevant Additiona Information Learning Achieved Learning Outcomes Achieved Portfoio Inventory Index of supporting documentation The actua documentation you are incuding Appendix Decaration by Learner Information Guideines for Students 9

There are three main sections in a earning portfoio. 1. The CV and Job Description is the first part. This outines your education, training, work and ife experience to date. 2. The second part is the Learning Achieved section. This is where you must show the earning you have achieved through work or other experiences against each of the earning outcomes of the modue for which you are seeking recognition. 3. The third part is the Portfoio Inventory. This section verifies or proves the materias presented in the first two parts of the portfoio. There is a decaration at the end of the tempate which must be signed and dated by you. The decaration states that the portfoio of work represents your earning in an area and that you are aware this is examination materia. The three sections of the portfoio are simiar to a jigsaw puzze as the content of each section shoud compement the other two sections. If you outine particuar earning you have in section one and two, this shoud be supported by evidence in section three. 10 Recognition of Prior Learning

CV and Job Description Section This section outines your work and ife experience to date. The genera tempate may need to be atered for your particuar information. You shoud choose how best to present your own case for assessment. The foowing guideines are designed to hep you through the sub-headings. 1. Empoyment Current Empoyment Describe current duties and responsibiities in your present job. The aim is to provide a cear idea of where you work within an organisation and your main tasks and responsibiities. Previous Empoyment Fi in any previous work experience here. Outine what position you hed and your main duties and responsibiities. 2. Education Provide detais of courses attended; incude the year, modues grades etc. Under Training (section 2.2), incude any in-company training courses competed. The tempate shoud be adapted to incude as much necessary reevant information as possibe as it wi strengthen the case for appication. 3. Reevant Additiona Information If information which is reevant to an appication is not documented in the previous sections it shoud be entered here. Vountary Work Incude any reevant vountary work undertaken. Leisure Activities This can incude any reated earning or skis gained through interests or hobbies. Information Guideines for Students 11

Learning Achieved Section Having reviewed the course and detais of the modue, in this section you outine the basis of why you shoud be exempt from a particuar modue. The content of this section of the document depends on the basis of your caim. On the first page of this section in the portfoio tempate, you are asked to state the basis on which you are appying for the exemption. The two options presented to you are Prior academic earning Prior experientia earning It is at your discretion to indicate what forms the basis of your appication. If it is a combination of both forms of earning then both options shoud be seected. Basing a Caim on Prior Forma Learning If you have competed or partiay competed a course simiar to the one on which you are now registered in CIT it is necessary to incude the syabus, a transcript of resuts and where possibe, a certificate from the awarding body, which wi then be assessed. It is a requirement that the modue being used to support the appication was successfuy competed and passed. If the previous modue was faied or not competed then this cannot be used as the basis of appication for RPL. The prior academic earning must aso be at the same academic eve as the exemption sought. An expanation of the Nationa Framework of Quaifications and Leves is avaiabe at www.nfq.ie. Exceptions to this can be made if you have significant experientia earning which enhances your earning in a particuar area. Pease refer to the next section regarding the approach which shoud be taken for this type of appication. Combination of Forma and Experientia Learning If you want to present a combination of forma and experientia earning then both parts of the tempate to iustrate your case shoud be used. If you have forma earning but it fas short of covering a of the earning outcomes you may sti be abe to proceed if you have reevant experientia earning which woud cover the remaining earning outcomes. 12 Recognition of Prior Learning

It is recommended to first concentrate on presenting the forma eement of the prior earning case. The syabus, transcript of resuts and a certificate from the awarding body shoud be incuded so the assessor can see ceary what you have achieved. The focus shoud then turn to presenting the experientia earning. Any additiona information which needs to be submitted shoud be incuded in the second part of the tempate. The exampes beow wi hep in addressing the earning outcomes. Experientia Learning Ony It is necessary to answer a of the earning outcomes of the modue to prove that your prior experientia earning is appropriate for an exemption. In this instance you wi ony use the second part of the tempate, ignoring the Prior Academic Learning Section. Learning Outcomes A earning outcome is what a earner shoud know and/or be abe to do as a resut of being invoved in a earning process. Each modue in each course is made up of a number of earning outcomes, usuay 4 6. These earning outcomes describe the key earning a student achieves having competed that modue. To compete a portfoio and submit for credits/exemption a student must provide a response for each earning outcome for the modue. The response must focus on the earning or experience gained reating to that outcome in particuar. This can take a bit of preparation on your part as you must provide a cear account of how your prior experientia earning matches that of the modue for which you are seeking recognition. Setting out this information in a cear and ogica manner and providing sound evidence to meet these caims forms the basis on which the assessor makes a decision to grant recognition or not. If you are interested in taking the modue via the RPL route you shoud contact the reevant Course Coordinator and the RPL Coordinator to start the process. The RPL Coordinator wi hep you to identify the required earning outcomes from which to deveop a portfoio. The modues are reviewed over time so it is important to make sure that you have the atest version. Detais of the courses and modue content are avaiabe onine at http://courses.cit.ie. Information Guideines for Students 13

The portfoio tempate document has a earning outcomes page which gives you a format for addressing each earning outcome. The text of the particuar earning outcome shoud be entered in the space provided under the Learning Outcome heading, and the response entered under the Learning Achieved heading. Ony one of these pages is provided in the document so the tempate needs to be copied and pasted as many times as there are earning outcomes. Aow a page for each earning outcome and answer as it presents we in the fina document. How to Answer the Learning Outcomes If you take one earning outcome at a time it is easier to concentrate on setting out the evidence of your earning. The aim for you is to respond to the outcome in your own words in a way that best describes your own case. Everyone wi have sighty different answers refecting their own experiences. The suggested approach to deveoping your portfoio is to think of each earning outcome as a separate question. If there are five earning outcomes in a particuar modue then you have five questions to answer. If the earning outcome is structured in two or three parts then your answer shoud have two or three parts. This ensures that you eave nothing out and that your work is cear to the Assessor. Aways make sure that the response answers the earning outcome fuy. No part shoud be omitted uness you have no earning in that particuar area. It is a good idea to respond first to the earning outcomes in a genera way. The first few sentences shoud be a genera statement of abiities in reation to the earning outcome. This serves to get you started before providing specific detaied exampes of your earning. After the introductory paragraph you shoud provide one or two specific exampes of how you meet the earning outcome. Use your own words and outine the exampe fuy. If you take this approach with every earning outcome then there is a good ikeihood that the first draft of the document wi be we on the way to competion. Remember that there is no one correct answer. Everybody has individua earning so you shoud respond in your own words in a way that best describes your own particuar strengths. 14 Recognition of Prior Learning

Exampe of Learning Outcomes and the Answer Provided When answering a earning outcome it is important to structure the response in a meaningfu way. The foowing are some guideines which may assist you in deveoping your appication. Begin with a genera response Foow this with one or two specific exampes to iustrate prior earning The content of the answer shoud refect the nature of the subject matter On the foowing pages are three different exampes iustrating how the students base their responses on their own background and experience and then reate their earning to the specific earning outcome. Information Guideines for Students 15

Exampe 1 Mary is a aboratory assistant who works in a heathcare company. She is deveoping a portfoio against the modue Good Manufacturing Practice 1 and Quaity Assurances. The exampe beow gives one of the earning outcomes in the modue and some extracts from the response that Mary prepared for it. Learning Outcome: Expain the importance of documentation, incuding change contro processes, and write a standard operating procedure. Learning Achieved: Good documentation contro is centra to the smooth operation of ABC Ltd. Every aspect of the manufacturing process and Quaity Assurance support is carefuy monitored on paper and by eectronic means. A monitoring and reporting procedures are competed according to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) set down by ABC Ltd. My average working day invoves competing routine testing procedures according to company specifications and then reporting them in the manner set down by the company. One instance of when I practice good documentation contro is when I I attach an exampe of this Report in the Verification section of this portfoio. Reiabe and accurate documentation is crucia in the company because Throughout my work I dea with standard operating procedures and I have considerabe experience in writing and updating such procedures. I attach as an iustration of my work Mary has highighted the importance of adhering to company procedures and the correct fow of documentation in a manufacturing environment. Her portfoio shoud incude sampe documents which iustrate her work. 16 Recognition of Prior Learning

Exampe 2 Peter is working as a saes person in the media industry for the past five years. He is preparing a portfoio against a professiona deveopment modue. Learning Outcome: To communicate effectivey and infuence appropriatey. Learning Achieved: In a saes context, the abiity to effectivey communicate and infuence is of paramount importance. To reay information to a customer, in a peer-to-peer manner, avoiding use of jargon, in my experience, has proved the most effective way to communicate the saes message. I reay the saes message in a manner that is meaningfu to the customer. I achieve this by In terms of common objections I woud meet in my saes roe, the foowing is an exampe of how I woud address them Handing compaints is another area which I have considerabe experience in. My competence in this area is strong and I encourage the exchange of ideas and assistance between teams and team members. An exampe of a compaint that I have deat with The fina area of reevance is deaing with difficut cients and determining their needs. I had the experience of inheriting a cient from a coeague who was unhappy with the rate they had paid to use the services of TTT.com and the response rate achieved. I worked this through with the cient by Peter identified the different aspects of his job which are reevant to this modue and how his earning in the area has evoved over time aowing him to meet the various chaenges which arose. Information Guideines for Students 17

Exampe 3 David is working in an IT service capacity within a mutinationa organisation. He is using his day to day activities as we as work based training and processes to support his appication for the modue IT Service Support. Learning Outcome: Define Service Desk requirements and seect the most appropriate Service Desk soution. Learning Achieved: My work experience invoves me in undertaking negotiation with cients and appropriate service eve agreements. I have to choose an appropriate main support option depending on the work invoved I work through the requirements with the cient by and determine the appropriate soutions. I competed reevant training courses, the detais of which are in the Appendix at the back of this document. These training courses were pertinent to me in the foowing ways in determining the most appropriate Service Desk soution The company is a arge organisation which has severa different departments with genera and specific IT requirements. The soutions I devised for the departments incude the foowing Exampe 1 Exampe 2 The reference contained in the Appendix from my supervisor supports these exampes. The exampes aso demonstrate how my earning has deveoped over time in reation to how I do my job and the expertise I now have in the area. David has demonstrated in his answer his awareness of his earning and how it has deveoped over time through training and work pace earning. 18 Recognition of Prior Learning

Portfoio Inventory Section This section is to verify or prove that the earning actuay occurred. You must verify what you said in the first two sections of the portfoio. You shoud ist a of the evidence you are using to support your case in the Portfoio Inventory. Remember that you are appying for an exemption from the whoe modue and the evidence seected shoud refect this. The Assessor wants to see that you meet a of the earning outcomes of the modue. Here are exampes of the range of evidence that can be used to verify a of the earning you have. Records of on-the-job training Letters of Certification * Judgements, evauations by others Diaries Testimonias Documents Copies of Certificates Competed project work Pubished materia Written reports Photographs / audio / video tapes Teacher training records Reports on unpaid work Critica incidents References Job Profies *A Letter of Certification is not a reference. This etter shoud state that you do have the experience that you are caiming. It shoud state for how ong and the author shoud state who he or she is and their reationship to you. One piece of documentary evidence can cover severa earning outcomes. It shoud be noted in the portfoio inventory or at the end of the earning outcome what evidence is being used to support the answers provided. In the case where Certificates or other origina documents are used, the RPL Coordinator having seen the origina document wi then aow you to attach a copy of this document to the portfoio. They wi sign the photocopy to say that they have seen the origina document. Information Guideines for Students 19

Exampes of how to prove what was said Exampe 1: The earning outcome is: The earner wi be abe to expain the importance of documentation, incuding change contro processes, and write a standard operating procedure. What coud be used to prove this earning outcome? Standard Operating Procedure for monitoring and reporting test resuts Signed copy of a page from the Genera Product Testing Logbook Signed copy of the End of Shift Report showing batch sheet with microbia resuts on it Signed copy of the page of the Fina Batch Report showing a summary of test resuts A signed copy of a Batch Variation Report showing resuts outside of company specifications Exampe 2 The earning outcome is: To communicate effectivey and infuence appropriatey. What coud be used to prove this earning outcome? Sampe ca og used for deaing with a cient Persona saes presentation used on cients Good saesperson og exampe Pitching for new business exampe Exampe of the CRM record of a customer used on a day to day basis Customer compaint handing record 20 Recognition of Prior Learning

Exampe 3 The earning outcome is: Define Service Desk requirements and seect the most appropriate Service Desk soution. What coud be used to prove this earning outcome? ECDL Expert Certificate ECDL Test Centre Staff Training Program Certificate Microsoft Office User Speciaist Master Certificate Microsoft Project Advanced Certificate Goba Incident Management Process Configuration Management Customer Interaction Management Incident Management & Resoution This evidence shoud be isted in the Portfoio Inventory and the signed copies inserted after this page. Information Guideines for Students 21

Putting the Portfoio Together The fina step is to check that the portfoio is compete and finaise any questions that are outstanding with either the RPL Coordinator or the Course Coordinator at this stage. Important - the decaration must be signed. With this decaration you are agreeing that you are submitting this portfoio in accordance with CIT procedures and that it represents your work with regard to a particuar modue. The RPL Coordinator wi submit the portfoio to the Course Coordinator or Assessor. A copy of the portfoio shoud be retained by you. Exampe of a Decaration of Understanding RPL Assessment I have read and understand the RPL reguations which incude: My rights and responsibiities as an RPL candidate The CIT RPL assessment poicy and procedures The timespan of the RPL process The importance of submitting my appication before week six of a semester Appeas against the outcome of my appication, wi be subject to the CIT Examinations Appea Process My appication is subject to the academic reguations of CIT Fu Name (pease print) Signature Student ID Number Date 22 Recognition of Prior Learning

RPL at a gance What is RPL? Recognition of prior earning (RPL) is the generic term used to describe the system for recognising a range of reevant earning that a student may have gained prior to entry onto a particuar course. RPL incudes: (i) Recognition of Prior Forma Learning: This refers to the recognition of forma earning which is inked to the Nationa Framework of Quaifications and for which certification has been awarded; it might incude a course or part of a course that has been competed previousy. (ii) Recognition of Prior Experientia Learning: This refers to the recognition of the kind of earning that has been gained through work or ife experiences. It coud aso incude earning gained through workpace training courses. How is the prior earning measured? Our courses are composed of modues and the stated earning outcomes of these modues are seen as the basic eves of earning. Therefore, in CIT, these become the minimum standards against which prior earning is measured. The RPL process can enabe students who have aready achieved the earning outcomes for a subject/modue on their chosen course to appy for an exemption from taking that subject/modue again. In this way, it aows earners to buid on previous earning wherever it was attained and not to repeat earning. Who is RPL aimed at? Generay the RPL process is aimed at mature earners who wi have significant experientia earning in a particuar area and who may aso have some forma education. How can RPL be used? There are two main ways in which the RPL process is used generay: The RPL process can be used to gain access to a course for a student who might not meet the standard entry requirements. This is cassed as advanced entry to a course. A student who can demonstrate and provide evidence for earning at, e.g., Leve 6, in a particuar discipine may gain access to a course at Leve 7 despite not having attained an award at Leve 6. Information Guideines for Students 23

More commony, the RPL process can be used to gain exemptions from a modue or a number of modues within a course. In this case, the student might be abe to provide evidence that they have aready acquired the earning reated to one or more modues of a particuar course. Where do I start? After appying for the course a good point to start is to contact the Course Coordinator. Their phone numbers are avaiabe in the CIT prospectus. They are best paced to give you reevant advice as they have an in-depth knowedge of the course materias and can see how your prior earning reates to this. You shoud then attend an RPL workshop and access the RPL supports on the CIT website. What does it cost? When you register for a modue the cost is the same whether you intend to appy for RPL or not. The exception to this is if you appy for an exemption based on your prior forma earning the cost wi be the examination fee ony. What is a portfoio? A portfoio is an accumuation of evidence of earning reating to a particuar modue s earning outcomes (for exemption) or to an award at a particuar eve on the Nationa Framework of Quaifications (for entry). Depending on the subject area or discipine the portfoio can incude a huge variety of materia. The portfoio wi contain the package of evidence that wi be assessed to see if you have aready met the modue earning outcomes or eve of earning. Am I given hep to deveop a earning portfoio? Yes, the RPL Coordinator wi support you through the process. In preparing a portfoio you are preparing a caim to prove your prior earning and have it accredited. You are provided with a workbook and a tempate to support your efforts and you can decide how best to present your own case. If you have any questions about the scope of the earning outcomes within the modue you shoud direct them to the ecturer invoved or the Course Coordinator. How do I know if my work is good enough? The RPL Coordinator wi be abe to provide genera advice and support and the appropriate academic staff wi be abe to hep you to answer modue specific questions. How ong does it take? This is reay up to you. You direct the pace. Most candidates take two to three weeks to compete a portfoio for a particuar modue. 24 Recognition of Prior Learning

Do I get a grade for my portfoio? Yes, if it is an appication for exemption based on prior experientia earning ony, the portfoio is graded. You wi not be awarded a grade for a other types of portfoio. If the outcome of your assessment is successfu you wi be granted an exemption or entry to a course depending on the situation. What if I don t get the exemption? If an exemption is not granted then the Assessor makes a recommendation. It means the assessment process isn t finished yet. This informs the candidate the necessary steps/actions which must be taken in order to obtain the exemption. This can be a recommendation for additiona work, study, research, project work, assignment, short course, attendance at a seminar, or further deveopment work on the portfoio. The recommendation can aso be that the norma assessments of the modue shoud be competed and ectures attended. Are there any rues I shoud be aware of? The imitations and rues for appications for exemptions are as foows: You can ony be exempt from a whoe modue, not part of one. The Assessor wi compare the earning that you have presented in your portfoio and the evidence in support of that earning with the earning outcomes of the modue in question. How you present your case depends on the basis of your caim. If you are seeking to have prior forma earning recognised then you may present a comparison of your course syabus with the reevant CIT course syabus and then prove your case with certificates and transcript of resuts. If you are basing your caim on prior experientia earning ony then you must respond to each of the earning outcomes of the modue specificay. There is no upper imit for the number of modues which can be achieved using prior experientia earning ony. A grade wi be awarded for each portfoio submitted. In the case of prior experientia earning portfoios you wi not be advised of your grade prior to the modue exam boards at the end of the reevant semester. In the event that you are unhappy with the outcome of the assessment then you can appea the resut. Information Guideines for Students 25

Gossary Advanced Entry Term used to denote entry to a course beyond year one. Credits Credits refer to the academic weighting of a particuar modue. Modues are usuay in 5 credit units uness otherwise stated. Exemption This is the term used to state that you have met the earning of a modue through your prior earning. It is represented by an X on the broadsheet. Forma Learning Term used to describe earning which has been accredited by an academic institution or a nationa quaifications agency. Informa Learning Term used to describe earning which has been gained through work or ife experiences. Learning Outcome It outines what a person wi know foowing the competion of a modue. Usuay there are four five earning outcomes per modue. Modue This is an individua unit of earning or assessment in a particuar subject area. Non Forma Learning This refers to earning gained through company training courses or professiona body examinations which have not earned forma academic credit. Non Standard Entry Entry to a programme where the standard entry requirements cannot be met but the earner has prior earning equivaent to the entry requirements of a course. Portfoio This is a coection of materia which represents an individua s earning in an area. Its content is dependent on an individua s background and earning. 26 Recognition of Prior Learning

Portfoio Inventory Is a isting of a the documentary evidence avaiabe to support an appication for prior earning. Programme In CIT we use the term programme and course interchangeaby to describe what a person has registered to study in CIT and its constituent coeges. Semester This is the term used to describe the academic year September to December and February to June. There are two semesters per academic year. The content of a programme is detaied per semester in the http://courses.cit.ie site. Work Based Learning Reates to earning gained through work reated activities. It may be earning occurring at the same time as the competion of a course. Information Guideines for Students 27

Recognition of Prior Learning RPL Guideines for Students www.cit.ie/rp EXTENDED CAMPUS