PLA continued on page 3 Note from the Thomas Haney Centre Word about the unique model that is the Thomas Haney Centre has spread all the way to the Rock. A delegation of administrators from Eastern College, a community college in Newfoundland, will visit the Thomas Haney Centre in May. They’ re planning a similar project combining a college and high school, so they’re coming to Maple Ridge to see the state of the art. Note from the Lincoln Centre Centre 2000 is going space-age with an exciting new contract to coordinate education via satellite from a National Technological University in Colorado, a consortium of 26 high-tech university training programs. Watch this space for more details. Also, Canadian Airlines International is happy with the Career Options training that Centre 2000 has done for them, and has awarded three Carol Ebner (standing, centre) reviews parts of the portfolios of students who are attempting to get Prior Learning Assessment credit for courses in Child, Family & Community Studies programs. and career objectives, learning experiences and outcomes, and the evidence necessary to support a request for credit in specific CFCS courses. Twelve students are enrolled in the course, and they all come from senior positions in social service settings. Their backgrounds include dealing with some of the most troubling current social issues on a daily basis: sexual abuse, substance misuse, violence against women. further contracts to the Centre: a program After completing the course, their portfolios will be examined by faculty assessors in in career management, a horticulture/ specific CFCS programs. Some students will be challenging as many as four courses, and, groundskeeper program, and a self- if granted course credits, will be taking a giant step closer to diplomas and degrees. employment program. As the airline “What they gain is increased employment opportunities and faster access to the level downsizes, these programs provide where they should be. We’ re finishing them off with diplomas and getting them headed training for staff for other careers. toward degrees, because often what they’ ve done on the job isn’t neatly encapsulated into a concept or a course,” says Ebner. There are now five education institutions in B.C. doing PLA, and Ebner says it can apply to all fields where applied training is required, and where there is an education ladder to be followed. “At Douglas College, that could include nursing and psychiatric nursing, Print Futures, business diplomas, office administration, or any program where you can gain genuine learning experiences outside of the classroom.” # Quote of the Month: "All generalizations are untrue." - Keith Pitman