Checklist for Developing Your Learning Description

Present how you acquired your learning to provide context for your learning.

• Summarize succinctly the sources of the learning.
  • Describe independent study, employment, volunteer experience, professional development workshops, training programs, seminars, continuing education programs, or other experiences that are relevant to this area of learning.
  • Include names of organizations or programs, titles of positions held, tasks performed and dates of involvement.
• Describe what knowledge you have developed as a result of your experiences.
  • Use your experiences as examples of your knowledge, but make sure you are clear about your learning gained from those experiences. Focus on what you know, not on your experiences.

Organize your knowledge in a logical way and elaborate on what you know as a result of your experiences.

• Present the information, essential facts, related concepts, principles and theories that you know about this area of learning. Use the college-level learning outcomes to help frame your learning.
• Provide an understanding of the depth and breadth of your learning. Describe your current level of knowledge and the progression of learning in some detail.
• Explain ways in which you have used your knowledge and how you understand that your knowledge can be used. Indicate how you understand the ways in which your knowledge is interrelated to other concepts and contexts.
• If the knowledge for which you are requesting credit is relatively common or well known, you might want to examine textbooks or course syllabi in that academic area to see how others organize the subject area.

Demonstrate your knowledge and related competence and skills.

• Present your learning in such a way that the expert evaluator can objectively measure and evaluate the learning that has occurred.
• Reference your supporting documentation as evidence or examples of your learning.

Indicate how the learning is related to your degree plan and your overall learning and professional goals.

• If the learning is being used in your concentration, explain how it fits.
• Be sure to address how the learning meets any of the credit designations (liberal arts and sciences vs. applied, introductory vs. advanced level, or general education requirements).