Examining the Cultural Component of PLAR: Prior Learning Assessment Recognition for Distanced Education Students in Myanmar

摘要

This paper draws on theories from the field of intercultural communication to explore cultural considerations in the implementation of a Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR) process with mature adults in Myanmar (previously known as Burma) who were seeking to earn a Canadian university credential via distance education. PLAR offers mature students the opportunity to accelerate their studies by accrediting learning gained from informal and non-formal sources. The PLAR process requires students to express such learning in terms of formal learning outcomes, either the outcomes of specific courses or broader outcomes associated with a program. This learning is typically expressed in a portfolio, which includes a narrative description of learning, supported by documentary evidence such as work samples and letters from supervisors (Freisen & Wihak, 2013).