Red River College, 2016
Lloyd H. Robertson, Ph.D.
Athabasca University
www.hawkeyeassociates.ca
Objectives
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Participants will unite the awarding of PLAR credits with
self-development with implications for career and personal
choice;
Participants will view learners as holistic and complex
beings recognizing that educational strategies can meet
multiple objectives extending beyond the educational
domain and potentially creating an overlap with learners’
mental health
This presentation is based on…
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Robertson, L. H. (2011a). An application of PLAR to
the development of the aboriginal self: One college’s
experience. International Review of Research in
Open and Distance Learning, 12(1), 96–108.
Robertson, L. H. (2011b). Prior learning assessment
and recognition in aboriginal self (re) construction.
Pimatisiwin 9(2), 459–472.
Robertson, L. H., & Conrad, D. (2016).
Considerations of Self in Recognising Prior Learning
and Credentialing. In S. Reushle, A. Antonio & M.
Keppell (Eds.), Open Learning and Formal
Credentialing in Higher Education: Curriculum
Models and Institutional Policies (pp. 187-204).
Hershey, PA, USA: IGI Global.
Working definitions
Challenge-for-credit PLAR is the
awarding of credit for prior knowledge as
measured against some existent criteria
 “Whole Person” Portfolio PLAR is a
holistic view of one’s life experience
from which we derive meaning
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Portfolio Development is Knowledge
Construction
The linkage between learning and concepts of identity has
implications for institutions of higher education as regards
the development of relationships between learners’
engagement in learning and the process of obtaining
formal qualifications. We submit that the innovative
recognition pedagogies that inform open education
practices and credentialing must also consider concepts of
self-development in order to recognise the transformative
potential of the process.
Robertson & Conrad (2016) p. 188
PLAR: A Means of Knowledge
Creation and Self-growth
Portfolio development “gives rise to new
knowledge—of self, of self situated within the
trajectory of growth, and of self situated within
the profession” (Conrad, 2008, p. 142).
Portfolios may include…
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Certificates of achievement
Awards
Newsletter articles
Stories/poems/songs /videos
List of training and volunteer/work experience
Testimonials from others
Resumes
Personal reflections
Results of standardized testing for abilities or
interests
Self-maps, personal medicine wheels, symbolic still
lifes or other representations of self
Selfmap of
a
young
Cree
man
meditator
(2)
pessimist
(2)
child of
alcoholic
(2)
self
change
(4)
potential
alcoholic
(3)
Spirit
Helpers
Rememberer
Addictions
worker (8)
introverted
(1)
Taoist (4)
unique
experiencer
(3)
learner
(9)
aboriginal
activist (4)
caring (8)
single (3)
worker
cautious
(4)
overweight
(3)
self
critical
(1)
aboriginal
spiritualist
(6)
Empowerment
animator
(7)
proud (4)
kind (4)
self
esteem
(10)
Self
Evaluation
martial
artist (2)
angry (3)
human
(7)
humanness
arrogant
(1)
youth
advocate
(1)
intimidator
(3)
loves kids
(7)
healthy
(1)
aboriginal
(2)
leader (3)
big Indian
(7)
relator to
youth (1)
protector
(9)
parent (2)
big
brother
(3)
man (3)
Gender Role
Genetic , cultural and interpretive
factors in the creation of the self
genetic
factors
cultural
factors
Implicit
representation
of self in
cultural units
Explicit
representation
of self
lived
experience
memetic
self-map
Holistic PLAR affirms and creates
self-knowledge
PLAR begins with self-awareness
 Self-awareness leads to self-assessment
and this generates possibilities in personal
and career development
 In developing one’s portfolio maladaptive
assumptions may be identified and re-framed
 Taking a look at the whole self aides in
identifying learning that may have been
discounted as unimportant or ordinary
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An application of PLAR to aboriginal
identity construction (Robertson, 2011b)
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Development of a portfolio recounting one’s
personal history
Education on the history of colonialism as may
apply to dysfunctional self attributions
An invitation to consider reframing past
experiences in more positive ways
The development of a map, medicine wheel or
narrative that represents the individual’s current
self
Listing of strengths that can be carried forward
to meet career goals
Who am I?
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Metis
Psychologist
Writer
Father
Knower
Man
Chess player
Traveler
Brother
Uncle
10 things I am
Seek understanding
Be authentic
Knowledge is freedom
World needs more love
Challenge existing ideas
Help others
Believe in something bigger
There is an objective reality
Capitalism is based on
greed
 To be human is to be
rational
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10 things I believe to be
true
Who am I (2)?
10 things I would change
about myself if I could
10 things I like about myself
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Patient
Active (doer)
Intelligent
Good-hearted
A thinker
Soft-hearted
A rebel
Out-spoken
Caring
Well-read
More outgoing (introverted)
More authentic (inauthentic)
Less down on self (self-critical)
Better hearing (deaf)
Better eyesight (blind)
Less neurotic (neurotic)
Less gullible (gullible)
More objective in relationships
(gullible)
 Believe in self more (self-doubter)
 Exercise more (out-of-shape)
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One thing I am: A father
Referent meaning: I have three biological
children
 Connotation: I have a responsibility for my
children to nurture and to guide
 Emotion: Love, caring, tenderness
 Behavior: I provide for, I listen to, and I share
my time and experience with my children
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Another thing I am is a “doer”
Referent meaning: I engage in goal directed
activity
 Connotative meaning: My self-worth is tied to
my ability to engage in meaningful activity
 Emotion: Self-esteem, a feeling of worthiness
 Behavior: My waking hours are engaged in
activity as opposed to passive pursuits
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“Doer” is related to other memes within
my self
Father
Knower
Psychologist
Lover of
people
Doer
The self forms
a structure
Father
patience,
understanding
Knower
understanding
love
Psychologist
helping others
Lover of
people
Doer
T raveller
Lloyd’s self-map
with menu of
emotions
Challenger
Uncle
Outspoken
Met is
Rebel
Man
Brot her
Ant icapitalist
Rational
W riter
Father
P atient
T hinker
Activist theme
Famly theme
W ell-read
Knower
Int elligent
Chess
P layer
P sychologist
Lover of
people
Me n u of
Emotion s
love
amger
awe
empathy
fear
curiosit y
joy
Caring
Authentic
Goodhearted
Understander
Helper
Believer
Doer
Gullible
Neurot ic
Selfdoubt er
Soft hearted
Int roverted
Self-critical
P oor
hearing
Self critical
t heme
P oor
eyesight
Inaut hent ic
Out-ofshape
Timeline for two persons I am
my birt h
birt h of son
teaching
about space
arts and
science
caring for
son
social work
and
community
development
custody
bat tle for
daughter
birt h of
daughter
college of
education
educational
and
counselling
psychology
single
parenting
direct or of
ment al
healt h;
private
pract ise
P h.D.
helping son
wit h Ph.D.
Fat her
T hread
journal
articles
P sychologist
T hread
What I learned from my highlighted
experiences
birth of son
I can be t he first
Bureaucracy can be
challenged
my birt h
birt h of son
teaching
about space
teaching about s...
I can overcome my
shyness and share what I
know
I can become expert at
something
arts and
science
birth of daughter
caring for son
Men are mat ernal too
having feelings of love and
caring for children
caring for
son
social work
and
community
development
social w ork and...
I have the ability and
temperament t o help
empower people bot h
individually and in
groups
custody
bat tle for
daughter
birt h of
daughter
college of
education
college of educat...
I can be a leader
(academic vice
presedent )
I can become expert
(great distinction)
custody battle for...
Knowledge of legal
custody processes
It 's possible t o win
wit hout being nasty
Dads can parent
I want to parent
educational
and
counselling
psychology
educational and...
An underst anding of
personality
development , mental
wellness, and motivation
single parenting
pat ience, firmness,
flexibility, community
support , biases against
single parent men
single
parenting
direct or of
ment al
healt h
Helping my
children
wit h their
university
Fat her
T hread
journal
articles
P sychologist
T hread
P h.D.
director of mental health
violence
More emphasis on counselling
and clinical psychology
P resent at ions t o Nat ive Ment al
Healt h
Ph.D.
Expert ise on the
st ruct ure of t he self
I can share my
knowledge with t he
world
What I learned for which I have no
certificate
Advocacy
 Legal systems pertaining to custody
 Parenting skills
 Self-confidence
 Proposal writing
 Writing articles for newspapers, magazines
and journals
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Holistic vs. summative portfolios
What we term a “holistic portfolio” might
also be called a “foundational portfolio” that
includes a personal profile highlighting
significant life events or transitions, life
goals, formal learning, circles of support,
work and volunteer history, and personal
reflections on all of the foregoing.
 The “summative” portfolio is directed
toward a specific purpose such as a job
application or academic credit and may is
to be evaluated by criterion referenced
means.
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Results of the Mental Health and
Addictions pilot orientations
All students (N=23) completed a holistic or
foundational portfolio
 Six students successfully challenged the
first accredited class in the program, three
successfully challenged the second such
class
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Work
A Young Cree
Mother
big
handed
poor
writer
Imperfect
smoker
perfectionist
drinker
learner
adventurous
god
belief
spiritualist
Spiritual
depression anxiety
impulsive
physically
fit
outdoorsy
(2)
walker
Husband
meditator
environmentalist
interconnected
dependent
oversensitive
mother
polite
supportive
family
person
Fitness
impatient
low
libido
helpful
spouse
grandaughter
sister
daughter
Social
Person
Family
Menu of Emotions Depression
and Anxiety
sense of
humour
friend
PLR begins with student selfassessment, and the process…
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Helps validate past experiential learning in meaningful
ways;
Develop organizational skills;
Invites meaningful self-reflection on on past learning;
Provides students with detailed feedback on their learning;
Helps students to think critically about their own learning;
Gives students the opportunity to achieve additional
course credits;
Offers students the opportunity to build a comprehensive
self-esteem building monument to their past
accomplishments.
Summation
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The competent holistic portfolio developer is more
facilitator than teacher, but the art of facilitation involves
inviting new interpretive possibilities. Often the student or
client will not have recognized skills and abilities that are
evident in the portfolio or will have downplayed their
significance. It is the duty of the facilitator to point out
evidence of possible skill sets and their applicability to new
contexts. The [student] may have been overly harsh in his
interpretations of past events and the facilitator may point
out that alternative interpretations are possible while
empowering the [student] to make the final “correct”
understanding. On reflection the [student] may wish to
engage in areas of self-development. The facilitator may
suggest resources the [student] could utilize in pursuit of
such a quest. (Robertson, 2011a, p. 469)
More references
Conrad, D. (2008). Building knowledge
through portfolio learning in prior learning
assessment and recognition. Quarterly
Review of Distance Education, 9(2), 139151. 10
 Robertson, L. H. (2010). Mapping the self
with units of culture. Psychology, 1(3), 185193.
 Robertson, L. H. (2016). Self-Mapping in
Counselling: Using Memetic Maps to
Enhance Client Reflectivity and Therapeutic
Efficacy. Canadian Journal of Counselling
and Psychotherapy, 50(3), 332-347.
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