I have been actively involved in adult education, program and policy development, training and human resource development for over thirty years. I have designed and implemented education and training materials for adults in formal education settings and in the workplace. I have also acted as an advisor for the development and implementation of federal and provincial policy in relation to prior learning assessment and recognition and adult learning.

I began practicing PLA in 1979 when I was the coordinator of the Social Service Worker Program at Loyalist College in Belleville. Since then I have helped develop and implement PLAR and adult learning policies, practices and resource materials at the federal level and in several provinces across Canada. I have done similar work internationally in the United States, South Africa and Chile working with a variety of stakeholder groups and individuals to improve services to adult learners.

I have authored and co-authored   three PLAR guidebooks.-one for adult learners and two for PLAR practitioners (advisors and assessors). I have also written numerous articles on PLAR and adult learning.

I was a founding director of the Canadian Association for Prior Learning Assessment (CAPLA) and its  first president from 1994-2002.. The PLA Department of First Nations Technical Institute (FNTI) was CAPLA’s birthplace and its first home until 2002 when CAPLA assumed a more independent stance.

In 1999 I participated as a subject matter expert in a benchmarking study conducted by the Chicago-based Council for Adult and Experiential learning (CAEL). The aim of the project was to identify the best practices of institutions of higher education in serving adult learners. The study resulted in the creation of a book, “Best Practices in Adult Learning” of which I was the author of several sections. Subsequently I was asked by CAEL to take a lead role in developing a manual/workbook designed to help colleges and universities, using eight key principles of effectiveness, to assess their services to adults. I designed the self-assessment process, the institutional self-assessment scale and wrote two chapters in the workbook, which was published in 2003. The title of the book is “Best Practices in Adult Learning – A Self-Evaluation Guide for Colleges and Universities”.

In 1999-2000 I participated in the design and delivery of PLA and Adult Learning training as part of a Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) initiative in Chile. From 2000-2004 I worked on a variety of PLAR and Adult Learning related projects in South Africa. In October of 2000 I presented a paper at the Recognition of Prior Learning Conference sponsored by the Joint Education Trust (JET) in Johannesburg. In the fall of 2001 I participated in the design and delivery of a two day training session on PLAR and Adult Learning for 30 faculty and staff in the South African Technikons (technical universities) system. I also worked on a project with the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services (MERSETA) Sector in South Africa. This project involved the development of PLAR/adult learning policy, instructional materials and advisor training to employees in the MERSETA. Particular emphasis in the development of these resources was on the creation of culturally appropriate materials given that there are 11 different linguistic and cultural groups in South Africa.

Presently I am leading a project funded by the federal government. This  is a Canadian International Development Agency  initiative under the Indigenous Peoples Partnership Program (IPPP). This is Phase II of PLAR advisor training with the Mapuche Nation in Chile and the Kichwa Nation in Ecuador. It is based on a framework and philosophy similar to the work in South Africa.

FNTI is also partnering with Nunavut Arctic College on a 3 year PLAR project which involves the development of culturally respectful resource materials and  a portfolio development credit course.

I am Manager of PLA and Program Development at FNTI on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. I have been on secondment to FNTI from Loyalist College since 1986.

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