Dietetics Academy

Prior Assessed Learning Program (PAL)

The Iowa State University (ISU) Dietetic Internship (DI) participates in the Prior Assessed Learning (PAL) program recognized by the American Dietetic Association (ADA). This program is designed to grant internship credit in specific rotations of the internship based on the qualified applicant's previous life experiences including work, volunteer, achievement, education, or family responsibilities. Typically, the individual qualifying for this credit is an older, "non-traditional" applicant.

The applicant:

• Must provide samples of projects, reports, presentations, and professional practice that demonstrate advanced knowledge and skill in the area of dietetics for which assessment is requested.
• Must complete all PAL Information. The ADA educational competencies for specific rotations in this program will be provided and the applicant must adequately show/demonstrate advanced knowledge and skill, not just work history.
• Understands that PAL credit is granted only for learning, not for experience.
• Understands that fees related to PAL evaluation are the equivalent of the course credits required in the specific rotation.
• Submits the completed PAL packet with internship application to allow for adequate evaluation.

Please read this information in its entirety. While you may have plenty of work or life experiences, keep in mind that you must be able to demonstrate or prove that what you claim to have learned or achieved meets the competencies required for an entry-level dietetic practitioner as outlined by the ADA. PAL credit is not given simply for experience or college coursework.

You are required to complete Form 1 and the appropriate rotation form (s). The information in Form 1 applies to each of the rotation forms you complete. Complete only the form of the rotation(s) for which you wish to apply for PAL: Community Nutrition (CO) form 2, Food Service Management (FSM) form 3, or Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) form 4.  Please submit the completed forms in paper copy, not on disk. You are expected to provide samples of projects, reports, presentations, and professional practice that demonstrate advanced knowledge and skill in the area of dietetics for which assessment is requested.

The ISU DI faculty will review all submitted forms and determine if any PAL credit will be given. ISU DI faculty reserve the right to contact you for additional documentation and clarification as deemed appropriate. If you receive credit, you may be excused from the internship for up to 4 weeks of CO, up to 6 weeks of FSM, and/or up to 6 weeks of MNT.

NOTE: The following information applies to you regardless of the amount of PAL credit for which you may qualify:

1. You must attend all 5 days of the Program Orientation Week in Ames, Iowa.
2. The ISU Dietetic Internship program is a full-time program; you are required to complete any required supervised practice hours as a full-time intern.
3. You will be required to complete at least 40 hours in Management, at least 40 hours in Community Nutrition, and at least 240 hours in Medical Nutrition Therapy. Specific projects and assignments will be determined by the instructor based on your demonstrated knowledge and skills.

If you have questions or concerns or need further clarification, or if you think you qualify, please contact:
Jean Anderson, MS, RD, LD   Dietetic Internship Director (515) 294-7316  janderso@iastate.edu

• What is Prior Assessed Learning (PAL)
• Organizing the Portfolio
• Important Prior Learning Reminders
• Guidelines for Assessing Deitetic Intern's Prior Learning
• Prior Assessed Learning Application Forms

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What is Prior Assessed Learning (PAL)?

PAL is a process by which an applicant may request dietetic internship credit for actual learning and gaining of knowledge experienced by the applicant throughout his/her professional career. The credit is not for work experience, but is given when increase in knowledge and learning is proved by the applicant.

PAL is proved using the portfolio, the resume, and completing the attached forms in their entirety.

A portfolio:

• Is a formal written communication.
• Identifies learning and knowledge clearly and succinctly.
• Provides enough supporting information/documentation to be used alone or in combination with other information as basis for evaluation.

A portfolio contains at least:

1. Personal mission statement
2. Professional mission statement and goals
3. Identification of specific prior learning expressed in terms of ADA competency statements. (ex: CD1, CD2, CD3---see competency attachment for specific definitions)
4. Essay/narrative explaining how specific prior learning:
   1. relates to specific rotation of dietetic internship.
   2. was gained.
   3. fits into individual's overall education/career plans.
5. Documentation/evidence that prior learning experiences actually exists as claimed.

PAL credit is granted only for learning, not for experience

• DO include scenarios and reflection of staff responsibilities you have had
• DO describe how your responsibilities have increased as you have continued in your career
• DO describe how your responsibilities have built on one another
• DO share examples of client education you have created/conducted—discuss how you determined what the education consisted of
• DO share examples of staff training you have created and conducted
• DON'T describe projects or labs or assignments you complete as part of your degree or coursework
  

PAL fees are equivalent of course credits.

Questions to answer/information to provide in portfolio:

1. Education.
2. Work Experience--paid or unpaid, directly related or not to profession of dietetics.
   1. What was LEARNED as a result of the work experience?
   2. Link learning to ADA entry-level dietetic competencies.
3. Achievement to profession--professional outlook or orientation used to guide the day-to-day professional contact.
4. Provide documentation of learned experience:
   1. Primary sources such as:
      1. Projects, reports, and so on that you may have completed or worked on.
      2. Letters from employer, clients, business partners, coworkers, and so on, documenting your skills and knowledge necessary to complete tasks/assignments.
   2. Secondary sources such as:
      1. Official forms or records such as records of promotions or performance evaluations.
      2. Job descriptions, task analyses, job classifications.
      3. Copies of licenses, certificates, diplomas, record of completed workshops or non-credit course

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Organizing the Portfolio

Each portfolio is different but each portfolio will contain the following elements:

1. Cover Letter or Transmittal Letter: This letter is a short introduction to the evaluator outlining the area or areas that are covered in the portfolio. The student should list personal information, such as telephone numbers, e-mail address and regular mailing address in case the evaluator needs to make further contact to verify or clarify information with regard to the portfolio.
2. Title Sheet: This page includes personal data, subject area title, dietetic internship rotations to be met with PAL, date and signature of student.
3. Table of Contents: The table of contents should show the headings of the various subdivisions of the portfolio in order to assist the evaluator in reading the portfolio. Each item listed must have an accurate page number. Be sure that the table of contents lists every item included in the portfolio.
4. Resume: This is a brief description of personal information, employment, military and educational background. The resume serves as an introduction to the assessor. The resume must be typed and the maximum length should be about two pages.
5. Detailed Autobiographical Description of Experience: In the narrative, the applicant communicates who he or she is. The applicant will tell something about themselves, highlighting experiences both personal and professional that exhibit growth, goals, and the reasons for seeking credit for prior learning. The applicant should incorporate significant events. This statement should be a minimum of five typewritten double-spaced pages. The following should be included:
   1. An introduction of the applicant, including educational and career goals, and any plans for further education after earning the undergraduate degree.
   2. A description of how educational goals relate to family, work, and community life.
   3. A description of the motivations for earning the undergraduate degree and completing the dietetic internship.
   4. A conclusion that sums up the applicant's intention for earning credit through the assessment of prior learning.
6. Discussion of How This Area of Prior Learning Relates to the ADA Competencies: The applicant will want the narrative in this area to include:
   1. The subject matter for which you are seeking credit.
   2. The area of the dietetic internship rotations into which prior learning credit will fit.
   3. The job code to identify positions meeting ADA competencies.
7. Appendix:
   1. Documentation of learning may go here in the portfolio.
   2. Experiences which resulted in advanced knowledge and skills but which do not really fit
      anywhere else in the portfolio may go here.

NOTE: The applicant should be as specific as possible about that part of the internship the prior learning credit will fulfill.

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Important Prior Learning Reminders

(MAKE A COPY OF EVERYTHING BEFORE YOU MAIL YOUR PORTFOLIO.)

1. All prior learning must be evaluated by internship director or designee.
2. The evaluator will be looking for academic "value" in your portfolio.
3. Not every experience will be worth "academic" credit, but that does not devalue the experience. There is a difference in "skill-oriented" learning and "theoretical" learning.
4. All materials must be typed or word processed.

For additional information in portfolio development or prior assessed learning:

Check out the ADA information on lifelong learning, needs assessment, and standards of professional practice in the journal.

Iowa State University Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching, CELT Teaching Portfolios
Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching Pennsylvania State University

Portfolio Development, CD-Rom, McGraw-Hill Ryerson Limited, ISBN:007560025008,
about $50.00, 1(905) 430-5000. (Although this information is designed for use by those individuals requesting college credit as applied to a degree program, the same basic information is transferable to your needs.

Guidelines for Assessing Dietetic Intern's Prior Learning

Intern will:

1. Submit request for assessment of prior learning to internship director by the date set by the internship director which is usually at least 3 weeks before the session begins.
2. Identify dietetic internship rotations and courses for which assessment of prior learning is requested.
3. Provide documentation in the form of a portfolio which supports:
   1. Analysis of actual learning.
   2. Actual learning with the competencies identified by the American Dietetic Association (ADA) necessary to be exhibited by entry-level dietitians.
4. Understand the credit is granted only for learning, not for experience.
5. Understand that assessment fees are equivalent to those fees for the course credits for which the prior learning assessment is requested.
6. Retain copies of all materials for personal files prior to sending to ISU for review.
7. Submit completed Portfolio (see "Organizing the Portfolio" for assistance).
8. Submit current resume.
9. Submit completed form to support PAL request.

Internship director or designee will:

1. Evaluate submitted information in a timely manner.
2. Request additional documentation or clarification as deemed appropriate.
3. Formulate decision related to assessment of individual intern's prior learning based on evaluation of the portfolio provided and any verification of information provided as deemed appropriate.

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Prior Assessed Learning Application Forms

Form 1 - Listing of work and life experiences

List specific job, volunteer position, practicum experience, and job task individually in space provided. The number corresponding with each job will be listed in column A on Forms 2, 3, and 4.

Example

Job Code	Title or descriptor(complete information is found in Form 1, Portfolio, and resume)
1	Dietary aide for 400 bed nursing home, 6/19/1988-6/1991, supervised 10 employees
2	Dietary manager for 400 bed nursing home, 6/1/1991-6/1996, supervised 30 employees
3	Assistant director of food & nutrition services for 400 bed nursing home, 6/1996-6/1999, managed $5 million budget
4	Coordinator of volunteer services for local youth & shelter agency, 6/1990-6/1999, supervised 20 volunteers
5	parent for 3 children

Instructions for completeting PAL Forms, 2, 3, and 4

1. Column A "Job Code": Use the job code number from Form 1 at the appropriate competency with required documentation in Columns B and C.
2. Column B "Describe Experiences": This is your opportunity to describe the experiences from which your learning is derived.
3. Column C "Describe what was learned": Use this oclumn to document the learning that occured.

Form 2 - Community Nutrition
Form 3 - Food Service Management
Form 4 - Medical Nutrition Therapy

This is an example only; please submit separate forms for each Rotation. You will notice that the competencies may be listed in multiple rotations. You may use the same examples for the competencies when appropriate however you may find that the information in column C is not the same between rotations. Your discussion in Column C will include not only what you have learned (ie: I have learned to use PowerPoint) but also your deeper understanding of the knowledge (ie: One must measure if a presentation was effective and what the audience has learned. OR Team work and strong communication skills are a priority in today's healthcare environment.)

Rotation	Competency List	Job Code (Column A)	Describe Experience (Column B)	Describe what was learned (Column C)
CO, FSM, MNT	CD6	1,3	Used various internet resources, including Medline and Ovid, and other software, for the development of education materials, for preparation of nutrition presentations, and for research. Used email to effectively communicate and share resources.	Learned to differentiate among credible and non-credible internet resources; learned to use various MS software, including Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher; learned to effectively communicate via email. As a result of these experiences and this learning, I am able to use current technologies to enhance my career and nutrition knowledge.
CO	CD 8	1	Prepared and delivered staff inservice	Used the most current methods of teaching and learning when developing materials. It is critical that the intended audience is identified and examined in order to provide the information at the correct educational level. Preparation of educational materials includes the use of learning outcomes and appropriate evaluation tools....
FSM	CD 21	3	Led task force related to redesign of Nutrition Department	Developed understanding and appreciation for group decision making. This project required the use of customer surveys as well as contractor bids....
MNT	CD 38, CD 40	2	Participate in interdisciplinary team care conferences	Understand the strength in utilizing the expertise of each member of the team when making the best decisions related to patient care....

 

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