So I'm drinking my morning coffee and going through my e-mail news alerts when I start laughing so hard that I nearly choke, reading this "breaking news": XXXXXX University Awarded Membership in NAOAA.
The story goes on to say (and truthfully, I cringe at even linking to it: http://www.emediawire.com/releases/2007/6/emw533220.htm):
"XXXXXX University, one of the world's leading online institutions
of higher learning, has been awarded membership in the National
Association of Academic Online Assessors (NAOAA). As a member of NAOAA,
XXXXXX University is certified to assess prior learning and award
degrees based on that thorough and demanding assessment.
XXXXXX University's certified practitioners evaluate a person's prior
learning based on the mission and jurisdiction of the NAOAA. Founded by
professional educators, the NAOAA contends that college credits should
be awarded for life experience accurately and equitably assessed by
trained and certified practitioners. Since significant learning takes
place in the real world beyond the college classroom, people can
acquire college equivalent learning in the workplace, the community, non-credit courses, volunteer activities, and through meaningful travel."
Let's be clear about three things.
1. XXXXXX University is NOT accredited by any accrediting agency that is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. They say as much on their own website (http://www.almedauniversity.org/certification-accreditation.html):
"This non-recognition may have some implications to
include, but not limited to: 1. XXXXXX University is unable to
participate in the Federal Student Loan/Financial Aid program. 2.
XXXXXX University is not authorized to accept the GI Bill. 3. XXXXXX University is unable to guarantee acceptance of its degree programs in
other postsecondary institutions. 4. Corporations are not required to
recognize degrees from XXXXXX University."
[I mean, we're not here to tell you to do. If you're really OK with paying for a degree that won't be accepted by your workplace or any other schools later on, should you choose to go back in the future, from a "school" that can't offer any of its students federal financial aid because it doesn't undergo any kind of formal review process of its or academic curriculum, faculty, or administration, well, then, best of luck to you.]
2. "National
Association of Academic Online Assessors" are NOBODIES. They have a vaguely official sounding name and a website, but that's about it. The adage "You can't judge a book by its cover" holds especially true with the Internet. Having a nice-looking website is by no means any validation of its existence - remember that any twelve year old can build their own website. Anyway, by having no authority to recognize anyone, "membership" with NAAOA is essentially worthless.
That's like saying, "I, Helen, have been crowned Queen of
the Universe by the National Association of Queens and Kings." You'd have to be as delusional as, well, me to think that this title (i.e. membership) by this "association" actually signifies anything of value.
3. The concept of "credit for life experience" has been so thoroughly abused, that it make me want to cry.
Is it possible to earn some credit towards a degree based upon the documentation of college-level knowledge and/or skills that you have previously acquired through work or other experiences outside of a classroom? YES.
Is it possible to earn an ENTIRE college degree based upon life experience? NO, NO, a hundred thousand times, NO.
Nice try, XXXXXX University.