Project: Curriculum Design 

Experiential Learning Program Design

Program Overview 

When the college I worked for launched a Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) program, I was one of three staff members certified by the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL) to guide students through the process. Within three years, I was the only remaining staff member managing the program.

The Challenge 

Originally, the CPL program followed a one-on-one mentorship model, starting with teaching Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory. This approach helped students reflect on their experiences and connect them to course outcomes. Since over 75% of the students seeking CPL credits were adult learners with demanding schedules, I needed to create a more efficient, scalable solution.

Course Design Solution

To better serve these students, I designed a hybrid course using Moodle LMS that followed backward design principles. The course structure began with clearly defined learning goals:

• Understand the Credit for Prior Learning process

• Define and identify college-level learning

• Explore relevant learning theories

• Analyze and connect life experiences to academic concepts

• Strengthen self-assessment skills

• Use diverse sources and technologies to present information

• Develop strategies for continuous learning and improvement

Assignments & Assessments 

The course included:

• Learning Theory Application: Activities designed to help students connect their experiences to key theories.

• Portfolio Development: Step-by-step assignments to help students build their CPL portfolios.

• Self Assessment: Opportunities for students to reflect on their professional and personal experiences.

Lessons Learned

Despite the well-structured curriculum, the course faced registration challenges. Since CPL students could begin the process at any time during the semester, maintaining consistent enrollment was difficult. Additionally, because the course was self-paced, students would have to be re-enrolled each semester until their portfolios were completed.

While the course itself was not fully implemented, the experience strengthened my skills in:

• Adapting instructional design for flexible learning paths

• Developing content that meets the unique needs of adult learners

• Leveraging Moodle for hybrid and self-paced learning environments