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Kaplan University's New Portfolio Development Course Enhances Students' Ability to Earn Credit for Learning from Professional and Life Experience

"Kaplan University is revolutionizing higher education by using technology to customize the college experience and meet students' individual academic and social needs," said Peter Smith, Ed.D., Senior Vice President for Academic Strategies & Development at Kaplan Higher Education, which owns Kaplan University. "Kaplan uses technology to provide a student-centered education that helps individuals unlock their talent to reach their academic and professional goals."

Smith, who presented today during the HigherEd TECH track of the 2010 International CES, is the author of the forthcoming book, Harnessing America's Wasted Talent: A New Ecology of Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2010). The book illustrates the flaws in traditional education and how Web 2.0 technologies like Kaplan University's Portfolio Development course capitalize on the capacity of every student.

The Portfolio Development course uses a state-of-the-art custom-developed software application to help students document their mastery of college-level course work using prior professional, military and other experiential learning. Students build this information into an experiential learning portfolio over the 10-week course, which they may then submit for assessment. Students may petition to apply their prior learning credits toward up to 75 percent of a Kaplan University undergraduate degree.

"As someone who has been in the IT industry for several years with job descriptions including database administrator, network administrator and senior programmer/analyst, I have accumulated a wealth of IT knowledge. However, as this knowledge was solely based on learning from my past experience, it was difficult to relate it back to specific courses," said James Gayhart, a Kaplan University student who enrolled in the Portfolio Development course and subsequently earned 30 credits toward his bachelor's degree in Information Technology. "Kaplan's Portfolio Development and Assessment process gave me a greater sense of accomplishment while simultaneously reducing the amount of time and money I would have to spend toward my degree."

To learn more about the Portfolio Development course, visit http://www.portfolio.kaplan.edu.

Kaplan University leverages technology to foster continuous improvement in its curriculum and to provide a personalized online student experience. Its outcomes-based curriculum allows the University to assess the students' mastery in each program and identify effective teaching techniques across a variety of learning styles. Additionally, students have access to online tutoring, math and writing labs, and online career planning diagnostics that help them craft a program that maximizes their career potential. The University allows students to customize their education through universal degree plans designed to allow students to transfer in previously earned college credits, military experience and qualified life credits. Kaplan also has 30 student clubs, professional organizations and honor societies.

About Kaplan University

Kaplan University offers a different school of thought for higher education. It strives to help adult students unlock their talent by providing a practical, student-centered education that prepares them for careers in some of the fastest-growing industries. Based in Davenport, Iowa, the University is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA). Kaplan University offers more than 125 academic programs and serves more than 63,000 online and campus-based students. For more information, visit www.portal.kaplanuniversity.edu.

Kaplan University is part of Kaplan Higher Education, which serves more than 100,000 students online and through more than 70 campus-based schools across the United States and abroad. It also has online programs through Kaplan Virtual Education and Concord Law School of Kaplan University. Kaplan Higher Education schools offer a spectrum of academic opportunities, from high school diplomas to graduate and professional degrees, including a juris doctor degree. Kaplan Higher Education is part of Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). For more information, visit www.portal.kaplan.edu.

Kaplan University
Press contacts:
Michele Pore, tel. (312) 706-6006/cell (312) 502-7534, mpore@kaplan.edu
Linnea Brown, (954) 515-3651/cell (954) 397-8198, lbrown3@kaplan.edu