Family Communication
Prior Learning Competence

Subject Area: Communication
College: Arts and Sciences
Department: Communication

Prior Competence Information:

Theoretical Components:

Practical Application Components:

Examples of Appropriate Prior Experience:

Typically students able to demonstrate prior knowledge have a combination of the following:

1. Career, internship, or in-service involvement in such family focused venues/careers as:
   
   1. counseling
   2. adoption services
   3. family mediation
   4. social work
   5. medicine
   6. daycare
   7. education
   
   
2. Attendance at training sessions on such topics as parenting skills, discipline, marital enrichment, etc.
   
   
3. Reading of material written by scholars in the form of books for educated lay audiences.
   (e.g.: Mary Anne Fitzpatrick Between Husbands and Wives: Communicating in Marriage; John Gottman The Heart of Parenting; William Pollock Real Boys; Mary Pipher Reviving Ophelia).

Recommended readings/resources:

• Galvin & Brommel. Family Communication.
• Noller & Fitzpatrick. Family Communication.
• Wood, Julia. Relational Communication.

Steps in evaluation process:

1. If you know the exact topic of the prior AND you are interested in completing a prior during the Fall or Spring semesters, check the course schedule for a list of faculty who evaluate different type of priors. If you need assistance figuring out the topic of the prior AND/OR you want to complete the prior during the Summer, contact the Chair of the Department of Communication.
2. Once you know the topic and evaluator, contact the evaluator by telephone or email. Clearly explain:
   1. your interest in a exploring a prior;
   2. the topic of the prior;
   3. the work/volunteer/training experiences that prepared you for the prior; and
   4. when you would like to complete the prior. Please note: During this conversation the faculty member will be trying to help you assess whether you are ready to do a prior or whether you would be better served (and save money) by taking a regular course, taking a theory seminar, or working on a student designed independent study.
3. If the faculty evaluator and you both conclude that you are ready to demonstrate prior knowledge of the specified subject, you will complete a prior form.
4. The form requires the signature of the Department of Communication Chair. You then submit this form with all of the signatures required to the registrar at the time of registration.
5. Once you are registered, the evaluator will receive a learning evaluation. You are responsible for submitting work or scheduling meetings for assessment with the evaluator. The evaluator completes the learning evaluation when all of the assessments are finished. (Learning evaluations have expiration dates. It is important to make every effort to complete the work in the semester in which registration occurred.)

Measurement techniques:

Prior competence is typically demonstrated through a minimum of two forms of assessment:

1. an interview assessing how work and volunteer experiences have provided opportunities to master interpersonal communication skills with diverse individuals and
2. an oral examination. Many students find it is to their advantage to include one additional form of assessment (e.g., training and development projects from work, examples of correspondence/feedback that displays effective interpersonal communication, etc.).