Today, the terms “open learning” and “open educational resources” are often at the center of discussion, not only at education conferences but in public debate about the future of higher education. What do these terms mean; and, for our purposes at PLAIO, how are they connected to our interest in prior learning assessment? Many significant challenges emerge when we grapple with “evaluation,” “validation” and “recognition” of learning acquired through “open” venues. What processes should we use to determine what has been learned from such sources? What ideas and values inform our decisions? In this issue of PLAIO, we hope to encourage the examination of PLA/RPL policies and processes as we think about learning acquired from new and expanding open educational resources.

• We are especially interested in your comments on our "Ask A Question" section. Your responses will help us recognize how different institutions respond to learning gained through open educational resources -- "What would you do?"

• We encourage your feedback on all of our PLAIO articles. To view or post comments on individual pieces, please log in under the “User” box on the right or under the “Log In” tab above (where you can also create an account). Then, click on the article and view the comments, or select “Add Comment” to post your feedback.  Thank you!