Implementing Personal Development Profiles
Dr Clare Saunders, Subject Coordinator (Philosophy)
Dr Darlene Bird, Subject Coordinator (Theology)
The ‘what’ and ‘why’ of PDP…
•
What: ‘a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual
to reflect upon their own learning, performance and/or achievement and
to plan for their personal, educational and career development’.
•
Why: to help students –
- become more effective, independent and confident self-directed
learners ;
- understand how they are learning and relate their learning to a wider
context;
- improve their general skills for study and career management;
- articulate their personal goals and evaluate progress towards their
achievement;
- and encourage a positive attitude to learning throughout life.
(information from Centre for Recording Achievement)
Some student responses to PDP*
• ‘I was surprised, it seemed to be a waste of time at first, but I
now realise what a help doing some planning can be.’
• ‘Recording helped me realise what I have learnt this year.’
• ‘I know I should be using it more, I am not good at this sort of
thing, so having to do it for my tutor would be useful.’
• ‘I assess what I am doing myself, I don’t need a book to help
me.’
• ‘My first year tutor did lots on this with us, but the one we have
now said he thought it was a waste of time so I haven’t looked at
it since last summer.’
*taken from comments made by students in Geography and Earth Science (courtesy of Prof
Pauline Kneale, School of Geography, University of Leeds)
Student response to survey
(87 UG in Geography surveyed)
• Your PDP is private to you. Do you want staff to write in it?
– 80% responded ‘yes’
– ‘It needs to be a dialogue, otherwise I cannot be interested.’
• When should it be done?
– ‘I think time should be set aside for them so it does not feel a
hassle’
– ‘Each term is about right’ (majority)
Response to survey
• Question on format and style of PDP
- ‘PDP with open ended questions allows more effective reflection’
- ‘I like tick boxes as well as general questions’
- ‘It should not be in the form of tick boxes as this encourages laziness’
- ‘Tick boxes are good’
- ‘I think it should be open and not constrained or structured, this way
people give their honest views how they see it rather than
accommodate a structured method’
- ‘Suggest a mix of styles and prompts would be useful’
Self-Audit
• What are you already doing - or what have you done
in the past - in your department that might be
considered a kind of proto-PDP?
‘SWOT’ Analysis
What, for you, are the…
» Strengths
» Weaknesses
» Opportunities
» Threats
… re: using PDP?
‘SWOT’ Analysis (contd.)
Strengths
Weaknesses
•
•
Opportunities
Threats
•
•
Paper vs electronic PDP
• What do e-portfolios look like?
http://www.eportfolios.ac.uk
Username: demo724
Password: yellow520%
• Samples of paper-based PDP
PDP – ‘Why Bother?’
Some concerns about PDP?...
•
•
•
•
More demands on staff (& student) time
More paperwork
Just paperwork – what’s the point?
Students have already done this at school (e.g.
National Records of Achievement); why do it again?
‘Why Bother?’ – Universities UK’s answer
“The primary objective for PDP is to improve the capacity of
individuals to understand what and how they are learning, and
to review, plan, and take responsibility for their own learning,
helping students:
• become more effective, independent and confident self-directed
learners;
• understand how they are learning and relate their learning to a
wider context;
• improve their general skills for study and career management;
• articulate personal goals and evaluate progress towards their
achievement;
• and encourage a positive attitude to learning throughout life.”
Guidelines for HE Progress Files
‘Why Bother?’ – some benefits for students
• A structured, systematic framework for recording, and reflecting
on, all aspects of their HE experience
– Drawing together different aspects of (esp. modular) course
– Scope for including extra-curricular activities too
• Identifying, and addressing, areas of strength and weakness –
this can be used to inform, e.g.
– Module choice
– Improving performance on assessed work
– Job seeking
• Identifying and developing skills valued by employers
– Evidence for use in job applications, interviews etc.
– Skills for continuing professional development (CPD)
‘Why Bother?’ – some benefits for staff
• A framework for encouraging, and enabling, greater
independent learning
• A structure for tracking student progress, identifying and
addressing areas of concern – useful for
– Student retention
– Student achievement (within and beyond their degree programme)
• More and better information for preparing student references
• A systematic approach
– Drawing together, and making explicit, existing good practices
(as discussed in our ‘audit’)
– Useful evidence for (e.g.) institutional audit – addressing HE
agendas (progress files, ‘student success’, employability)
How to motivate participation in PDP – for staff?
• Ensure that it ‘fits’ with existing departmental
practices & priorities
– E.g. personal tutoring system – avoid duplication of work
– Use to support student retention & achievement
• A reflective approach is something that we all,
already, use and value
– PDP need not be something ‘different’ or ‘extra’
– ‘Lifelong learning’ approach; PDP  CPD
How to motivate participation in PDP – for students?
• Ensure that we communicate (explicitly) the potential benefits of
PDP (as discussed earlier)!
• Not just ‘more of the same’ (cf. school Records of Achievement)
• Lead by example! – if staff value PDP, so will students
• Recognise their efforts (accreditation?)
• Emphasise link with employability
– Employers value graduates who are reflective, and capable of
managing their own learning, personal & professional development
– But they are generally interested in the PDP process, rather than
the product (progress files)…
PDP & Student Employability – examples
• Skills development
– Subject-specific skills profiles (Subject Centre for PRS) – including:
• ‘mapping’ of TRS graduates’ abilities against employer requirements
• ‘reflective questions’ to aid TRS graduates in identifying and articulating
their capabilities
• Modelling PDP on employers’ CPD processes
– NTF project (University of Leeds)
• Based in Geography, but largely generic in content
• Includes some public sector & charity examples
• http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/courses/other/performance/pdpindex.html
Discussion Questions
• How do these approaches relate to your department?
– What you are already doing
– What you would like to do
– Anticipated problems?
• Any other issues?....
… Thank you!
Darlene & Clare
http://prs.heacademy.ac.uk
CPD Example (Save the Children)
LEARNING & DEVELOPMENT PLANNER Name:
Dept/Programme:
Page no:
WORK OBJECTIVES: list briefly: Effective xxxxx team recruited, inducted and managed to achieve project objectives
NEEDS
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
HOW THEY WILL BE MET
TIMESCALE
What learning
needs have you
identified to
achieve the
agreed
objectives?
What should the staff
member know, be able to
do or how will they
approach work, after the
learning, to achieve the
work plan objective?
What cost effective
methods or media might
be suitable which also
relate to how the staff
member learns best?
When should the
learning have
been completed?
e.g. Build effective
new team of six for
short term project
eg Member of staff should
know: overview of how teams
form, develop and work
be able to: design and deliver
individual and team activities
or approach work: n/a
in order to achieve the
objective.
Preferred learning style
'Theorist'
Methods: self learning from
Team development materials
from Learning Resource Centre.
Coaching with manager? One
day facilitation skills course.
Estimated costs (discuss
with HRD)
By 30 4 02
HEALTH AND SAFETY: Record any learning and training needs as a result of discussion on H&S checklist
PRIORITY
H,M,L?
OUTCOMES AND REVIEW
COMMENTS
Use for notes from
Supervision and review
meetings
H
Realistic time
commitment:
Will discuss
dedicated time for
self study.
1/2 DAYS ONLY
FOR TRAINING
PDP & CPD – resources
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Creating Development Plans
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Activities to promote reflective writing for PDP
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Goal setting for a project, module, placement or semester using BAE Systems planners
Reviewing performance against goals using Woolworth’s criteria
Incidents and achievements, preparation for interviews with Bradford Metropolitan District Council
Assessing personal competencies with BNFL, preparing for interviews.
Planning for the longer term
–
–
•
Self-regulated learning - how do you complete academic activities? Reflecting on personal
experience with Avenade
How do I learn? Reflecting on personal experience with Avenade
Activities related to goal setting
–
–
–
–
•
What does a Development Plan look like? Comparing your current practice with company
procedures at Woolworths or HBOS
Personal Development: Reviewing a year, the CRAC approach
Setting longer-term goals using BAE Systems planner
Valuing your degree skills, preparing for interviews with
Career Development Activities
–
–
Planning for the Future using Somerfield’s template
How will you be managed? Research and reflection based on Avenade / Bradford Metropolitan
District Council’s / Environment Agency’s approach
http://www.geog.leeds.ac.uk/courses/other/performance/docs/Section1home.html