Department of Modern Languages
Personal Development Planning
18.9.07
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files:
Introduction for Students
All students have the opportunity to engage in Personal Development Planning (PDP).
While this is not compulsory, we strongly recommend that you participate in the
scheme in order to strengthen your intellectual and personal development. You are
likely to find PDP of great benefit during your time at University and particularly
when you move from full-time education to the world of work.
PDP is integral to your development as an independent lifelong learner. It is designed
to enable you to take control of your own learning and personal development.
During your time at university you will be building on previously acquired personal
and academic skills, developing new areas of expertise and becoming more
accustomed to coping with different kinds of demands. Whether, after completing
your current programme of study, you intend to enter the world of work or
undertake further training, it will be helpful for you to record your development in a
broad sense. This introduction explains what PDP involves and how the scheme
works within the Department of Modern Languages. After reading this you should
have a clear idea of how to manage the PDP process and be better equipped to
identify your learning needs and development objectives.
A Definition of Personal Development Planning
Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a structured process in which you
a) reflect on your learning experiences and your performance and/or
achievement
b) develop personal, academic and work related skills
c) plan your own learning and career development
It is something that you undertake with the support of the University and, in
particular, your supervisor, who will help you with the structured reviews that form
part of your personal development planning.
Your Progress File
While undertaking PDP you will build up a Progress File. This is a collection of
personal materials that you put together to record objectives, achievements, the
skills you have acquired or are acquiring, the outcome of PDP meetings with your
supervisor and your reflections on the process of learning. By examining your own
practices and being more aware of strengths and weaknesses you are better placed
to target your energies in the most effective way. This is relevant both to your
studies and to your future career goals.
This introduction is available on request in alternative formats from the
Department.
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Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
As well as the material you generate yourself, your Progress File will also include a
transcript, which is an official record from the University of your learning and
achievement. It provides details of the modules you have taken and the results you
obtained.
Benefits of PDP
As the student quoted below shows, PDP can make you aware of the value of a
range of experiences and increase your confidence:
I think that communication skills are essential for any job. Problem solving
skills are also quite relevant to the area that I’m looking to go into. And then
also, I think, the kind of co-operation, I had to work within a team quite
often … and that may hopefully serve me in the future.
(Spanish final-year student reflecting on experience as a language assistant)
In particular, PDP will help you
 record your own progress and achievements outside a formal academic
context as well as in your programme of study
 recognise your own strengths and make effective use of them; work on areas
of weakness and improve performance in modules
 identify learning experiences that take place outside your formal studies (for
instance, skills and experience derived from a part-time job, voluntary work,
student societies) but have the potential to feed into your academic work
 be aware of the ways in which your personal, academic and work-related
skills are relevant in many different contexts (or, in other words, highly
transferable)
Towards the later part of your programme, as you move from university to the
world of work and start to develop a career, it will help you
 be aware of your own development of career-related skills and abilities and
match them to what employers look for when recruiting staff
 acquire a body of information (from your Progress File) to help with
applications and CVs, providing you with evidence for answers to interview
questions about your personal qualities (such as ‘What makes you a good
team player?’)
 maintain a clear perspective on your professional and vocational
development as your career progresses
In other words, by establishing your personal development planning on a sound basis
during your time as an undergraduate, you are giving yourself the best opportunity
to succeed in your programme of study and the world of employment.
Success is more likely when you have a clear idea of what, as a student, you may be
expected to achieve by the end of your degree programme. The next section looks
at outcomes and is intended to help you to consider what you have achieved and
what you are capable of achieving in the future.
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
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Programme Outcomes
The programme of study you are undertaking provides you with opportunities to
develop and demonstrate different kinds of knowledge, understanding, skills and
qualities. One possible classification of these attributes, which you may also come
across in Programme and Module Descriptions, starts with the most abstract skills
and moves towards more specific personal and practical skills: this latter category is
likely to be of particular relevance in much of your PDP work.
A Cognitive skills
Cognitive skills include the ability to analyse and synthesise information, construct
arguments and evaluate your work and that of others. This quality of thought is one
of the most general intended outcomes of a degree programme.
B Knowledge and understanding
After following a programme of study you are expected to have acquired an
understanding of particular disciplines and sub-disciplines and demonstrate certain
subject-specific knowledge. In the case of a modern language degree one part of
this will clearly be your proficiency as a user of the language(s) you study and your
knowledge of the culture of societies where a particular language is used. Some
modules may require you to be familiar with certain concepts and theories together
with the specifics of empirical studies within the particular discipline.
C Practical and transferable skills (including personal skills)
While the cognitive skills mentioned above are highly general and apply across many
domains of use, we can identify a large number of more specific and varied skills
relating to the way a person can
a) process and organise information (for example, be responsible for organising
learning, generate plans, set priorities and make effective use of computer
technology)
b) interact successfully with others (for example, communicate effectively, work
successfully in a team, have good interpersonal skills)
Checklist of Attributes
The following section uses the three headings introduced above and lists various
personal, professional and intellectual qualities. It is not exhaustive, but you may use
it as a stimulus to help your own process of reflection. If you read through the list it
may help you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses and set yourself
objectives as part of the PDP process.
Specific examples are given to clarify what the term is intended to convey and to
illustrate the sort of evidence you might draw from your experience to demonstrate
particular strengths or weaknesses. Most of the attributes listed cannot simply be
evaluated in terms of yes or no but a matter of degree. As you progress through
your programme your experience and skills are likely to increase and this steady
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Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
enrichment will be something you should demonstrate in the contents of your
Progress File.
A Cognitive skills
Consider to what extent you are able to
 Handle general concepts and theories and relate them to more concrete
examples (A good way of demonstrating your understanding of a general
concept is to provide clear, concrete examples.)
 Extract information from different sources (Your work should demonstrate
the breadth of your reading and understanding, and you will need to
document carefully the sources and any differences in the context in which
ideas are presented, taking into account whether it is earlier or more
up-to-date research you are using.)
 Synthesise ideas in order to construct a coherent argument (It should be
clear to the reader or listener that you know what you are talking about.
Your arguments need to be supported by evidence and they need to be
logically structured.)
 Evaluate the coherence of your own work and that of others (Eventually,
you aim to be in a position in which you can judge the soundness and
reliability of the work of others. At University, you will be able to develop
this skill through group work and peer assessment. At the same time, you
need to be able to review your own work: when you receive assessed work
back look at the comments and ask yourself whether you could have come to
a similar judgement if you had looked at your work more closely before
submitting it. Also, make sure that you use this feedback in your next piece
of work.)
 Judge an appropriate level of complexity for work you produce (Just as you
should not produce a simplistic essay that implies that issues are clear-cut
and not controversial, at the same time you should avoid working at a level of
complexity that is beyond what you can cope with. Explaining an argument
to a friend is one way of testing your own grasp.)
 Select what is relevant (The literature on a topic may be enormous, but
there is a limit to what you can deal with in one essay. If you are given an
essay question, read it carefully, and consider which aspects of the literature
will contribute most to answering it.)
 Break down a question in order to identify issues (Academic work will
invariably require precision: you need to ensure the relevance of what you
say and to show why it is relevant to the question asked.)
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
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Sources of evidence
The following sources may help you to decide whether to concentrate on
particular aspects of your personal development and to monitor progress you
have made. Use your experience of particular assignments in order to reflect
the extent to which you possess relevant skills and use such examples to
prepare for PDP meetings and as evidence to support what you write in your
Progress File. Do comments about your work indicate that it is relevant,
directed to the question, well organised with a sustained argument? Have
you selected the right amount of material in your written work or oral
presentations? How well have you managed the group work process? If you
had to give peer feedback, what was your experience of this?
B Knowledge and Understanding
Consider to what extent you
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possess appropriate breadth and depth of knowledge of the subjects you
are studying (When studying a new subject allow yourself time to become
properly familiar with the material; contributing to seminars is one way of
developing your knowledge and understanding; outlines and past papers
(used sensibly) give a general indication of the content of modules and how
they are assessed.)
read around the subject (It may be tempting just to stick to the set reading
list, but you will benefit from extending your reading. In fact, most lecturers
will expect this of you. At the same time, make sure your further reading is
relevant (see above).)
are able to make connections between different topics (Successful students
are often those who not only study the material for a module in isolation, but
are able to see links between different parts of their programme of study and
beyond.)
possess adequate proficiency in various modern language skills: speaking,
listening, writing, reading, vocabulary, grammatical proficiency ( As
language students you will need to monitor your progress and seek out
opportunities to improve particular skills: see Language Advisory Service in
the section Other Sources for PDP below.)
are able to make confident and effective use of subject-specific IT software
(This may be dictionaries, databases or particular types of courseware.)
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Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
Sources of evidence
The following sources may help you to decide whether to concentrate on
particular aspects of your personal development and to monitor progress you
have made: module outlines and reading lists, learning log entries, reflections
on seminars, feedback from essays, experience of using the Open Learning
Centre, work with the Language Advisory Service. You may have been given
an essay question where you felt out of your depth initially, and had to come
to grips with it through extra reading. Feedback on some of your continuous
assessment may have shown that you needed to work on your vocabulary,
and you have consulted the Language Advisory Service to experiment with
new vocabulary learning strategies.
C Practical and Transferable Skills
Consider to what extent you are able to
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research a topic, finding sources of relevant information from libraries and
databases (Are you confident that you are making full use of resources
available to you? Do you know how to search the library catalogue? Are you
aware of Internet resources which may help you in your language learning?)
maintain and present information in accordance with academic standards
and conventions (Keep a note of full publication details of books and articles
you consult and follow guidance you receive about essay presentation writing
in your Departmental Handbook.)
solve problems in practical and creative ways (If a recommended book is not
available in the library, has the author written another one which covers
more or less the same topic? In the case of group work, what do you do if you
can’t find a common time to meet?)
reflect on achievements and learn from feedback (Use feedback as a
starting point for improvement. If feedback on your essay indicated that its
structure was not very good, you might, for example, want to consult the
Study Advice Service.)
set priorities (You have three essays to write in two weeks: where do you
start? Which one has to be handed in first? Which topic do you know most
about?)
set objectives in a realistic way and keep to deadlines (How long did a
particular task take last time? Use a diary or a wall calendar to record the
time when tasks should be complete.)
take responsibility for your own learning and development (At university
you have more freedom in terms of what you study and how you organise
your work. It is worth bearing in mind that most learning in fact takes place
outside the classroom. Nobody is going to tell you to learn your vocabulary,
but if you want to make progress in the language, this is absolutely essential.)
maintain your attendance and balance academic and other commitments
(Do you feel that you have a routine in which you find time for your work
alongside other commitments such as employment or family?)
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
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apply principles of project and time management to your work: analysing
the problem; gathering information; seeking help from appropriate sources;
decision making; making good use of time and resources (Look at Cottrell
2003 Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook Ch. 4
and see if you can approach one of your essay assignments using strategies
suggested in the chapter.)
adapt to different circumstances and different types of task (For some
students studying at university may have many unfamiliar aspects: for many,
essay writing using the expected conventions is something they have to get
used to. Living away from home for the first time may also demand new
skills.)
cope with the unpredictable: responding to the needs of unexpected
changes in circumstances (You may have been faced with a new situation
you were not expecting: it could be simply a computer problem or it could be
something with a longer term effect. Whatever the case, you are likely to do
best if you deal with the situation as calmly as possible and know where to
turn for help, for example the Computer Centre or Nightline.)
display self-reliance (Rather than saying ‘I don’t know how to plan my
presentation’, go ahead and try things out. Talk over your thoughts with a
fellow student. Once you have started to explore a problem, you may find
that you can come to your own conclusion as to what is best.)
motivate yourself (Find ways of sustaining your interest: your level of
commitment to what you are doing is important. For example, you could give
yourself a reward after completing a particular task.)
act with a sense of confidence (Thorough preparation may help you to feel
more confident in expressing your ideas in class.)
display an informed interest on a wide variety of topics (As well as your own
particular interests, reading a newspaper is a good way of broadening your
knowledge.)
work successfully with others (Group work requires you to collaborate. You
could consider ways in which you: display leadership qualities; are sensitive
to the needs of a wider group; take account of the interests of others; help
other individual members of a group; contribute to the success and sense of
wellbeing of groups in which you are part; express your point of view in a
co-operative manner.)
get the most out of learning opportunities (Asking questions and taking a
positive attitude are valuable ways of helping yourself to learn more
effectively. Make use of native speakers, possibly by participating in the
Tandem Learning programme or ‘Drop in’ Sessions for speaking, organised by
the Language Advisory Service.)
see the more general potential of ideas (Even if you cannot immediately see
where an idea leads, it is best to postpone judgement rather than denying its
usefulness from the outset. Consider how some of the concepts dealt with in
your modules could benefit you in everyday life.)
write clearly and succinctly (Most people can improve the quality of their
writing, but if you think you need to concentrate on this particularly, you may
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Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
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wish to consult the Study Advice Service listed in the section Other Sources
for PDP below.)
communicate orally in a variety of contexts (The following are kinds of oral
communication you are likely to engage in: seminar discussion, asking
questions in class, delivering presentations, individual discussions with other
students and teachers.)
Sources of evidence
feedback/reflections on essays, seminars or presentations: student A was
quite apprehensive beforehand, but after positive feedback from her peers
and tutor, particularly on the structure of her presentation, felt a sense of
relief and achievement.
learning log entries: most students will find there are some classes or
activities that made them reflect and achieve a particular insight: perhaps a
seminar that really inspired them; or organising a sporting event for their
sports club. It may also be something that went wrong and from which they
can draw some useful insights.
experience of using the Open Learning Centre, work with the Language
Advisory Service, tandem learning: student B went to a language adviser
because he had problems with his listening skills and as a result made more
effective use of videos and audiotapes in the Open Learning Centre; student C
was advised to engage in a tandem learning partnership to overcome her
reluctance to speak in the foreign language and, in addition to the language
learning benefits, noticed that the experience provided practice in giving
explanations and extra insights into another culture.
experience in a variety of work environments: student D had a part-time job
that involved telesales: as well as a gain in confidence about talking to
unknown members of the public, the work also brought experience in
communicating with work colleagues and managers.
societies, charitable organisations: student E helped in a charity shop and
also volunteered for a box collection outside a supermarket; this not only
involved interaction with members of the public, but also informal discussion,
planning and co-operation with other volunteers about the best strategies to
use in order to be noticed by the public.
Responsibilities for Progress Files and PDP
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
9
The University’s Responsibilities
The University is required to offer an effective Progress File scheme and is
responsible for providing you with your transcript (an institutional/official record of
your learning and achievement, including details of modules taken) at the end of
your degree programme. Further information about Personal Development Planning
and Progress Files can be found on the student portal at https://port.hull.ac.uk, and on
the
Quality
Assurance
Agency’s
website
www.qaa.ac.uk/students/guides/UnderstandProgFiles.asp.
The Department’s Responsibilities
The Department of Modern Languages is responsible for providing support for
PDP-related activities and for making it explicit what that support is and how it is
provided. We will also make you aware of relevant support services provided in the
rest of the University.
You will find there are several ways in which the Department offers support for your
personal development:
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Scheduled PDP meetings
Briefing meetings (for instance, for the year abroad)
Study and learning skills documentation in the Departmental Handbook
Programme and module specifications outlining learning outcomes
Study skills development within programmes/modules
Your Responsibilities
Progress Files concern your academic and personal development and therefore
belong to you. You are responsible for
 maintaining and developing your academic, personal and professional
knowledge and skills
 attending PDP meetings with your supervisor according to the agreed
schedule
 preparing for PDP meetings, completing relevant forms and, if you wish to do
so, providing your supervisor with details of your objectives and progress*
 maintaining a record of PDP activities within your Progress File
* Progress Files belong to you, so you decide what goes into them and which parts of
them you share with your supervisor when participating in PDP Meetings.
Other Sources of Support for PDP
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Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
There are other sources of support for students in the Department of Modern
Languages:
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The Language Advisory Service (Open Learning Advisory Service) provides
specific language learning advice. It can be given face-to-face (Ferens 128),
through Drop-in Sessions (Open Learning Centre) and email appointments
(langadvising@hull.ac.uk) and includes all aspects of language learning,
including how to meet PDP objectives set. Leaflets are available outside the
Open Learning Centre and workshops will run throughout the year. Look for
the latest information on notice boards and on the departmental website:
http://www.hull.ac.uk/languages
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The Study Advice Service offers face-to-face appointments or email advice
(studyadvice@hull.ac.uk) on general study skills, including academic writing
and maths, dealing with stress and examination technique. To reach the
Study Advice Desk, enter Brynmor Jones Library, go through the turnstiles
and turn left. Walk to the end of the building and up to the first floor,
following the signs. Thewebsite, with downloadable leaflets and the latest
information on workshops etc., is at: www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice
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ICT manages a staffed Service Desk on the ground floor of the Brynmor Jones
Library, Hull Campus to provide support for users of University
systems. Amongst many other things, user guides, booklets and support
documentation are available, as well as a range of consumables from the
reception desk. Details of open courses are available on the ICT website at
http://www2.hull.ac.uk/administration/ict.aspx
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Information Skills Trainers provide advice on how to find information. We
are happy to set up on request courses or workshops for students or
academic staff on topics of your choosing and at times to suit you (normally
for groups of five or more). Factsheets and further information are available
at:
http://www.hull.ac.uk/lib/infoskills/index.html For individual advice, contact
the Enquiry Desk in the Brynmor Jones Library.
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The Careers and Appointments Service gives careers advice for all students
at all levels in our newly refurbished offices on the third floor of the Students'
Union Building. Provision includes psychometric testing, advice on
development of CVs and interview technique. More information is available
from http://www.hull.ac.uk/careers/ or contact car@hull.ac.uk
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Students’ Union Societies You can develop team working, leadership and
communication skills by participating in Union activities. For more
information about the wide range of societies and support, see
http://www.hullstudent.com/
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
11
PDP Arrangements and Meeting Schedule
Your basic set of PDP materials consists of this introduction and a set of forms and
guidelines designed to be used to help you prepare for PDP Meetings. Your
supervisor will notify you of arrangements for the first meeting. If an appointment is
made for a meeting, you should make sure that you attend at the agreed time. If
you cannot attend please inform your supervisor by email or leave a telephone
message in the Department (01482 465345).
There will be three meetings during the academic year:
Meeting 1
by Semester 1 Week 4
Meeting 2
Semester 2 (when any Semester 1 provisional marks are known)
Meeting 3
during Semester 2 Week 12
There are five different forms, as indicated below. You can download forms from
the Department of Modern Languages Website
http://www2.hull.ac.uk/fass/modern-languages/current-students/personaldevelop
mentplanning.aspx
or, if you prefer, arrange to pick them up from the Department Office.
List of Forms
Personal Profile
A starting point to help you and your supervisor, containing
details of educational background and interests
Learning
Objectives
An indication of particular goals you have decided to
concentrate on for the current semester
Progress Report
Your reflection on the extent to which objectives have been
achieved
Taking Stock
Your reflection over the past academic year and a general look
forward
An account of a particular event (such as a particular essay, or
seminar, or an experience at work or a particular conversation)
and its relevance for your personal development; you complete
as many of these as you choose and together they will
constitute your own Learning Log
Learning Log Entry
Structure of the three PDP Meetings
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Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
Meeting 1
You complete a Personal Profile form before the meeting, as a starting
point for discussion. After the meeting (within two weeks) you
complete a Learning Objectives form, supplying your supervisor with a
copy.
Meeting 2
You complete a Progress Report form before the meeting and bring it
to the meeting along with any other relevant material such as
Learning Log Entries. After the meeting (within two weeks) you
complete a second Learning Objectives form, supplying your
supervisor with a copy.
Meeting 3
You complete a Taking Stock form before the meeting and bring it to
the meeting along with any other relevant material.
You should decide how best to store your Progress File, but there are advantages in
keeping all the material together. You can keep a track on your progression, use the
material to help reflection and for preparing for PDP meetings, writing applications
or attending interviews in the future. Over time your PDP material, accompanied by
your academic transcript and any other relevant material, will develop into a
comprehensive learning portfolio. Remember that for most graduate employment
opportunities you will be required to demonstrate that you can take continuing
responsibility for your own learning and personal development.
Since the use of Progress Files and PDP became a University-wide policy relatively
recently, it is likely that the procedures and mechanisms will be modified in the light
of experience as to what is found to be most effective. You will be invited to give
feedback to the Department on any aspects of the scheme and your views will be a
valuable part of any review.
We wish you good luck with your personal development planning. We hope that it
will help you to get the most out of your time here in the Department.
Your supervisor is your main contact for matters to do with PDP, but if there is need
for clarification to do with the design of the PDP forms or the content of the
guidelines please seek help from one of the following people:
Judy Jowers j.m.jowers@hull.ac.uk, Michael Lumsden m.lumsden@hull.ac.uk,
Miranda van Rossum m.m.van-rossum@hull.ac.uk
Reference:
Cottrell, Stella. 2003. Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning
Handbook. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
28.07.08