Understanding Personal Development Planning (PDP) in Higher Education

1. Progress Files for Retention National context of Personal Development Planning (PDP) and HE Progress File Helen Richardson University of Manchester November 14th 2003

2. 2 Background to PDP NCIHE (1997): Dearing Review: Recommendation 20 directed HEIs to develop the means by which students can monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development this recommendation built on Recording Achievement practices and documentation that had been growing in HE over many years it led to the concept of PDP, now defined as: a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect on their own learning, performance and/or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development.

3. 3 Key concepts in PDP Structured and supported process Learning Reflection

4. 4 Key concepts in PDP Structured and supported process Personal tutorial: tutor-student dialogue, reviewing progress, guidance, planning Academic tutorial: encourage peer discussion/information sharing PDP module - e.g. York Award Career Management module

5. 5 Key concepts in PDP Learning plan implement review record academic discipline : knowledge, contexts, understanding, abstraction of meaning skills : transferable,discipline specific self : attitudes, values, personal development

6. 6 Key concepts in PDP Learning Support process? induction workshop : learning styles, and how students can use their understanding of learning styles to improve performance; Give recognition and value to processes that promote active, deep learning EBL (enquiry based learning) Give guidance/ feedback/ use formative assessment Raise awareness of/encourage reflection on learning

7. 7 Key concepts in PDP Reflection Process: learner self-review What have I learned from doing this? What went well/not so well? How am I doing? What are my targets now? What are the next steps I need to progress? How do I reach those targets? How will I know I have achieved those targets? Structured support for reflection? e.g. dialogue about learning & progress with tutor and/or peers

8. 8 Key concepts in PDP Structured and supported process e.g. for improving skills Pre-entry self-audit of skills Make skills explicit within and outside curriculum: what? where? how? when? Repeated opportunities to practise curricular skills, e.g. through presentations, research project and dissertation work Give feedback to encourage improvement and self-review of skills performance

9. 9 Aims of PDP Improve capacity of individuals to understand what and how they are learning help students to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning

10. 10 PDP objectives Help students to: become more effective, independent and self- directed learners understand how they are learning and relate learning to a wider context improve skills for study and career management articulate skills and learning to third parties encourage positive attitude to learning throughout life

11. 11 How does PDP relate to HE Progress File? Progress File combines 3 elements Transcript PDP process PD Records Institutional records of a students learning and achievement (Information owned by HEI) Personal development planning An individuals own records of his/her learning, achievements, plans and goals (Information owned by student)

12. 12 Timetable for HE Progress File? Transcript that includes a consistent data set by 2002/3 PDP element of the policy operational across whole HE sector and for all HE awards by 2005/6

13. 13 Who benefits from PDP ? How? Students improved: performance, self-esteem, employability Tutors more competent, confident students workload may even reduce (fewer resits?) Department/Institution improved student retention

14. 14 Implementing PDP (1) What doesnt work well in PDP for students? lack of feedback about a students performance providing a PDP booklet or e-PDP with forms to complete and telling student to do it institutional one size fits all approach What works well in PDP for students? dialogue - students with a tutor, students with students drip-feeding (timeliness of support materials/ guidance/skills practice) making curricular skills explicit

15. 15 Implementing PDP (2) What doesnt work in PDP for academic staff? institutional one size fits all approach What works well in PDP for academic staff? ownership: suggest ways to implement, then staff adapt to suit discipline context dialogue: tutors with tutors, CPD team with management/ CPD team with tutors drip-feeding (support materials/guidance)

16. 16 Fit for purpose e-PDP? systems which reflect processes they seek to support Differentiation conflict? - some elements most effectively managed electronically, others by human intervention Institutional Embedding conflict? - commonality vs diversity IT systems emphasise commonality, PDP works best with local context, ownership Contextualised Technology conflict? - who has access to which record systems? Interoperability conflict? How to ensure records are transferable between systems

17. 17 Quality assurance issues Monitor use Evaluate fitness for purpose student feedback, e.g. focus groups staff feedback

18. 18 Questions for consideration What are the principles underlying your PDP practice? How will you implement PDP/Progress File? How will you engage staff in the process? How will you engage students in the process? How will you evaluate the systems efficacy?