The Rational for PDP

The Rational for PDP

As the sector agreement puts it:

‘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.’

PDP provides a way of talking about and relating various learning processes in a way that can provide structure for students as they learn how to learn effectively.  University of Worcester students have been asked to comment on engagement in PDP and here are some of the things they say.  It’s obvious they see the value of PDP across a number of areas:

1. For Employability and skills;

‘PDP is so that each person can have a greater understanding of the skills they have achieved and improved on and possibly to demonstrate to an employer your skills.’
 ‘I think it will make me a lot more focused.  I will work through my weakness and be a lot more employable.  PDP is useful it has helped me work through skills I have needed to improve.’

2. Professional Development;

‘PDP is essential to me and my course.  The main outcomes can be personal progression not only as a person but as a professional’
‘You are always learning as a [professional] and need to realise that reflecting on your practice is essential to learning.’

3. Reflection and learning; and

‘Main outcomes are the chance to reflect on your learning and to move on from this.  A positive contribution to self-analysis.’
‘Encourages people to identify strengths and weaknesses and to overcome them by such acknowledgement and find ways to change them.’
‘To encourage the process of life long learning and reflection.’

4. Improved self-awareness

‘Useful for someone who hasn’t got much confidence in their own ability and they need someone else to help them recognise their achievements.’
 ‘PDP allows a person to be self-reflective and analytical.  It provides a person with the opportunity to map out where they want to go next and where they are coming from.  It highlights areas for development which then allows target setting to be put in place.’

A systematic literature review undertaken by the EPPI Centre for the LTSN concluded that ‘PDP has a positive effect on students’ learning attainment and learning styles.’ Research across a range of UK HEIs, led by the University of Worcester, found a positive relationship between student engagement in PDP and achievement.  The flexibility of PDP as a pedagogic approach means it is also emerging as a way of addressing issues as diverse as:

  • inducting students into HE,
  • supporting the first year student experience,
  • encouraging the development of study skills and appropriate approaches to HE learning,
  • scaffolding learning from, and in, the workplace,
  • improving retention rates,
  • formative and process-based assessment,
  • promoting employability and career management skills,
  • developing and capturing the skills of research students, and
  • structuring CPD for HE staff.

References 

Gough, D et al (2003) A systematic map and synthesis review of PDP for improving student learning London: EPPI-Centre, SSRU at: http://eppi.ioe.ac.uk/EPPIWeb/home.aspx?page=reel/review_groups/EPPI/LTSN/LTSN_intro.htm
Peters, J. (2006) ‘Researching student attitudes to PDP, PDP-UK Newsletter 7 at: http://www.recordingachievement.org
QAA, UUK, SCoP & CoSHEP, (2001) Guidelines for HE Progress File http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/progfileHE/guidelines/progfile2001.htm

QAA (2009) PDP: Guidance for institutional policy and practice in HE http://qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/progressFiles/guidelines/PDP/default.asp