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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.
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 Im 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)
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
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.
Programme Outcomes
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students 3
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.
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
enrichment will be something you should demonstrate in the contents of your
Progress File.
4 Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
A Cognitive skills
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
Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students 5
Sources of evidence
6 Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
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.
You will find there are several ways in which the Department offers support for your
personal development:
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.
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
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
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/
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/personaldevelopmentplanning.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
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
Learning Log Entry 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
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.
12 Personal Development Planning and Progress Files: Introduction for Students
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.
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