Postgraduate Taught Personal Development Plans PDP Project

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Postgraduate Taught Personal Development Plans
(PDP) Project

• Faculty of Humanities
• Lisa McAleese

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• April 2005 Faculty guidance notes issued to
  Schools
• - background on why PDPs required for PGT
  programmes
• - the purpose of a PDP
• - what to do to introduce PDPs for PGT programmes
• - information for students
• - examples of reflective questions
• - sample handbook information
• PDPs were independently developed by each School
  within the Faculty

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• June 2005 University published Personal
  Development Planning Policy
• formed the basis of the Institutional minimum
  requirements in relation to PDP implementation
  for PGT programmes
• http//www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/staffnet/pol
  icies/
• Faculty guidelines conformed to University policy

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• Project to look at examples of PDP from across
  the Faculty
• March 2006 Initial meeting held to outline the
  purpose and expectations of the project to
  identify
• - examples of good practice
• - what aspects might be redundant
• - the students own experience of using PDP
• - suggestions for improvement

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• Students given
• - Faculty guidelines for the development of PDPs
• - examples of PDP from across the Faculty
• - information on PDPs from other faculties and
  other institutions

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• qualitative research in the form of interviews to
  ascertain the process and content of PDPs within
  their individual Schools
• interviews provided insights into student and
  staff attitudes towards PDPs
• opportunity for interviewees to provide
  information on the strengths of PDPs

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• two distinct categories emerged
• - the process by which PDPs are delivered
• content of PDPs
• June 2006 Student PGT PDP Project Report compiled
  submitted
• report is entirely student written and does not
  incorporate the evidence and experience of staff
  involved in PDP activity

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• the student project group concluded that
• a well-structured PDP can be of great value to
  students, as it
• - provides a way of identifying missing skills
• - acts as a locus for advice
• - provides a means to structure and manage their
  studies at the university

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• initial impressions of PDP are very important
• - relevant
• - beneficial to students
• - staff need to be enthusiastic about PDP and
  clear about their role
• Is induction week the best time for introduction
  to PDP
• - not during induction week
• - pre arrival
• - 2nd or 3rd week of term

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• introduction to PDPs should
• - be streamlined and made consistent within the
  School
• - stress the positive aspects and emphasise the
  potential for personal development
• - inform students that it can be an invaluable
  tool in presenting skills and demonstrated
  experience when applying or responding to
  employment opportunities
• online questionnaires and skills audits should be
  re-designed
• combination of reflective and audit questions
  should be developed
• course assessment due dates and exam schedules
  should be checked in advance to ensure there are
  no conflicts with PDP requirements

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• information about PDP should be
• - available as a booklet and online to cater for
  peoples personal preferences
• - consistent and more accessible
• PDPs should be
• - short in length
• - comprehensible
• - easy to follow up
• - questions that are relevant to students needs
• - in a language and format designed to take
  non-native speakers into consideration

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• Recommendations
• University should provide students with PDP
  assessment tools upon acceptance onto their PGT
  programme
• be designed in conjunction with Programme
  Directors, so that each PDP is tailored for the
  skills and experiences of each programme
• all staff, involved with PDP, should acknowledge
  the value of PDPs and subsequently put
  appropriate resources and time towards assisting
  students to utilize this development tool
• point of contact and support for PDPs within
  Schools should be clearly established amongst
  staff and then made apparent to students

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• January 2007 memo on Faculty of Humanities PGT
  PDP project disseminated
• recommendations do not represent Faculty policy
  but there are points that may be relevant as
  schools develop their use of PDPs with
  postgraduate students
• full student report available from
• jan.morris_at_manchester.ac.uk