Demanding Questions and Difficult Answers

1
Demanding Questions and Difficult Answers

• Alan Maddocks
• Carol Newbold
• Loughborough University

2
Discussion
What is happening with PDP in your
institution? What are the key issues that have
already, or are likely to be, identified?
3
Workshop aims

• Summary of the Loughborough PDP experience
• Comparison with other institutions
• Analyse key issues

4
Loughborough University

• RAPID/RAPID 2000
• Skills for Success
• Royal Society of Chemistry Undergraduate Skills
  Record

5
The RAPID Progress File

• RAPID Recording Academic, Professional
  Individual Development
• RAPID A Web-based Personal Development Planning
  Tool
• RAPID Versions across a range of Engineering /
  Construction disciplines

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The RAPID Progress File

• PACE student records personal details,
  achievements, qualifications, career / employment
  experiences etc.
• SPEED student audits competence across a range
  of skills, and engages in a process of skill
  development involving action planning,
  reflection, and capturing / documenting evidence

7
RAPID 2000 Implementation

• 10 HE Institutions
• 2000 students
• Different Contexts
• Support personal tutorial systems
• Assess / accredit work-based learning
• Enhance academic practice through integration
  into existing programmes

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RAPID 2000 Evaluation

• Formal Reports from participating HEIs
• Student Feedback
• Questionnaire Surveys
• Student Focus Groups
• Staff Interviews
• Workshops / Seminars

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RAPID Key Issues

• Student motivation
• Staff involvement / engagement
• Integration / Additional activity
• Assessment / Non-Assessment
• Ownership issues
• IT infrastructure / support

10
Skills for Success

• Recording facility based on RAPID
• Focus on key skills
• Three-step process
• Self-audit, action plan, record
• Print and non-interactive web versions

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Business School

• Integrated into first year curriculum
• Personal effectiveness module
• Lectures, handouts
• Built into assessment
• Individual reflection
• Skills-based CV and Action Plan

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Student feedback

• Previous experience with Records of Achievement
  tends to be negative
• Self-analytical processes valued but seek
  endorsement of academic staff

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Staff feedback

• Target setting often unrealistic/unfocussed
• Students strongly overrate their skills,
  particularly writing and managing self-learning
• Action plans not appropriate for soft skills

14
Chemistry

• Paper-based record for whole programme
• Induction session for students tries to integrate
  with previous experiences
• Tutorial support
• Staff commitment uncertain at this stage

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Conclusions

• The process is more important than the
  vehicle/tool
• Integration into the academic curriculum is
  desirable
• Build upon previous experiences through examples
• Assessment encourages student engagement
• Staff support/enthusiasm is critical

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Final Reflection
In the light of todays discussion, are you able
to identify any practical solutions/examples of
good practice to tackle any of the key issues
relevant to you in your institution?