Implementing PDP at University College Worcester

1
Implementing PDP at University College Worcester

• Using 3 Scheme-wide Paper-based Systems
• Dr. John Peters

2
Institutional Context

• A small/medium sized Institution with DAP and
  6,000 students
• UCW is the only HEI in the sub-Region
• Strong Widening Participation tradition
• Good Student Retention
• Commitment to develop and support its research
  and scholarly base

3
Four Main Degree and sub Degree Pathways

• HNDs - 500 Students
• Common Skills Portfolio
• Nursing and Midwifery -900 Students
• Professional Portfolio
• BA with QTS and PGCE - 650 Students
• Professional Development profile
• BA/BSc Undergraduate Modular Scheme
• 2,200 Students Student Qualities Profile

4
UCW Learning and Teaching Strategy

• regular pastoral support for all students which
  will include a coherent and structured personal
  tutor programme which supports the development
  and presentation of a progress file.
• programmes of study which embrace
  key/transferable skills, familiarise students
  with the world of work and provide evidence for
  their progress file.

5
Building on Present Practice

• PDP systems were already in place for
• HND
• Nursing and Midwifery
• Education
• History 2000 FDTL Project the basis for
  development within the UMS
• Use of old but flexible technology!

6
Developing the Student Qualities Profile

• 1997-99 Staff Development to agree
• language for skills and graduate attributes
• Design of documentation to support PDP
• 1999/2000 Revalidation and Pilot
• Qualities made explicit in documentation
• 300 students in 7 subject areas on Pilot
• 2000/01 Launch across UMS Year One
• Personal tutor system re-aligned

7
SQP Monitoring Evaluation

• History 2000 FDTL Project in
• Booth, A Hyland, P. (2000) The practice of
  University History Teaching MUP
• Pilot Evaluation
• Report to TL Cmte on basis of student feedback
• Departmental staff development
• First Year Evaluation
• Report to TL Cmte on basis of student feedback
• Generic plus targeted subject staff development

8
Nursing and Midwifery Professional Portfolio

• Written and classroom guidance provided
• Joint review with personal tutor
• Basis for formative written assessment
• Has integrated use of the SQP for skills and
  graduateness elements
• Emphasis on reflective practice
• Emphasis on placement based learning

9
Education Professional Development Profile

• Principal document for monitoring and assessing
  school experience
• Advice available from teachers, mentor or tutor
  at least twice weekly
• Based on Standards for the Award of QTS
• Explicit roles for students, mentors and tutors
  in relation to the PDP

10
The Student Qualities Profile

• Embedded in normal practice of modules and
  personal tutorials
• Emphasis on educational benefits of engaging in
  PDP
• Purely formative and student owned
• Qualities mapped against Degree classifications
  to support self assessment

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Benefits and Outcomes

• Improves the student learning experience
• Encourages holistic thinking about learning
• A focus for support awareness of skills,
  qualities, reflection and discussion
• Means of monitoring student progress
• Provides evidence of personal tutorials and for
  academic references

12
Education and Nursing PDP

• Education Profile is the major framework for
  school-based learning, raising awareness of
  required standards, encouraging self-assessment
  and discussion with tutors
• Professional Portfolio prepares students for
  requirements of professional registration,
  providing practice at collecting and presenting
  evidence and a basis for placement learning

13
SQP Evaluation I

• c.30 use by students
• SQPs use of self-assessment, target setting and
  mini learning contracts raise awareness of
  student responsibility
• Awareness raising about skills and qualities for
  staff and students
• Framework for personal tutorials

14
SQP Evaluation II

• Allows subject areas to emphasis skills and
  Qualities gained through the subject
• Contribution to the Learning and Teaching
  Strategy and use of TQEF
• Highly regarded at subject review
• Feeds into student job applications

15
Areas for Development I

• Student Motivation
• Assessment focus or learning focus
• Time pressures
• Resistance to explicit reflective learning
• Staff Motivation
• Important driver of student engagement
• Importance of staff development for culture change

16
Areas for Development II

• Process and Product
• Documentation sometimes obscures or obstructs the
  all important process
• Clash of styles and skills descriptors in UCW PDP
  documentation
• Quality Assurance
• Currently through normal channels
• Need for overarching institutional PDP quality
  guidelines