PERSONAL AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

Personal Development Planning

for students on

Postgraducate Masters Programmes

Introduction and welcome

Dear Student,

First of all can I welcome you to UCN and to your Masters level programme of study. These pages are designed to enable you get the most out of your course and enable you to reflect on and aid the learning and development of those higher level skills associated with Masters level education. This format for PDP may or may not be familiar to you, but it is designed to complement other types of personal recording that you may have experienced either at work or through other levels of education. I hope that you will find this material a useful and valuable tool in facilitating the learning that you will be engaging in throughout your course.

At Northampton we have tried to integrate this style of reflective practice directly to learning that you complete within the various modules of study. One section of this PDP asks you to consider how this has been achieved by requiring you to list the various module learning outcomes (for each module studied in your programme) and show how you have attempted to achieve or complete these outcomes. We would also ask you to reflect on how the module at course level encouraged you to reflect on the PDP process. Together we hope that this will help you to link the course to your PDP (and vice versa) and to your learning as a whole.

If you have any particular questions or comments about this, please feel free to contact me. My phone number and e-mail address can be found under the taught programmes section of the web site or on the PGMS web board.

PGMS Home Page

Paul McDermott

Director of PGMS

Generic learning outcomes at Masters level:

• Much of the study undertaken at Masters level will be at, or informed by, the forefront of an academic or professional discipline.

• Students will show originality in the application of knowledge, and they will understand how the boundaries of knowledge are advanced through research.

• They will be able to deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, and they will show originality in tackling and solving problems.

• They will have the qualities needed for employment in circumstances requiring sound judgement, personal responsibility and initiative, in complex and unpredictable professional environments.

Personal development records such as these are designed to help you:

• map the skills and qualities your learning is developing

• identify your strengths, and articulate & present these effectively

• enable you to plan future learning and professional development

• improve both academic performance and effective practice in other contexts.

Such activities and records are now common both for students on all modes of study/levels, and in workplace staff review systems, so keeping track of your personal progress is a habit worth cultivating!

Not all tasks will be appropriate to all students. However, whatever your mode of study or work-related circumstances, reviewing your learning development and setting objectives for progression are valuable activities.

So, if it seems more appropriate you may customize your own record by taking the main headings and keeping your own diary, on disk or memory stick, of your progress and thoughts on this as you go along.

The following symbols indicate where the material links to other activities:

Opportunity to discuss development with tutor, peers, or colleagues

Relate your learning to the demands of your work role or organization

Consider progress with your studies and how far you have met your objectives, and achieved the learning outcomes of your modules

A reminder to signpost to other evidence gathered elsewhere.

For example, if you are on a vocational pathway, you may well be keeping a detailed record or journal elsewhere, in order to fulfill Professional Practice requirements, so you should use this framework simply to summarise your progress and plans at certain points. You should then find this easier to refer to when making future job applications or setting development objectives for the next stage.

Click on the following to work on different sections of your PDP record:

Establishing what you hope to achieve

Setting your learning objectives for the period of study

An opportunity for you to clarify your reasons for starting this study programme, and identify what you hope to achieve.

Benefiting from tutorial support

Recording issues/actions from meetings with your tutor/supervisor

A reminder to summarise the main points from your discussions, and note any revised objectives.

Checking how you are developing Masters level skills

Exercises to encourage you to record examples which evidence the skills you are developing, and to note any gaps or training needs. Describing such examples is very valuable for self-presentation eg in job applications & interviews

- Part A Cognitive & Intellectual skills

- Part B Key Transferable Skills

- Part C Applying skills to work-based practice

Reviewing and reflecting on progress in your academic work

- An opportunity to evaluate how you have achieved the intended learning outcomes of your modules

- A summary for your mid-point review

Outline your progress so far, to provide a focus for discussion with your tutor eg at mid-year/end of semester review meeting.

Practising in-depth reflection

Material prompting you to think more deeply about selected learning experiences by writing reflective accounts. Reflective practice is an important skill which is strongly encouraged in the workplace and by many professions.

Instructions to help with following tasks

Practise writing reflectively:

- on an academic study experience

- on how you are managing the progress of your dissertation/project

Action planning to help you achieve your goals

An outline plan to help you identify specific and achievable ways of addressing any skills or training needs, and to manage the progress of your dissertation or project.

Planning next steps after completing your programme

Some prompts to help you to consider possible progression routes following your Masters degree, together with tips on managing your career and updating your CV. Included are links to resources to help with career planning and job-seeking.

Designing your own personal learning and development diary

An opportunity for you to manage your own reflective records on progress in your studies and plans for future progression, if this seems more appropriate. You can store these on disc as they expand, and use them for future personal development reviews and job/training applications.

In-depth Reflective Commentary on Progress and Skills Development

The purpose of these exercises is to provide the opportunity to gain further insights into your personal and academic development through a deeper reflection on your experiences.

Learning is most effective when time is taken to think through the process and impact of your experiences and to attempt to make sense of your thoughts, feelings and reactions. Such reflection can enable you to identify patterns, resolve uncertainties and make decisions for tackling new situations in the future.

(A number of models have been devised to illustrate cycles of reflection and one of these, developed by Gibbs, is outlined on the following pages.)

First identify and describe a task, event or experience for reflection, and then rather than simply describing the facts, attempt to answer the following:

Feelings What were your reactions and feelings?

Evaluation What was good and bad about the experience? – identify positive and negative aspects

Analysis What sense can you make of the situation and your attitudes to it?
Include here ideas from outside this experience to help you understand what was going on.

Conclusions – general What can you conclude in a general sense from this and other experiences, and the analyses you have undertaken?

Conclusions – specific What can you conclude about your own specific personal situation or style of working and your approach to learning?

Personal Action plans What will you do differently in this type of situation next time? What action are you going to take on the basis of learning from this experience?

It would be useful to include in these reflective comments your perception of progress in particular skills, and link them to the development of qualities particularly valued by employers of graduates and postgraduates, for example:

Ø      How has this experience developed your ability to adapt to new challenges and respond to changing circumstances and opportunities? (flexibility/responsiveness to change)

Ø      How has this experience developed your ability to manage time-scales and resources, and encouraged a sense of responsibility for achieving expectations? (organising & managing)

Ø      How has this experience enabled you to use initiative to influence situations, to actively involve others, and to tackle and overcome problems? (leadership & influence)

Gibbs Reflective Cycle

GIBBS MODEL OF REFLECTION

1. Context

What has happened? Briefly describe the event as objectively, accurately and concisely as you can.

Who was involved? Where did it happen? Do you intend to focus on the structure, process or outcomes of care?

2. Thoughts

What were your thoughts?

a) at the time

b) afterwards

3. Feelings

What were your feelings or emotions, both positive and negative?

a) at the time

b) afterwards

4. Evaluation

How well did things go? Were things satisfactorily resolved?

5. Analyse

What were the factors that affected the outcome? What helped and what hindered? Can you explain the event? Why did it happen? How did it happen?

6. Reframe

What might have been some alternative actions or approaches? What might you have done differently (even when things went well)? Could negative events be avoided? Could positive events be made more effective?

7. Future action

What will you do if you encounter this kind of situation again? What will you do in the future to increase the likelihood of similar positive outcomes and minimise the likelihood of similar negative outcomes? What do you need to learn? How might you learn this?

Gibbs, G. (1988) Learning by Doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Emu, Oxford.

Guidelines on practising in-depth reflective writing

Select two or more learning experiences, either from your studies or if possible one from a work-related or practice-based situation, and write a reflective account on each. The final page should be used to write reflectively about the progress of your dissertation/project.

Reflective writing requires practice and constant standing back from oneself – at Masters level you should be aiming for the following:

·        Practise writing on the same event/incident through different people’s viewpoints and disciplines. Consider to what extent other people involved might still be reacting to it.

·        Develop deepening reflection through self-questioning, and discuss issues arising with others, perhaps with your tutor, colleague, or fellow-student.

·        Try to develop your reflective writing to include the ethical, moral, historical and socio-political context

·        Acknowledge the impact of prior experience on behaviour, and that perceptions of an event can change according to emotions at the time, acquisition of new information/ideas, and the effect of time passing

·        Prioritise and reflect on the learning points from an incident, what is the theoretical stance and how you would do something differently another time.

·        Make sound judgments about your performance with reference to external standards or criteria.

Remember that reflective practice is an important skill which is strongly encouraged in the workplace and by many professions. As you become used to reflecting on your work retrospectively, it will become easier to reflect in and for practice ie communicate and work in a more thoughtful and purposeful way.

(With acknowledgements to Pete Watton, Jane Collings, Jenny Moon, ‘Reflective Writing’ University of Exeter, 2001, including refs. to Gibbs 1988 and Kolb 1984)

Look again at the link to Keeping a Learning Journal http://www.tech.port.ac.uk/staffweb/kingt/reflect.html

NB. You may instead signpost here to other existing evidence such as a reflective journal or account based on professional practice.

Career Management

Career Progression Action Plan

Self-presentation

Tips on updating CV/Resume

Ø     identify and describe specific skills developed through study programme

Ø     relate these to any work/practice based contexts where possible, giving brief examples of evidence

Ø     refine personal profile to include new potential and interest

Career Progression

Tips on identifying progression opportunities for full-time Masters students:

Ø     If you hope to access graduate employment following completion of your programme start jobsearch activities NOW!

Ø     Graduate schemes with large companies often have early (Autumn) application deadlines.

Ø     Make the most of the resources and support of your careers service, including workshops on applications, CVs, interviews and selection.

Ø     Your jobsearch strategy should include networking and nurturing contacts, not just waiting for advertised vacancies.

Career management - resources available

Web and paper-based links to useful resources for postgraduate career planning and management, including support services etc.

Advice and support on career planning

http://www.northampton.ac.uk/stu/CMS/index.htm CareerPlan

www.northampton.ac.uk/stu/ecgs/ecgs.html

www.prospects.ac.uk key graduate careers resource, with occupational database, including links to professional bodies, further study, graduate employment trends

www.prospects.ac.uk/links/WDPD - survey of What do Postgraduates Do?

www.npc.org.uk National Postgraduate Committee – information on study and links.

www.wetfeet.com

www.workingintheuk.gov.uk work permits and special schemes for international graduates.

Other university careers sites with useful information for postgraduates:

http://students.shu.ac.uk/services/careers/infopostgraduate.html

www.careers.ed.ac.uk/STUDENTS/Specific_Information/postgrads.htm

www.careers.cam.ac.uk/students/postgrad/postgrad.asp

www.city.ac.uk/careers/postgradhelp.htm

www.hull.ac.uk/careers/Students/Welcome/postgrad.htm - tips for postgraduates

Job-seeking sites:

www.graduatecareersonline.com/postgraduates/default-flash.asp Postgraduate friendly employers list freely accessible

www.niss.ac.uk/cr/careers/recruit.html links to agencies, classified jobs pages of national & regional newspapers & journals, and details of graduate recruitment events