PDP - University of Dundee Policy

The creation of Personal Development Plans (PDPs) is part of the HE Progress File being introduced across all levels of higher education, resulting from the report of The National Committee of Inquiry in Higher Education (Dearing 1997; and, for Scotland, Garrick, 1997).

It is proposed by the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) that all institutions should have a policy for PDPs in place by academic session 2005/06 (QAA, 2004a). Accordingly, the Academic Secretary, Dr Ian Francis, convened a meeting of interested parties on the 26th April 2004 to discuss the development of a University policy on PDPs for students. As a result of the meeting, a Working Party on PDP Policy was established, with the following remit:

'to draft an initial report providing options on a University policy on students' (including research students) use of PDPs and the procedures required to deliver the policy, based on the use of Blackboard's "e-portfolio" system.'

It was identified that a key task towards achieving this goal was to:

'survey [the University's] vocational degree programmes to identify where the provision of PDPs is either mandatory or desirable' .

There are many publications and websites providing definitions and suggestions for implementing PDPs1. The Working Group confined itself in the main to considering documentation produced by national bodies such as the Dearing Committee, the QAA, the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN).

According to Dearing (1997), students' progress files should consist of:

• the student's academic transcript – a record of learning and achievement, which should follow a common format; and
• the personal development plan or portfolio - a means by which the student can 'monitor, build and reflect upon their personal development'.

The LTSN (2004) accordingly defines personal development planning as:

'a structured and supported process undertaken by an individual to reflect upon their own learning, performance and / or achievement and to plan for their personal, educational and career development.'

The QAA (2004b) published a set of guidelines for HE progress files, from which the following main principles of operation have been extracted:

• A structured and integrated process is required to provide a framework and timetable for creating a progress file. As far as possible, this should be integrated with the curriculum and the student should take ownership of both the process and its outcomes.
• A recording mechanism is required to allow students to create and develop the progress file.
• Guidance materials and support mechanisms are required to enable and encourage students to develop their PDPs.
• Academic transcripts should be provided as part of the progress file.
• A monitoring system should be available to ensure that the PDP scheme is being implemented effectively and that the scheme is reviewed periodically.

Additionally, the Working Party believes that students should gain a tangible end product from personal development planning, specifically a well-developed curriculum vitae, underpinned by an understanding of transferable skills, career planning, employability issues and lifelong learning. In some cases, this can be part of, or supplemented by, an e-portfolio that can be viewed by potential employers. Construction of these components of a PDP should act to focus students' minds on employability issues and the importance of qualifications, personal qualities and work experience in that context.

The QAA is clear that PDPs work best when embedded into the course syllabus and when adopted from the start of a student's programme of study (QAA, 2004b). The literature also suggests that PDPs are most successful when treated as formative rather than summative, thereby raising students' motivation, self-awareness, and understanding of 'employability'2 and career options during and after study.

External audit

The University offers a wide range of degrees, and many of its vocational qualifications are accredited by professional bodies. Such accredited degrees often include a requirement to carry out PDP-like activities. In certain cases, the structure and process may be defined by an accrediting or validating professional body (see Appendix 2), while in others, the department may use subject benchmarking or another reference point. The accrediting body will normally include audit of the PDP scheme within its degree validation process. Moreover, regarding audit of institutional PDP schemes, the QAA states that it will:

'support the introduction of policy and, when practice is established, be responsible for providing public assurance that institutional policies are being implemented effectively'.

At present it is unclear what form of audit of PDP schemes the QAA will introduce. The Working Party feels the University's PDP policy should include provision for an internal audit of PDP implementation, uptake and effectiveness and thereby ensure it is robust to external scrutiny. The University's PDP scheme may also be reviewed as part of the QAA's employability agenda and as a component of Enhancement Led Institutional Review (ELIR) and internal subject reviews. In addition, for the continuous improvement of learning and teaching, the SHEFC Condition of Grant3 requires the embedding of transferable skills in order to enhance employability. The PDP scheme would enable this process to be much more transparent.

Need for flexibility

The University's PDP policy must accommodate and support the needs of students studying vocational subjects, whilst simultaneously providing support for the general student body studying non-vocational, non-accredited degrees.

Any PDP scheme runs the risk of being perceived as burdensome bureaucracy if it is not properly embedded within the learning and teaching structure. Ideally, paperwork should be minimized. These factors, combined with the University of Dundee's ethos for devolved management of academic affairs, point towards a flexible scheme that involves a 'light touch' in terms of administration and student and staff input, but which provides options for:

(a) faculties and departments to adopt the highly structured approaches demanded by some professional bodies;

(b) individual students to engage with as they see fit, after appropriate induction; and

(c) departments to embed career planning and PDP activities within degree programmes (e.g. an accredited module) or via workshops, seminars and/or on-line support.

The Blackboard e-portfolio system

An important factor in developing policy and practice at Dundee is the recent introduction of the Blackboard Content Systemâ„¢, supported centrally by the Learning Enhancement Unit and IT services. This web-based extension to the University's Blackboard virtual learning environment offers an on-line e-portfolio system that is potentially configurable not only to the generic needs of the student community, but also to the needs of those studying for accredited degrees. It can be patched to the Registry's SITS-SMS system to provide automatic data transfer, e.g. to assign each student to the appropriate e-portfolio model and to provide a feed for transcript-related information within each PDP. Furthermore, being web-based, links to appropriate support materials can easily be created. The software complies with relevant accessibility criteria. Some departments may wish to use different products, perhaps because of validation requirements, but under current funding arrangements, this could not be supported centrally.

Employability and input from the Careers Service

PDPs represent a potentially valuable tool for the University to improve employability, retention and student attainment. It should be noted that 'employability' is a key theme of the QAA's Enhancement-led Institutional Review (ELIR) programme for 2004-05. Our PDP policy should be career-focussed to enable the University to meet, if not exceed, its quality-assessed objectives in this area. Any PDP scheme should also substantially meet the University's QAA obligations under CEIG (Careers Education Information and Guidance).

The University Careers Service is able to participate in curriculum-based career-planning events, including workshops, seminars and accredited modules. For students in non-vocational areas, the PDP/careers education element is very successfully delivered at some other Universities through a credit-bearing module in Career Planning. For example, a 22 SCOTCAT point Level 2 stand-alone module has successfully been on offer at the University of Stirling since 1997, and students who have completed it were 32% more likely to gain a 'graduate track' job after their degree.

For students studying vocational degrees, the Careers Service is also willing to support students on a 'vertical' basis, i.e. tailored input at every level of study. Such programmes and sessions are already in place in Accountancy, Law, Engineering, Applied Computing, Geography, Town Planning, Social Work and Biochemistry, amongst others. Students within vocational areas are often already engaged in ongoing professional training which often directly replicates the career-planning aspect of PDP. Vocational departments also tend to have a greater ownership of their students from years one or two, therefore facilitating the implementation of a vertical system.

Internships and credit-bearing work placements are also effectively used at other universities as a means of developing student 'employability' through the use of an integral learning log and report. If resourced, this mechanism could be developed at Dundee. Such a scheme would build on a number of joint DUSA/Careers Service placement initiatives using the volunteer centre, teacher experience via the wider access centre and class rep central projects, and a range of placement opportunities negotiated within the local area. This would develop closer links with the community whilst also developing student employability skills.

Taking the above factors into account, the Working Group proposes the following University policy:

1. All undergraduate students at the University of Dundee will be provided with the opportunity to take part in personal development planning (PDP). Each student will be responsible for their own engagement with the process, including planning, recording and reflecting on their academic, career and personal development. 
2. Faculties, in consultation with their departments, schools, students and employers' representatives, will have responsibility for deciding whether to operate a formal PDP scheme within their teaching programmes, and how this will be deployed within the curriculum. Where deemed appropriate, this will include embedding relevant PDP activities within degree programmes; aligning these with learning objectives and assessment; and informing students about the PDP scheme and how it fits into their programme of study. Where a formal PDP scheme does not exist for their degree programme, individual students will be able to take part in the University's generic scheme. 
3. Where degree accreditation by external professional bodies takes place, and where this is contingent on there being a defined personal and career development planning scheme or similar, then such 'accredited PDP' schemes will take precedence over the University's 'generic' scheme, and will operate according to the accrediting body's policy and regulations. Where degrees are recognised by professional bodies, then departments may choose to align the PDP scheme with the bodies' schemes for continuing professional development. 
4. Support for personal and career development planning will be provided centrally through the offices of the Careers Service, the Learning Enhancement Unit, IT Services, the Registry and others. These bodies will be collectively responsible for designing and implementing PDP materials (including an online 'generic ePDP' facility); for modifying these according to programme needs; and for the operation of supporting software. 
5. The generic ePDP scheme will be web-based, presented via the University's e-learning systems (My Dundee). This will be configured to allow students studying a non-vocational subject to construct their own personal development plan online, supported by a range of web-based guidance materials. Transcripts of module assessment results and other relevant information from the SITS-SMS database will be included, using the standard international format (e.g. for the EU Diploma Supplement). The generic scheme will be modified to suit the needs of faculties or programmes in such a way that students will 'see' whatever ePDP design has been deemed appropriate, the default being the generic template. 
6. For students studying vocational subjects with accredited PDPs, web-based support will also be provided, configured as appropriate to fit with each degree programme's specific needs. In such cases, alternative software- or paperwork-based schemes will be allowed, but faculties, departments or schools will be expected to support such schemes themselves. 
7. The Careers Service will offer a Careers Education Programme to facilitate the integration of PDP and career planning activities within the curriculum. This will include induction events, workshops, seminars and a credit-bearing module in Career Planning. 
8. The Careers Service will develop an Internship Scheme for undergraduate students. Internships and credit-bearing work placements will contribute to PDPs through the use of an integral learning log and report. 
9. Monitoring and quality assurance of faculties' deployment of PDP schemes will be the responsibility of each faculty's Academic Standards Committee, overseen by the University Academic Standards Committee which reports to the Learning and Teaching Committee and Vice-Principal (Educational Development). The deployment of the PDP scheme for each degree will form a part of the Programme Review process.

The Working Party's recommendations for implementing the PDP policy and achieving these outcomes are detailed in Table 1.

The main outcomes of the PDP policy outlined in Section D will be:

1. A generic online ePDP account for all undergraduate students – this will be available to all undergraduates other than those dealt with under (2) below. It will operate via the Blackboard e-learning system and will be centrally administered by the Learning Enhancement Unit (LEU) and Careers Service, building upon the significant learning resources already developed by these units, such as Advance@Dundee and the Careers Education Programme. Appendix 3 provides an indication of the form this might take. It will contain a 'core' of support materials including transcripts; support for action planning; a framework for reflecting on their learning, transferable skills and personal qualities; and advice on creating a skill-based cv. Interactive components will guide students through the process of creating and reflecting on their PDP at different stages in their studies and the support material will also be differentiated for the different levels of study. There will be a focus on employability issues. Faculties and departments will be delegated the responsibility for embedding PDP-related activities into the curriculum, supported by appropriate staff development events. The ePDP facility could also be made available to postgraduates, depending on demand. 
   
   PIs: numbers of undergraduate students using the scheme; number of departments embedding PDPs into their teaching and nature of this embedding; surveys of student and staff opinions on the scheme and responses to these comments.
2. Degree-tailored PDP schemes for students studying vocational degrees with defined PDP structures – these will accommodate cohorts of undergraduate students studying degrees in which the relevant degree-accrediting body specifies the nature of personal development planning (or similar) that they are expected to carry out in relation to professional skills. The LEU and Careers Service will assist departments or faculties to develop such online schemes, so long as they are presented via the Blackboard e-learning system. If appropriate alternative means of organisation are chosen by faculties, then they will be expected to support their implementation. 
   
   PIs: number of departments creating tailored PDPs as a result of accreditation; satisfactory re-accreditation of degrees in relation to the PDP component; numbers of students using such PDPs; surveys of student and staff opinions on the scheme and responses to these comments.
3. Curriculum-based career planning support - this programme will supplement the above ePDP schemes and will operate through several routes:
   1. A Career-Planning module will be introduced in January 2005. This will be primarily for students studying for non-vocational degrees in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences as a Level 2 module (20 SCOTCAT points). A draft syllabus for this module is provided as Appendix 4.
   2. The Careers Service will also deliver workshops and other events connected to faculties' embedded career planning and implementation of PDPs (primarily, but not exclusively, for students studying for vocational degree).
   3. A scheme for summer internships will also be developed. 
      PIs: Number of students completing career-planning module; proportions of students taking career planning module who then obtain graduate-track first destination positions; feedback from students on programme events and response to this; numbers of internships and feedback from students taking part.

For the next two academic sessions, possible milestones in the process of introducing the PDP schemes might include:

• Establishment of a PDP Implementation Group to oversee the introduction of the scheme on behalf of the Learning and Teaching Committee (Semester 1, 2004-05).
• Piloting of accredited ePDP schemes (academic session 2004-05); reviewed after Semester 2, 2004-5.
• Development of generic ePDP materials (academic session 2004-05).
• Delivery of Career Planning module in Arts and Social Sciences (Semester 2, academic session 2004-05).
• Input to Academic Staff Development programme (academic session 2004-05).
• Rollout of generic ePDP scheme (academic session 2005-06).

The operation in the first two years of the PDP and associated schemes will be the subject of a joint report presented by the Directors of the Careers Service and LEU to the Learning and Teaching Committee at its final meeting of each academic session. The Academic Standards Committee will similarly report to the Learning and Teaching Committee on faculty schemes they have monitored and evaluated. The PDP policy, its implementation and resourcing will be reviewed in the light of these reports.

In the long-term, the impact on employment and student retention will be monitored by the Careers Service and Centre for Learning and Teaching.

The generic ePDP scheme and degree-tailored ePDPs will need to be developed by a specialist learning technologist, in consultation with others. A post within the LEU that includes this task in the job description has already been approved by the Principal's Advisory Group. Funding for the Blackboard Learning Content software and appropriate hardware have similarly been approved. Where degree programmes require configuring of the Blackboard e-portfolio system to suit the needs of accreditation, it may be appropriate to include this in the project-based scheme for e-learning development also approved recently. This will allow faculty-based staff to work closely with learning technologists within the LEU to tailor their ePDPs appropriately.

Contributions by the Careers Service to teaching, including the proposed accredited career-planning module, will be treated as falling within the remit and job descriptions of staff within that unit, and further staffing is not envisaged at this stage. For the accredited module, FTE income will be retained in the faculty, with the Careers Service only receiving marginal costs associated with publicity and delivery of the unit. The resourcing for internships will be the subject of a separate paper to be considered as part of the Student Services budget in 2005-06.

For the current financial year (2004-5), the costs associated with meetings and publicity will be absorbed within the existing budgets of the Careers Service and the Centre for Learning and Teaching, but these may need to be included in future budget proposals by these units.

The proposed policy for the implementation of PDPs at the University of Dundee allows the institution to meet QAA and CEIG requirements. The policy has the potential to be part of further developments in connection with employability being a key enhancement theme for 2004-05. It is the Working Party's belief that the resulting University strategy can be delivered in a way that is flexible and resource-effective; is appropriate to the mix of vocational and non-vocational subjects taught at Dundee; and will be of real and lasting benefit to students.

Measures to enhance employability have the potential for improving student retention and attainment, increasing graduate employment levels and enhancing attitudes to lifelong learning. PDPs represent an important means of helping students to reflect on and enhance their employability. This can also benefit departments in student and employer evaluations as part of the Programme Review process.

PDPs are a key theme for the QAA and of degree accreditation by professional bodies, and our policy and its implementation will be audited at various stages in future. To be successful, the policy requires constructive input from many different parties. In particular, the need for involvement by faculties and teaching teams in the PDP scheme should not be underestimated. If PDPs are not embedded within the learning and teaching structure, then they run the risk of being misunderstood or ignored.

Dearing, R. (1997). Higher Education in the Learning Society. Report of the National Committee, the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education. HMSO Norwich. Also available 25/05/04 http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/ncihe/

Garrick, R (1997). Higher Education in the Learning Society. Report of the Scottish Committee, the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education. HMSO Norwich. Also available 25/05/04 http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/ncihe/

Gosling, D. (2003). Introduction. In: Personal Development Planning, SEDA Paper 115, pp. 5-13. Staff and Educational Development Association Ltd, Birmingham.

LTSN (2004). Personal Development Planning. Available 11/05/04. http://www.ltsn.ac.uk/genericcentre/index.asp?id=16906

QAA (2004a) Developing a Progress File for HE: Summary Report of the Consultation Exercise. Recommendations for Policy on PDP. Available 11/04/05. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/progfilehe/summary/pdppolicy.htm

QAA (2004b). Guidelines for HE Progress files. Available 11/05/04. http://www.qaa.ac.uk/crntwork/progfileHE/guidelines/progfile2001.pdf

Also relevant, although not cited in this document, is the following:

Juwah, C. S. et al. (2001). Personal Development Planning in Practice: A Series of Case Studies. PDP in HE Scotland Network, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen