National Action Research Network on Researching and Evaluating Personal Development Planning and e-Portfolio Practice The University of Salford Project Julie Savory, Carole Conroy, Donna Berwick

How PDP provision for part time students can best support the staff development outcomes required by sponsoring employers

Aims of the project To gain insight into sponsoring employers views on the potential contribution PDP can play in facilitating the links between course learning outcomes and vocationally relevant skills and competency In above context gain insight into student views Make suggestions for enhancement of PDP provision

Background Previous small scale evaluation of PDP provision for p/t employer sponsored students, found ambivalence about relevance to their needs (Savory,J 2008) “I’m already in employment…” “duplicates reviews in workplace…..” “came here to study housing, PDP takes up time that could be used on core subjects” Support materials felt to be more relevant to fulltime UG students “a bit patronising”

Background contd Employer engagement agenda (Mandelson/BIS Nov 2009,Hefce Strategic Plan 2006-11) Workforce development agenda (Leitch 2006) Employability concerns (CBI March 2009) QAA 2009 guidelines HEAR (Burgess Report Oct 2007) Maintain Salford’s position as recognised regional centre of excellence for vocational courses/employer engagement Housing, Occupational Health and Safety, Environmental Health Cbi 2009 – Future fit – preparing graduates for the world of work

Approach Involvement with National Action Research Network (NARN) – community of interest, introduction to different methodological approaches, structure provided by project leadership Regional network – support for research process, sounding board Extended project remit to include other Salford colleagues – benefits of team working, link with overarching NTF NARN project ethos

Methodology Inspired by ‘Appreciative Inquiry’ approach (Cooperrider and Whitney 2005, Glynis Cousins 2009) Define the problem Discovery – what has worked well to date, what has been valued Dream – how can we best use PDP provision (processes and product) to meet student and employer expectations regarding learning outcomes from the course? Design – what would work and how Cousin,G 2009 Researching Learning in Higher Education.Routledge Cooperrider and Whitney 2005 Appreciative Inquiry handbook Crown Custom Publishing

Methodology Literature review findings : main focus has been on traditional UGs problems of engagement (HE staff/students) role of e-portfolios very little on employers perceptions of value of PDP with HE courses, particularly p/t employer sponsored Student questionnaire (2 cohorts Fd Housing Yr 2 (17 students and Msc Occupational Health and Safety 6 students) Semi structured interviews with sponsoring employers (9 completed – aiming for 12) Combination of Organisational Development managers and Line managers

Methodology contd Student questionnaire focus: - which elements of support for PDP currently work well - which PDP activities/materials support work related CPD requirements - what activities could be included to support CPD in workplace

Methodology contd Employer interview question focus: Reasons for sponsoring students Staff development outcomes anticipated Have those outcomes been met? Awareness of PDP provision within courses Exploration of potential of PDP input to support their staff development needs

Methodology contd Next steps : - complete interviews and analysis of transcripts - employer focus group/workshop Jan 2010 This will explore how best PDP processes within p/t vocational courses could be developed to meet their staff development needs and complement existing CPD and in house staff development strategies - Will involve Housing and Occupational Health and Safety practitioners and organisation development managers

Interim findings UG Students (based on 17 completed questionnaires by p/t housing students) Mixed messages – majority (70%) felt that inclusion of PDP activities was not that useful BUT Majority (75%) felt that PDP support, especially through personal tutor, had helped to develop their personal confidence with studies and identify and achieve goals for work and the course Approx half found reflective commentaries useful. Views ranged from “ makes me think back to what went well, what didn’t, what and how could things be improved” to “find it pointless” 83% did not find PDP support materials useful for encouraging reflection and recording achievements Majority felt there was little linkage with their professional development in workplace 83% = 14 students

Interim findings contd Employers - Lack of awareness that support for PDP is included within HE provision - General view that sponsored staff ‘added value’ to their organisations – greater confidence, ability to take responsibility - Interest in exploring how such provision could better support organisational staff development needs

Our learning to date Collaborative working brings both benefits and challenges : Time to meet Roles and responsibilities Leadership and the process of managing a project Practicalities of organising interviews and administering questionnaires How to consolidate research findings into a cohesive whole The importance of having research goals and short term targets in order to meet them The challenge of combining research with teaching, programme management, administration, the list goes on…… The discovery that our understanding of what HE education seeks to achieve does not necessarily align with employers perceptions different agendas and priorities HE has a clearly defined role in people development Business employers are driven primarily by targets set by government departments or shareholders

Any questions?

Sources Cousin, G 2009 Researching Learning in Higher Education. Routledge Cooperrider and Whitney 2005 Appreciative Inquiry handbook Crown Custom Publishing CBI ((March 2009) Future fit – preparing graduates for the world of work. Accessed on 23rd November 2009 on http://highereducation.cbi.org.uk/uploaded/HRE_091_Future%20Fit%20AW.pdf Dept for Business, Innovation and Skills (Nov 2009) Higher Ambitions: the future of Universities in a knowledge economy. Accessed on 23rd November 2009 on http://www.bis.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/publications/Higher-Ambitions.pdf Hefce Strategic Plan 2006-11 (updated July 2009). Accessed on http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2009/09_21/ Leitch Review of Skills December 2006. Accessed on http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/furthereducation/uploads/documents/2006-12%20LeitchReview1.pdf QAA 2009 PDP Guidelines. Accessed on http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/progressfiles/guidelines/pdp/pdpguide.pdf Savory, J (2008) “An Evaluation of the Impact of Embedding Personal Development Planning” in O’Doherty, E (Ed) “Papers from the Fourth Education in a Changing Environment International Conference” .Informing Science Press, California 2008.