There has been an increase in the need for students in different institutions of higher learning to engage in Personal Development Planning
Ideally, PDP encompasses an evaluated procedure conducted by individuals to reflect on their performance, learning, and successes. The students, need to review their skills and development needs, conduct self-reviews to understand the alternative personal development actions, select the best action, and evaluate the outcomes against the set objectives. The benefits of PDP may include increased self-awareness, improved resilience, enhanced motivation, and improved effectiveness and focus. Going by a primary research conducted on 10% of students at the university (n=7) in this report, it was discovered that a majority (71%) of the students understand and appreciate the benefits of PDP, conduct frequent reviews to compare their progress with the set objectives and plan effectively for their PDP processes. However, only 29% acknowledged that they did not appreciate the benefits of PDP. Going by these findings, it is possible for me to improve my PDP process by engaging positively with my mentor, conducting a proper personal evaluation, and participating in regular personal progress reviews.
Introduction
In most learning institutions, students are always prompted by their tutors to prepare their development plans. PDP may be defined as a supported and well-structured process conducted by individuals as a way of reflecting on their performance, successes, and learning, and to develop plans for their individual, career, and educational developments (Nixon, 2013, p. 204). However, there is a need for the learning institutions to provide the necessary support and structure for the students to prepare appropriate personal development plans. In this report, I have presented a review of the needs and benefits of PDP, an analysis of primary research on personal development planning among students, and recommendations on how I could improve my PDP.
The need for PDP
To better understand the need for PDP, it is vital to appreciate the PDP cycle. Personal development planning is a cyclical process that entails personal review, preparation for action, conducting the actual action, and analyzing the outcomes of the action taken (Nixon, 2013, p. 210). Self-review enables people to understand their current positions and their learning needs for the future. Besides, preparation for action allows individuals to identify the appropriate steps to undertake to meet the learning needs while the action process encompasses conducting a stream of learning involvements. The last aspect is the outcome which presents the benefits of the action taken to the individual and others. From this model, it can be concluded that students may need PDP to evaluate their current positions and learning needs, assess the best actions to fulfill their learning requirements, and analyze the benefits that accrue to them as a result of their learning activities.
Figure I the PDP Cycle
Benefits of PDP
Improved Self-awareness
PDP enables students to gain self-awareness. Through PDP, students can identify their strengths and weaknesses (Cottrell, 2015, p. 2). Furthermore, the students may get to understand themselves, their beliefs, values, and the purposes they wish to execute. Cottrell (2015, p. 3) insists that true fulfillment cannot be attained by chasing other people's ambitions but rather by pursuing personal goals. Students who conduct PDP can identify their weaknesses and learning needs and devise appropriate learning schedules to improve on such weaknesses.
Improved Effectiveness and Focus
PDP enables students to make clear goals relating to their personal, educational, and career development. Honestly, even with a precise sense of direction, there will always exist a pool of tasks looking for a student's attention. However, with a proper PDP, a student can prioritize different tasks and learning objectives (Greenan, 2016, p. 323). Improved focus and effectiveness may be achieved by students through understanding and playing to their strengths.
Enhanced Motivation
PDP gives individuals the drive they require to succeed. A proper PDP highlights what a person aims to achieve at what particular time (Greenan, 2016, p. 325). When students view personal development as a continuous process, they can establish clear goals and develop a commitment to them, however challenging they may seem. Besides, individuals who conduct PDP can appreciate the benefits of indulging in different activities. Also, PDP enables people to view goals as daily actions which must be undertaken to enjoy specific benefits in the end.
Enhanced Resilience
Students may experience difficulties in their learning activities, especially in higher education institutions. During such tough times, students need to have the right attributes and skills to effectively conduct specific activities (Janssen et al., 2013, p. 263). PDP does not prevent bad things from occurring but instead, gives individuals the right confidence, personal and interpersonal skills, and the resilience required to cope with any eventuality in life.
Theories that Underpin PDP
The above benefits of PDP can be used to evaluate some theories that underpin personal development and self-reflection. Some of these theories include David Kolb, Peter Honey, and Alan Mumford's Learning Styles and Dewey (Vinales, 2015, p. 454). Honey and Mumford in their theory explained that individuals learn in different ways. They grouped learners into activists, theorists, pragmatists, and reflectors.
Honey and Mumford's model is closely associated with PDP as it concentrates on individuals and how they can establish their skills by knowing how they can learn in the best way. Knowing the best way to learn is essential in PDP as it enables individuals to plan and reflect upon themselves to understand whether they are theorists, reflectors, pragmatists, or activists (Vinales, 2015, p. 455). Therefore, students should conduct their self-reflection to understand the types of learners they are and develop an appropriate development plan.
An Analysis of the Primary Research findings.
Methodology
In this report, quantitative research was conducted to analyze these perspectives on 10% of the class members (n=7). The purposive sampling technique was used, and the methodology for selecting the participants was random (Palinkas et al., 2015, p. 534). Furthermore, semi-structured questionnaires were used to ensure a proper exploration of the students' feelings and opinions (Bryman, 2017, p. 59). The original questions were established in advance and given to the students in paper format, to ensure that the students were asked the same topics. After that, each student's responses were analyzed individually. In the discussion section, the participants' opinions have been labeled R1- R7. The names of the respondents were concealed for confidentiality purposes, and the research was based on volunteerism and informed consent.
Discussion of Findings
The results from the study revealed that five students (71%), ranked their PDP process as effective. "I conduct my development planning at the beginning of every semester, and I view this as very effective as it enables me to constantly compare my progress with the set goals," (R1). "I prepare my development plan at the beginning of the semester with the help of my tutor, and I view this as very effective," (R3). Most of the respondents who viewed their PDP process as effective cited preparing their plans at the beginning of their sessions (Patton et al., 2016, p. 15). However, one student (14%), stated that her development planning process was poor as she was constantly prompted to revise it every time she noted that the goals were unachievable, "in the middle of my learning process, I realize that most of my goals are unachievable and therefore I lose hope and feel like amending them," (R2). Furthermore, one student could not rank his PDP process, "I cannot rank my PDP process because after preparing it, I fail to follow it and examine my progress against the set goals," (R5).
The second section of the questionnaire evaluated how frequently the students reviewed their progress alongside their goals. Two students explained that they waited for their tutors to help them in reviewing their performance against the set objectives (28%), while three students noted that they regularly reviewed their performance alone (42%). "I regularly review my performance against the set objectives alone, and this enables me to be more motivated and resilient" (R7). However, one student recorded that he rarely reviewed his performance against the set objectives as his mentor was sometimes too busy to assist him (14%). Ideally, mentors should be available to assist the students in conducting their performance reviews (Chester et al., 2013, p. 32) "My mentor is sometimes too busy to assist me in reviewing my performance" (R4).
The last section related to how well the students understood the benefits of PDP. Four students highlighted that they were aware of the benefits of PDP (71%), while two students complained that PDP was a painful process that exposed them to a lot of time wastage and therefore, they saw no benefits of engaging in PDP (29%). The negative opinions could be as a result of inadequate training of the students on the benefits of PDP (Greenan, 2016, p. 265). R1 and R2 gave similar choices regarding the benefits of PDP. They explained that it enabled them to optimize on their strengths, understand their weaknesses, improve resilience, gain self-motivation, and change their goals if they seemed inaccurate.
Conclusion and Recommendations
The personal developing planning process is complicated and requires an understanding of the traits of an effective personal development plan to conduct. Going by the results from the above analysis, I can improve my PDP process in three ways. First, before engaging in the planning process, I should consult with my mentor to give me the necessary information and help me to obtain my PDP workbook. Ideally, mentors are people who act as guides to their juniors in handling different procedures (Hudson, 2013, p. 772). Therefore, the services of a mentor will help me in understanding the processes, benefits, and the steps of undertaking a proper PDP.
Second, I should conduct a proper personal evaluation. This will enable me to understand my strengths and weaknesses. I can do this by using a competency framework or by using feedback from my mentor and other students. Hudson (2013, p. 774), explains that self-evaluation is the first step to self-discovery, which enables people to gain a clear understanding of their abilities and learning needs.
Finally, I should conduct regular reviews to compare my performance with the set objectives. At the beginning of the planning process, students usually have a set of goals that they aim to achieve. These goals should be compared with the actual performance in the course of the learning process (Nixon, 2013, p. 215). I will, therefore, conduct reviews with the help of my mentor every 3-4 months so that I get to understand the performance of my PDP.
References
Bryman, A., 2017. Quantitative and qualitative research: further reflections on their integration. In Mixing Methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Research, pp. 57-78.
Chester, A., Burton, L.J., Xenos, S. and Elgar, K., 2013. Peer mentoring: Supporting successful transition for first-year undergraduate psychology students. Australian Journal of Psychology, 65(1), pp.30-37.
Cottrell, S., 2015. Skills for success: Personal development and employability. Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1-391
Greenan, P., 2016. Personal development plans: insights from a case-based approach. Journal of Workplace Learning, 28(5), pp.322-334.
Hudson, P., 2013. Mentoring as professional development: ‘growth for both” mentor and mentee. Professional Development in Education, 39(5), pp.771-783.
Janssen, S., Kreijns, K., Bastiaens, T.J., Stijnen, S. and Vermeulen, M., 2013. Teachers' beliefs about using a professional development plan. International Journal of Training and Development, 17(4), pp.260-278.
Nixon, S., 2013. Personal development planning: an evaluation of student perceptions. Practice and Evidence of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education, 8(3), pp.203-216.
Palinkas, L.A., Horwitz, S.M., Green, C.A., Wisdom, J.P., Duan, N. and Hoagwood, K., 2015. Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis in mixed method implementation research. Administration and Policy in Mental Health and Mental Health Services Research, 42(5), pp.533-544.
Patton, L.D., Renn, K.A., Guido, F.M. and Quaye, S.J., 2016. Student development in college: Theory, research, and practice. John Wiley " Sons, pp. 1-300
Vinales, J.J., 2015. The learning environment and learning styles: a guide for mentors. British Journal of Nursing, 24(8), pp.454-457.
Appendices
Appendix I: Structured Approach to the Report
Executive summary.
The report has been started with an executive summary, which was written as the last information after developing the report to give a summary of all the significant ideas discussed.
Introduction
The second part is the introduction. In this section, a brief description of the ideas in question has been presented. The introduction also contains the definition of PDP and a thesis statement and acts as the stepping stone to all other parts in the report.
The body of the report.
After the introduction, there are major issues that have been discussed in the body of the report and separated using headings and subheadings. Such ideas have been highlighted as follows:
The need for PDP.
The need for PDP forms the first idea discussed in the Report. It has been discovered individuals need to conduct PDP to enable them to identify their strengths and learning needs. The strengths and learning needs can be determined by performing a self-review.
The benefits of PDP.
The report has discussed four primary benefits of PDP using different subheadings. The four benefits include improved motivation, increased focus and effectiveness, enhanced self-awareness and improved resilience.
The analysis of primary research findings.
The second section of this report entails an analysis of the primary research findings. Qualitative research was conducted using semi-structured questionnaires. From the research, it was discovered that 70% of the students understood the benefits of PDP frequently reviewed their progress against set goals and viewed it as effective. The results have been discussed in detail in the report.
Conclusion and Recommendation
At this stage, I have presented three recommendations on how I may improve my development planning process. I have based my recommendations on the outcomes from the analysis of the primary research findings. The recommendations entail engaging positively with my mentor, conducting a proper personal evaluation and participating in regular personal progress reviews.
Appendix II: Details of the primary and secondary research undertaken.
Secondary research.
To fulfill the requirements of the research, reviews of different secondary literature including peer-reviewed journal articles and books were used. All the secondary sources used have been appropriately cited in Harvard style. Furthermore, a reference list has been provided to outline all the secondary materials used.
Primary Research.
To accomplish the primary research study, the qualitative research method was used to derive the opinions and views of different participants concerning the topic of study. Furthermore, a random sampling technique was used to ensure the objectivity of the research. The sampling criteria were purposive to ensure that only individuals in the university who met the study criteria were selected. The sample population consisted of 10% of all the class members (n=7). The participants were notified that participation in the study was solely dependent on confidentiality, informed consent, and volunteerism. The participants were then given semi-structured questionnaires in paper form to fill. The following is the sample questionnaire that was given to the participants.
PDP: STUDENT INTERVIEW QUESTIONNAIRE
This questionnaire has been developed to collect data on student views concerning their participation in Personal Development Planning. You will be asked to give comments on three aspects, how effectively you do plan for your personal development, how frequently you review your performance progress alongside your objectives and your understanding of the benefits of PDP. Your participation is solely on a volunteer basis, and your information will be kept confidential.
Please answer all the questions. This questionnaire is anonymous.
Study Program:
Year of study:
Section 1: The Personal Development Planning Process
How can you rank your development planning process? (Circle the most appropriate)
Effective Good Fair Poor I cannot rank
Please explain your reasons for your choice above:
Section 2: personal development progress review
How frequently d you compare your development progress with the set personal goals? (Circle as appropriate)
Regularly Sometimes Rarely Not at all
Please explain your answer above
Section 3: Benefits of PDP
The need benefits of participating in PDP were clearly explained from the start? (Please circle as appropriate)
Agree strongly. Somewhat agree. Somewhat disagree. Strongly disagree.
The PDP process has contributed significantly to my learning and development because it: (please circle your best answer; 4- if you strongly agree, 1- if you strongly disagree, 3- if you agree and 2- if you disagree).
Relates to the learning objectives of my field of study 4 3 2 1
Encourages focus and peer support 4 3 2 1
Asks me to plan for my personal learning 4 3 2 1
Enhances a continuous tutor feedback 4 3 2 1
Links primary skills to my performance 4 3 2 1
Develops my portfolio as a collection of my strengths 4 3 2 1
Enables me to realize how best I can learn 4 3 2 1
Finally, to what extent has your involvement in PDP helped you to:
Identify your experiences skills and capabilities 1 2 3 4
Analyse your weaknesses and strengths 1 2 3 4
Optimally utilize your strengths 1 2 3 4
Improve your study and learning habits 1 2 3 4
Gain a proper self-understanding 1 2 3 4
Learn from the outcomes and form conclusions 1 2 3 4
Change your goals if they are not accurate 1 2 3 4
Monitor " review your development progress 1 2 3 4
Operate and think strategically and independently 1 2 3 4
Gain a self-motivation to execute personal objectives 1 2 3 4
Improve your resilience 1 2 3 4
Please explain your remarks on one or more of the choices above
THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS QUESTIONNAIRE
The above questionnaire was structured into three sections to reflect the objectives of the study which encompassed how effectively the students planned for their personal development, how frequently they reviewed their progress against set targets and how relevant they were, concerning the benefits of PDP. The results of the study demonstrated that 71% of the students were aware of the benefits of PDP, viewed it as effective and conducted regular reviews. On the other hand, only 29% confirmed that they did not appreciate the benefits of performing PDP, with one student acknowledging that his mentor was too busy to assist him in conducting progress reviews.
