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PDP and Reflective Practice as Career

Development ToolsCatherine Lillie

AUA Professional Development Manager

AUA Development Conference, October 2012

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PDP and Reflective Practice as Career

Development ToolsDr Rachel Birds

Higher Education Consultant, Hunshelf Training and Consultancy

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Objectives

By the end of the session delegates will:• have an understanding of PDP and reflective

practice• appreciate the benefit of planning and

reflection as career development tools• have a range of reflective practice tools and

techniques for use in their professional practice

• be able to use PDP and reflective practice in their work

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The cycle

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Personal Development Planning

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Why engage in PDP?

A chance to take charge of your learning by:

• thinking about what you want to learn• prioritising your learning• being proactive instead of reactive• getting input from other people

PDP helps you to plan more effectively for your future and enables you to achieve your goals and objectives

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Identifying your skills gaps

• SWOT• SWAIN• 360° review• CPD wheel

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CPD wheel – individual activity

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Goals vs Objectives

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What are your career goals?

Individual Activity

• Current role• Developing role• Career aspirations

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Setting SMART objectives

• Specific• Measurable• Action-oriented• Realistic• Time specific

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How do you achieve your objectives?• Training• Job shadowing• Networks• Mentoring / coaching• Reading• Study• Conferences and workshops

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Types of learning

All of these provide opportunities for reflection

Learning...

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Implementing and revising your PDP

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What does reflection mean to you?

Group exerciseIn small groups, discuss the following

questions:- What does reflective practice mean

to you?- Why should you develop and use

reflective practice?

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Reflection: a definition

”Cognitive housekeeping”• analysing and critically evaluating an

experience• making sense of it• assimilating it into your existing body

of knowledge

Moon, J. (1999) Reflection in Learning and Professional Development (London: Kogan Page)

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Outcomes of reflection

• Intended outcomes of reflection might be:– improved understanding– improved performance– development in professional practice

• Therefore it needs to result in ACTION

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Being a reflective practitioner

• How will you do it?• What sources of support will you need?• What tools / resources are required?• What will you do to make time?• How will you capture and use reflective

practice?• (How) will you ensure your professional

practice develops as a result of reflection?

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How to reflect- an example

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Recording your reflections

Notebook? ePD?

Emails?

Voice recording

s?

Blog?

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Revisiting your reflections

• What else have you learnt since?• Can you see others’ perspectives?• Anything additional you can now

learn?

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Evaluation

• Has today prompted you to reflect?• How will you do that?• What tools do you already have?• Can you now start to break your

career goals down into SMART objectives?

• Which one will you achieve first?

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Taking it further

• Events• Themed networks• ePD• PgCert- Reflective Practice in HE

module• Accredited Member / Fellowship• CPD Framework tools and templates

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More information at www.aua.ac.uk

Email: aua@aua.ac.uk

Call: 0161 275 2063

Association of University Administrators (AUA) @The_AUA