Evaluation of PDP University of Strathclyde

Why evaluate PDP now?

• PDP became an entitlement for all first year undergraduate students in 2004 and was intended subsequently to be rolled out to all years of undergraduate study.

• There is now a cohort of students who could have been taking part in PDP activities throughout their period of study at Strathclyde.

What exactly do we want to evaluate?

• The implementation of PDP policy and strategy across the University

• The current use and effectiveness of PDP

• The student experience of PDP across the University

What are the intended outcomes?Generally

• Monitor the roll out of PDP across the University

• Identify areas of best practice

• Identify any unintended outcomes

What are the intended outcomes? From the student perspective

• Understand student perceptions of the usefulness/efficacy of PDP

• Understanding of student attitudes to PDP

Who are the main stakeholders?

• Students

• Staff

• Senior Management

Evaluation questionsFor Heads of Department/Course Organisers

• What does PDP mean in your context?

• What is PDP for in your context?

• Is PDP credit bearing in your context?

• Is PDP associated with a particular tool in your context?

Evaluation questionsFor Heads of Department/Course Organisers

• How did you implement PDP into your courses?

• Has PDP been extended to PGIs/PGRs?

• How does the department support student engagement in PDP?

• Has the department undertaken any monitoring/evaluation of PDP? If so, what conclusions were drawn?

Evaluation QuestionsFor Students

• What do you understand by the term PDP (or PPD or other variant)?

• Have you engaged with PDP?

• Suggest one key improvement to PDP in the Department

How is the evaluation being carried out?

• Jointly by staff from the Governance, Management and Policy Team and the Centre for Academic Practice and Learning Enhancement

• Evidence gathered from a variety of viewpoints

• Using a mix of methods

How is the evaluation being carried out with staff?

• Online questionnaire to Heads of Department/Course Organisers

How is the evaluation being carried out for students?

• Inclusion of the three questions on PDP in Part 3 of the online FYE survey

• Inclusion of the three questions on PDP in pyramid discussions with second and third year undergraduate students

Initial outcomes

• Implications both for how policy is implemented across a devolved management structure

• Implications for staff development

• Possible scope for development of joint PDP tutor/Personal tutor/Academic Counsellor role.