Cooke, B

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Leeds Beckett Repository

ALT JOURNAL NUMBER 4: SUMMER 2008 35BackgroundThis project is being piloted during 2007-08 on theBA (Honours) Physical Education (BAPE) degree: acourse that does not lead to qualified teacher statusbut from which a large number of students go on toteach in schools. The impetus for this initiativecame from identification of three main concernswith existing practice:• The Level leader had been part of the Leeds MetProgress Files group, a cross-Faculty workinggroup set up to guide policy on PersonalDevelopment Planning (PDP), yet, despite someencouraging progress with the delivery of PDP, asignificant minority of students was not fullyengaging with this process until their final year ofthe BAPE course.• The course team had already established a Causefor Concern (CFC) procedure which involvedwriting to students if their attendance orbehaviour was not acceptable, but it was felt thatsome students were not receiving help quicklyenough.• It was proving difficult to attract the necessarystaffing resources to deliver PDP supporteffectively, particularly since the role was seen asa ‘service’ activity rather than a ‘teaching’ one andhence was not acknowledged in the same way bymanagers.An integrated Personal DevelopmentprogrammeThe Level 1 Personal Tutor programme of pastoraland study skills had previously been delivered as anadditional non-assessed programme alongside theexisting eight Level 1 modules. This decision hadbeen based on convincing evidence (Palmer, 2008)that Personal Development (PD) needed to beintroduced as a lifelong process, not as an end initself, and therefore was not compatible with asingle summatively assessed module. However, assuggested above, there was less than optimumengagement from students and difficulties inattracting resources in terms of staffing, so it wasdecided to design a programme that wouldovercome these difficulties. The resulting Level 1 Personal Developmentprogramme has been funded by creating a newmodule which runs for the entire first year, attracts15 credits yet avoids becoming seen as a separatemodule. It has been integrated into the overallstudent experience by introducing the concept ofPDP from day one of induction as well as guidanceon the creation of a portfolio, which includesinduction week activities. Staff were invited toexpress an interest in fulfilling a PDP role as part ofa team including the Level 1 leader and courseleader. Those who were selected already make asignificant contribution to other Level 1 teaching onthis course and could see the benefits tothemselves in being able to get to know studentsfrom day one as well as being able to link learningon their modules with the PD module. Duringinduction week, staff encouraged new students toidentify and share their existing strengths andexperience in order to develop a positive self-image. Previous experiences were valued as part ofa discussion about intended career options andopportunities for independent learning, such ascoaching awards, volunteering and employment,were identified. A full programme of activities during inductionweek included small group sessions led by thepersonal tutors, whole cohort group sessions led bythe Level leader and course leader, team-buildingactivities on campus led by the Carnegie GreatOutdoors team of specialist outdoor teachers andinstructors, and sessions designed to help studentsbecome familiar with X-stream. Tutors and courseadministrative staff operated an ‘open door’ policywhere students were free to drop in without anappointment to discuss any concerns. Following theinduction week, the impetus of the PD process wasmaintained through compulsory weekly meetingswith the personal tutor or Level leader and througha week-long residential programme in the LakeDistrict. This residential programme of outdooractivities involves a variety of team-buildingactivities with course staff as well as specialistoutdoor activity staff from the Carnegie GreatOutdoors team. Part of the assessment for one ofthe first-year modules takes place at the end of thisweek via group presentations.An integrated approach to supporting first-year students throughPersonal Development Planning and monitoring attendanceBelinda Cooke36257 New ALT Journal:Layout 1  19/8/08  16:29  Page 35ALT JOURNAL NUMBER 4: SUMMER 200836Improved timing is a key driver in this pilot project.By the end of their third week on the coursestudents have been assessed (by presentation ontheir outdoor residential experience) and receivedfeedback on this presentation as well as havingdeveloped a strong course and group identity.Students and staff alike comment on how muchmore confident they feel and on the strongsupportive networks they have already developed.The year-long PD programme is carefully scheduledto allow for the need for specific input to supportwork in other modules (including academic skillssuch as referencing and writing essays; careersskills such as awareness of graduate routes intoteaching and other graduate careers; personal skillssuch as effective group working, action planning,meeting deadlines etc). Work is completed bothduring and after the weekly sessions and involvesregular use of online resources on X-stream. Theseresources include self-tests and printable outputwhich students must add to their portfolio(previously called a ‘progress file’).The PD process itself is assessed both formativelyand summatively. Towards the end of semester 1students are required to attend a 15-minuteindividual interview with their personal tutor. Theyprepare for this interview with a list of possiblequestions covering the areas of personal, academicand career skills, as well as by making sure theirportfolio is up to date. Staff encourage students touse evidence from the portfolio to support theiranswers. A proforma based on the interviewschedule is completed by the student and tutortogether, and returned to the students withaccompanying formative feedback. This experiencenot only benefits the students but also yieldsvaluable data for staff, providing an opportunity toidentify common difficulties with any aspect of thefirst-year experience. Students’ feedback led to thecreation of additional revision sessions to supportassessment in one particular module, and a sessionon writing essays was rescheduled to coincide withpreparation for a written assessment.At the end of semester 2 the summative assessmentfollows a similar format to the formative assessmentbut includes more detailed questions across each ofthe three aspects of PDP: personal, academic andcareer/professional skills. The list of questions isprovided to students in advance as well as theassessment criteria and an updated contents list forthe portfolio. Two members of staff interview eachstudent (to allow for moderation), asking at least onequestion from each of the three sections andencouraging students to use their portfolios toprovide practical examples, just as a potentialemployer is likely to do at interview – hence we claimthat this represents ‘authentic assessment’ as wellas ‘assessment for learning’.One of our first semester assessmentswas a group presentation. The dismay withinthe lecture theatre was audible when it wasannounced that we would be assessed in thesame groups as on our residential at thebeginning of term. Memories surfaced of egoconflicts, diva-like hissy fits and one groupmember “needing” to put away a few beers tosteady his nerves prior to addressing a packedkitchen of coursemates during practicepresentations. Fast-forward a few months, andthe hissy-fitters had become serial non-attenders, most of us had permanent hangoversand we were all ratty from weeks of badweather and dubious nutrition. Our groupmanaged to concoct a Frankenstein-esquepresentation of as many quotes as we could fitonto a PowerPoint background.Wild rumours circulated in the days leading tothe assessment. “The assessor insists we wearshirt and tie.” “The assessor asks you aboutquotes that don’t exist.” “The assessor is aCyclops.”  It transpired that the assessor wasOK. Non-attender proved to be really insightfuland clever, Nervous Public Speaker controlledhis vocal quiver and as far as we know, wedidn’t fail. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from the experience, it’s to have faith.Anonymous1st year BSc Sport & Exercise Science““36257 New ALT Journal:Layout 1  19/8/08  16:29  Page 36ALT JOURNAL NUMBER 4: SUMMER 2008 37Monitoring attendance and Cause forConcernAn existing system for identifying Cause forConcern (CFC) has been extended to include the PDprocess. This system is explained at the start of theyear and then revisited at several points throughoutthe year. Registers are routinely completed andchecked at each taught session. All staff, includingadministrative staff, are encouraged to indicate tothe Level leader any students who are giving causefor concern either as a result of lack of attendanceor, occasionally, inappropriate behaviour. Fourweeks and eight weeks into each semester staffreceive an email request to identify where theremay be a CFC, allowing the Level leader to see theextent of any issues and take action. Letters withdetails of the module(s) affected are sent out to thestudents requiring them to contact the Level leaderto arrange a meeting within a week. All studentsunderstand that copies of any CFC letter will beplaced on their file and remain there unlessevidence is produced of a satisfactory reason for theabsence. It is interesting to note that in almost all cases thestudents are contrite and suggest that this is whatthey needed to get back on track. On the rareoccasion that a student does not reply to the letterwe contact them by telephone and ask after theirwelfare, offering our support.ConclusionsThe Quality Assurance Agency (QAA, 2008) hasdescribed a number of different approaches toPersonal Development Planning in UK highereducation:• support for the learner• support for learning• support for off-campus learning• support for extra-curricular learning• preparation for employment/professionalpractice.The integrated approach described above shouldenable us to combine all of these, maintain a focuson students as individuals, and meet the nationalrequirement for students to produce a portfolio orprogress file. At a course level it provides the basisfor action planning, including informing electivechoices at Levels 2 and 3 and planning of workexperience and final-year dissertations, as well asenabling students to be partners in their learning.The longer-term benefits should also allow ourstudents to articulate clearly the value of theirprevious experiences and perform confidently ininterviews. For staff there will be immediate anddetailed evidence to include in an employmentreference when requested.Finally, as this paper goes to press it is interesting tonote that, for the first time ever in the existence ofthe course, not one student has failed their first year. ReferencesPalmer, S. (2008) Embedding PDP and Employabilityinto Modular Degree Programmes. Available at: http://www.recordingachievement.org/downloads/PDPEmpCaseStudies.pdf [Accessed February 2008]Quality Assurance Agency (2008) Guidelines for HEProgress Files. Available at:http://www.qaa.ac.uk/academicinfrastructure/progressFiles/guidelines/progfile2001.asp [AccessedFebruary 2008]Belinda CookeSenior Lecturer in Physical EducationCarnegie Faculty of Sport and Education36257 New ALT Journal:Layout 1  19/8/08  16:29  Page 37

Embedding PDP and Employability into Modular Degree Programmes. Available at: http://www.recordingachievement.org/downloads/ PDPEmpCaseStudies.pdf [Accessed

An integrated approach to supporting first-year students through Personal Development Planning and monitoring attendance

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