A New Concept of Personal Development and Planning - Example

Nеw рrоgrаmmе Dеvеlорmеnt РDР Name and Student Number:   Tutorial day and Time:       Tutor’s Name: Word Count: Content Introduction and Welcome 3 Module Title: 3 Module Tutor: 3 Brief Description 3 Lecture/Tutorial Schedule 4 Teaching Module 5 Why you should study the module? 5 Learning Outcomes 6 Changes that would be brought into PDP in future 6 Personal Development and Planning Feedback 7 Benefits of Personal Development and Planning 7 Why the module guide was designed this way 7 Reference List 8 Introduction and Welcome This module has been designed to recognize high level of commitment that learners put into their curricular at GSM London as well as the personal development that can be achieved in this module (Cottrell, 2010). This module has been designed in a way that individual learner decides on how they would like to develop their skills and knowledge through the creation of personal plan with their tutor (Rose, 2008). Thus, this module has been developed to suit individual student’s needs within the confine of the module. “During the study of this module, students will be expected to demonstrate evidence of having acquired a range of employability knowledge and skills. But it is hoped that successful completion of this module” (Cottrell, 2010). Module Title: Personal Development and Planning Module Tutor: Sumara Khan Brief Description The module has been created in order to introduce students to a new concept of Personal Development and Planning (Nix-Rice, 2005). Students are also required to design their own personal development plan. The focus for this module will be career and towards the end of the module a student will be required to write curriculum vitae (Cottrell, 2009). This will include the development of transferable skills required of students; personal strengths and weakness and areas for development; reflection on and planning for, academic, personal and career goals. Topic Content Week 1 Explanation of the aim of the course Explanation of the aim of the course Academic SWOT analysis and action plan Week 2 Success and Failure Identify the basic steps of moving failing backward and moving forward. Failing forward, contentment, the seven abilities to fail forward, failing in unavoidable and other attributes connected to it. Discussion and individual presentations Exercise/vocabulary test Week 3 Listening and speaking Listening and speaking. Week 4 Planning and organizing Planning Week Researching good quality work Research Week 6 CV Writing and successful application for Presenting yourself to the outside world Week 7 Reflective practices How to overcome your fears Face your fear to become stronger. Facing your fear can be surprisingly anticlimactic. Take action and get busy Fear is often based on unhelpful interpretation. Remove separation. Remove fear Lifelong learning Practice exercise with provided text Discussion of exercise Vocabulary test Week 10 Individual Presentations This session will be entirely used for individual presentations. Lecture/Tutorial Schedule Teaching Module The teaching module session will include class activities, lectures, class discussions, individual assessment and presentation work. Within the classroom environment (Burns and Sinfield, 2008), Personal Development and Planning is the most effective and adaptive module that enables students’ to think forward on the skills and competences that are required in the professional world (LSM Learning Media, 2007). Why you should study the module? Personal Development and Planning will help a learner to: i. Adjust to Campus Life- Some students will find it difficult to get used to a new way of learning and teaching expected by the university (Cottrell, 2009). Students may be frightened by many module choices that are available at the institution or they may be unsure on how to manage their time learning and studying while at the university or they may be confused on how they can improve their work at the university from a 2:2 to a 2:1 standard. PDP has helped students make a smooth transition to university life by prompting the students to think on how to learn, PDP has also helped students to reflect on their achievements and also helped students to plan on their future personal ad future academic development. ii. Gain more than just a degree- Nowadays many organizations are not after the academic subjects that a potential candidate they want to employ has study while at the university. But most organizations in the country are looking for evidence of the student development that involved wide variety of transferable competencies and skills (Burns and Sinfield, 2008). Many of the competencies and skills that various organizations in the country are looking for can be developed through the PDP course that a student has undertaken while at the university but also other opportunities that will allow a student while at the university to develop transferable competencies and skills through participation in various activities such as voluntary work, part-time employment, membership of societies and clubs (Cotrell, 2010). It is important for students while at the university to use their time to develop their experiences and skills that are required in an increasingly competitive job market. Students undertaking PDP module will be instilled with important of taking their time to develop a range of skills and competences that are available for student’s skills development. iii. Marketing students in an effective way- Nowadays many students are joining various institutions of higher learning. Nowadays a university degree or college diploma is no longer a guarantee of securing employment. Whilst a degree from GSM will impress future employers, but employers nowadays are increasingly looking for individuals who are all rounded and this translate as the ability of a person to demonstrate and articulate the competence and skills they have acquired (Cottrell, 2009). PDP module will help students to prove and document their professional and Personal development and develop ability and confidence to articulate their qualities and skills to wide range of organizations and other professional bodies Learning Outcomes In order to pass this module, a student must be able to: a. Demonstrate skills involved in self-reflection, academic study, and personal development planning; b. Show an appreciation of the relationship between employability and lifelong skill acquisition and development (Goleman, 1996); c. Demonstrate understanding of the fundamental relationship between personal transferable skills and study skills; d. Demonstrate improved capabilities in a number of transferable skills and study (include group work, presentation skills, written work) which will enable a student to become more independent, effective, and self –motivated learners; e. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of being a reflective learner in-order indentify personal strengths and weakness. Changes that would be brought into PDP in future For PDP to work it must speak directly to the module that the students are taking as where the students’ identity/interest is situated. This will extend to the use of language and concept from social work theory or social policy to support the correlation between the module and the personal (Goleman, 1996). Beyond the module design, students are required to spend their time discussing with their tutors the various ways that will be needed to finish the content in the module, whether through class discussion, lectures, or class projects (Burns and Sinfield, 2008). Sometimes new lecturers or tutor are putting more focus on “information delivery” that they forgets to look at the read body language, students themselves and provide opportunity and time for student discussion and questions. Therefore, development of Blackboard at the university has provided an avenue that has enabled students to participate on content delivery. Personal Development and Planning Feedback “PDP is about students stopping and reflecting on how everything in their lives is going- be it socially, academically or in terms of employment prospects. A tutor may have a wide range of skills which students may not know that they exist. Therefore, PDP has been useful tool for students that highlight those areas in which a student can improve and at same time help him/her open un to new opportunities” Ken Stephen, 4 Year student.. “My lecture spends time going through my PDP with regards to my grades and career choices. she made me to be aware that keeping up with up-to-date with my PDP is an excellent way of keeping me informed enough on how to write a good reference in the curriculum vitae” Jane Mary Ann, 3 Year student. “Many organization in the country today are looking for a all rounded individual to work for them, they are just not looking for a individual with university degree. The degree nowadays is increasingly a requirement; what’s more important is how graduates develop their skills. And PDP module once I was at the university helped me to be a all rounded individual, thanks to my lectures at the university" Vincent James, Sales Manager at Oracom Telecom. Benefits of Personal Development and Planning As a student PDP has helped me to: Academic performance gained a clear focus to my learning. Be motivated. Better understand on how to learn and how to improve on my performance. be aware of how to apply my learning to new contexts and problems. Have a reflective thinking skill that can strengthen my academic performance. Professional life have a clear ideas and knowledge about the kind of work and life I want. have greater confidence in my choices I make. I have better planning and problem-solving skills (LSM Learning Media, 2007). I am able to develop positive approaches and attitudes that are associates with successful professional life. Personal life It gave me a better understanding on myself and how I ‘tick’ I am more aware of the unique contributions that I can make. I am able to develop a positive, forward-looking approach in life. It has given me greater awareness of my needs and how I can meet these needs. Why the module guide was designed this way The traditional curriculum put more emphasis on teacher rather than the student. In recent years there has been a paradigm shift taking place. This module designed is a student-centred (Goleman, 1996). This change has impacted on the module design process with a greater emphasis on the learning in terms of skills, competencies, and knowledge within the modules. The focus is on how learners learn and the design of effective learning environments (LSM Learning Media, 2007). Reference List Burns, T. and Sinfield, S 2008, Essential Study Skills: The Complete Guide to University Success, Sage Study Skills, London. Cottrell, S 2009, Skills for Success: The Personal Development Planning Handbook, Palgrave Macmillan, New York. Cotrell.S 2010, Skills for Success: Personal Development and Employability, Palgrave Macmillan Publisher, London Goleman, D 1996, Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ, Bloomsbury, London. LSM Learning Media, 2007, English for Business, Communication and Development, Fericon Pess, London. Nix-Rice, N 2005, Looking Good: Wardrobe Planning and Personal Style Development, Palmer/Pletsch Publishing, London. Rose C 2008, The Personal Development Group: The Student's Guide, Karnac Books Ltd Publisher, London. Read More