Or ‘not what I have learnt’ but ‘how what I have learnt will inform what I do’

1. Enhancing employability – an exploration of the potential of Personal Development Planning (PDP) to create ‘functioning’ knowledge Or ‘not what I have learnt’ but ‘how what I have learnt will inform what I do’

2. Workshop Facilitators Julie Savory : Senior Lecturer in Housing and College PDP Co-ordinator Donna Berwick : Skills and Recognition Manager, Student Life

3. Aim To explore how PDP can provide the links between the academic knowledge which forms the core of most HE programmes and students’ ability to skilfully apply that knowledge in workplace settings (‘functioning knowledge’)

4. Outcomes • Identify what may help/hinder transfer of learning at HE level to professional practice and greater effectiveness in the workplace • Be aware of the three elements of ‘functioning’ knowledge • Identify ways in which PDP and related curriculum activities can support the development of ‘functioning’ knowledge for students on both vocational and non vocational courses • Discuss how this understanding could inform strategies for developing employability

5. Background to workshop theme Research projects Project 1 – evaluation of embedding PDP support on students self awareness of themselves as learners Project 2 – NTF NARN: explored views of sponsoring employers on value of PDP and related curriculum activities to meet workforce development needs

6. Student views Summary of research findings “I’m already in employment…” “duplicates reviews in workplace…..” “came here to study housing, PDP takes up time that could be used on core subjects” Some respondents highlighted lack of linkage with employers performance development review processes “ I’ve never been asked about it at work” “I currently don’t have a PDP action plan (at work), so unable to use a lot of skills from the course and put knowledge into practice”

7. Employer views "...[there is a]....disconnection between the workplace and what people are doing on the course and some opportunities for 'real' learning are being missed" . “ They need to be able to think about what their impact would be in a real life situation” “It is not just the technical knowledge…. It’s the core fundamentals I’m interested in :how to work as a team, how to communicate within a team…. Are they creative? Can they think of new ways of doing things?” “ to be able to think what am I doing, why am I doing it, what have I got from it, how am I going to use it”

8. PDP – a bridge between academic knowledge and functioning knowledge Can PDP and related curriculum activities facilitate the deep learning and self awareness that will lead to an enhanced application of knowledge in the workplace?

9. Functioning Knowledge ‘Functioning Knowledge’ 3 knowledge elements: • Declarative (theoretical/conceptual – knowing about, knowing what) • Procedural (skills to apply knowledge – knowing what to do) • Conditional (ability to adapt application of declarative and procedural knowledge to different circumstances – knowing when, what and how in different circumstances) Biggs (2003, cited in Walsh 2008)

10. In a real life context problems are often not clearly defined, no clear solution, may be different people involved… Functioning knowledge is knowledge gained from application and reflection in a real work situation

11. Example Example of functioning knowledge • Declarative knowledge – Housing law, Homelessness Act etc. • Procedural knowledge – role play interviewing a client using Q and A skills • Conditional knowledge – real interview, issues raised that are not expected but able to adapt using other declarative and procedural skills Reflection enables insight and awareness of how to be more effective in future interviews of this type.

12. Activity Learning transfer exercise In small groups discuss: Any examples from your own academic specialism or professional practice? Declarative Procedural Conditional

13. Discussion How can PDP and related curriculum learning activities be developed to enhance the ability of students to use functioning knowledge? What can employers offer as part of this process?

14. Thoughts Conclusions • Key challenge for developing ‘employability’ is building capacity of students to be able to apply functioning knowledge in skilful ways adjusted to differing circumstances • PDP activities may be able to act as a ‘bridge’ to facilitate making those linkages • Developing ‘employability’ is not just for students and HE institutions – there needs to be ‘co-production’ of ‘employability’ with current and future employers

15. Conclusions Thank You

16. References • Biggs, J (2003) Teaching for quality learning at university. Maidenhead:Society for Research into Higher Education and Open University Press • Savory, J; Conroy, C and Berwick, D (2010) ‘The role of Personal Development Planning (PDP) for employer sponsored students – an exploration of how PDP learning activities can support CPD and workforce development requirements’, in Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education, Special Edition: researching PDP Practice [Online}. Available at : http://www.aldinhe.ac.uk/ojs/index.php?journal=jldhe&page=issue&op=current&path%5B55D=showToc • Walsh, A (2008) ‘What is distinctive about work-based knowledge and learning?’ in Workbased learning. Workforce development: connections, frameworks and processes.HEA,p.8-17 [online]. Available at: http://www.heacademy.ac.uk/assets/York/documents/workforce_development.pdf