Senior Tutor Network
Away Day 27th June 2007
Personal Development Goals
The Concept
• To invite students to set and reflect on a
“personal development goal” (PDG) with their
personal tutor every semester.
• PDGs may relate to any area of potential
achievement that does not result in an
assessment grade or academic award.
• Teaching Committee has asked STN to pilot a
PDGs scheme during 2007/08 “on a voluntary
basis and in conjunction with the establishment
of an award for skills development.” Taught
PGs should be included if at all possible.
“We do not want another E-PAR” (Anon!)
• What new systems are required?
• None. (If tutees meetings & some record keeping are in place).
• Do academic staff have to do very much?
• No. (They have to discuss PDGs with tutees twice a year).
• Can the PDG initiative fail?!
• Yes, of course! But it can’t be a disaster . . .
• What is the key to success?
• Promotion. (To students and personal tutors as broadly as
possible, and hopefully more broadly than at the school level).
The Genesis of the PDG Initiative . . .
• Student Union campaigning, especially linked
to enhancing employability.
• The B2B consultants finding that the 75% of
students "without problems" do not see the
relevance of their personal tutor.
• With PAS/SSD apparently widely accepted as
involving “improvement" and "development", to
make this mean anything, and to promote
cultural change, some sort of deliverable
action / initiative is required . . . ?
Potential Outcomes / Benefits
• An improvement in the relationship between
students and academics.
• A signalling of the relevance of, and renewed
interest in, personal tutoring.
• A heightened emphasis on student
employability.
• Students encouraged to maximize their
University of Nottingham experience.
• (An increased consistency in personal tutoring
provision across the University).
What may being in the pilot mean?
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Personal tutor training (SEDU can help).
Poster campaign in your School.
Distribution of student flyer.
Entry in student handbook.
Explaining PDGs to students during induction.
Possible input sessions to students from (eg)
the Centre for Career Development, SEDU, the
Student Union, etc . . .
• Personal tutors invite students to set/reflect on
goals in (existing) scheduled personal tutor
meetings. Record via E-PAR, paper form, etc.
Why take part in the pilot . . . ?
• Students in your School will hopefully benefit.
• Provides a clear signal of an interest in
improving the student experience (the NSS
and the league tables are not going away…!).
• Opportunity cost is small. The materials you
need are already or will be prepared.
• The Student Union is highly supportive, and
can help promote if many schools take part.
• Employability is a key 2007-2008 agenda.
• Teaching Committee’s expectation is a
University-wide PDG roll-out in 2008-2009.
The Pitch to Students
• Personal Development Goals are an invitation
from your personal tutor to help you set and
reflect on challenges in order to:
• Be more prepared to gain employment.
• Not regret what you didn’t do at university.
Next Steps for Discussion
• Why should schools exclude themselves from
the 2007-2008 PDG pilot?!
• How else may schools clearly signal the
developmental role of their personal tutors?
• What specific, practical help not currently in
place do schools and their personal tutors
need to assist them in making PDGs or other
student development initiatives a success?
• Do you have any specific ideas for promoting
PDGs at a School or University level?
• Possible PDG link to skills award . . . ?