Personal development planning and ePortfolios in Speech Pathology:Student and staff perceptions

Abstract

This paper describes the evaluation of the use of an ePortfolio which was embedded across a speech pathology program and designed to enhance employability. Personal development planning (PDP) is a key part of employability and includes learning, reflection, goal setting and understanding the wider context. Students' perceptions of their engagement in this process were evaluated using a mixed methods approach. Qualitative data was collected through student focus groups and individual staff interviews, while quantitative data was collected via a student questionnaire (reported in Lewis & Strampel, 2014). Qualitative data was analysed using NVivo following the six phases of thematic analysis described by Braun and Clarke (2006). This paper reports the themes which emerged from the focus group data. A key finding of the study was that the platform used was not ideal for the ePortfolio purpose causing frustration and negative reactions from students and colouring their engagement with, and enthusiasm for, the ePortfolio activities. Students achieved some of the objectives of personal development planning, especially goal-setting, but it was not until students were in their final year that they saw the links with their future career and employment. Further embedding of key tasks would enhance employability aspects, including for example involving industry from the first year and modelling the PDP process with students.

An evaluation of a translation intervention to raise awareness of employability skills gained from higher education

“…Despite ongoing debate about whether they can and should, most HEIs include the development of employability skills within their curricula, quality documents, and even recruitment material (Tymon, 2017).The Target Jobs skills outlined above now feature in many programmes where these attributes are embedded in learning and regulated in vocational programmes (Strampel andLewis, 2016, p.23). However, Smith andTrevor (2015, p.47) caution that the adoption of learning outcomes in higher education brings the potential danger of these becoming formal and rigid, with students having to demonstrate their learning through what they can do, which is hard to sum up in verbally described learning outcomes.…”

“…Inspired by the reflection agenda, Personal Development Planning (PDP) has emerged as a major area of activity, which relies heavily on Self-Regulated Learning (SRL), personal monitoring, and managing one's own cognitive processes (Strampel and Lewis, 2016, p.23). In recent years, e-Portfolios have taken PDP online to enhance employability and are recognised as being a powerfully effective activity as they can be used to raise aspirations through goal setting (Strampel and Lewis, 2016).…”