RAPPORT
Volume 3 Issue 1 (2018)
able to think about things I haven’t thought
[about] before. I started studying to escape
from a difficult situation in my life and to
keep my head busy, but through PDP I
realised that I can make plans and relate
to what I really want for my future. […] I
am going to do my degree in languages to
become a language teacher.”
Seeing the bigger picture
A number of words related to ‘seeing’ were
used to express how PDP enabled
students to achieve clarity about different
aspects of their learning, their strengths
and their weaknesses. It enabled them to
see the bigger picture in relation to their
goals, keep track of progress and think
about what to focus on.
One student wrote about their experience:
“It allows us as a student to see what we
are capable of, what we have achieved
and what we are competent in”.
The ‘bigger picture’ seems to refer to the
fact that through PDP students develop
the ability to look at the wider context of
their learning, it broadens their field. It has
to do with remembering why they are
undertaking the module and connecting it
with their long-term goals, but also with
having a better understanding of the
aspects they need to improve. One
student commented: “Identifying the goals
and aims, breaking them into different
categories and then seeing the bigger
picture would allow me to better focus on
the weak parts and find tools and
strategies to improve them.”
Sense of direction
Students also reported that having a clear
structured path helped with orientation, a
‘reminder’ about their learning objectives
and their learning path. For example,
“Reflection can serve as a reminder when
you lose your way on the learning journey
and gives you motivation to keep going”.
The different steps of PDP helped them to
learn how to be methodical in approaching
their learning. One student wrote: “Method
helps focus on what you have achieved
and what is still to do”; another student
said: “I think the PDP will help students to
adopt a more structured and systematic
way of talking about their studies; it shows
you how to be methodical so that you set
out a study plan and regularly review your
own progress as you learn”.
Discussion
While the concept of PDP is not new nor
the idea of using an ePortfolio to support it,
nor indeed using scaffolding, what is new
in the three-layered model bringing
together these three elements. The OU
context and its pedagogic approach
informed and influenced our approach to
PDP and to ePortfolios. We integrated the
OU pedagogy into the ePortfolio, going
beyond the mere instrumentalisation of
ePortfolios and incorporated the ‘teacher
voice’.
The three elements in the three-layered
model – ePortfolio, scaffolding activities
and PDP process – are very much inter-
related. This model worked with the two
different ePortfolio tools: once students
had set up their EPOS or OneNote
account and accessed the template, they
were able to start working with the
activities. One clear finding from the pilots
was the importance of the first activity.
This first activity illustrated the whole PDP
cycle (identify, plan, record, review) in
order to allow students to experiment and
get a sense of being in control of their
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