Introduction—Rob Ward, the Centre for Recording Achievement
For this edition of the Welsh PDP Supplement we have drawn on the varied contributions with a particular
relevance from the rich range of activities and initiatives presented at the ‘Future Directions’
Conference. As we attended part of this we can say from first hand experience how useful it was, and
how positive, innovative and creative practice is very much to the fore in the Principality. These
contributions hopefully offer a flavour of this, and – with thanks to all who contributed – we wish you very
happy summertime reading!
The Enhancement of Personal Development Planning (PDP) and Reflective
Practice in Dietetic Students at Cardiff Metropolitan University—Alison Nicholls,
Cardiff Metropolitan University.
The Quality Assurance
Agency’s (QAA) policy of
universities
introducing
PDPs by 2005/06 (QAA
2001) coincided with the
increasing requirement for
dietitians and other health
and social care professionals to utilise reflective practice within their initial training and continued professional development (Tate
and Sills 2004).
Cardiff Met has two programmes in Dietetics leading to the ability on completion to apply to the
Heath and Care Professions. Council (HCPC) to
register as a Dietitian. The
HCPC and the professional body set the curriculum
which includes placement
learning. A revised placement structure for dietetic
education in the UK was
introduced in 2001, this
required students to reflect
in and on their practice as
a method of enhancing
their skills development. In
university, students develop their skills of reflection
by working on their PDP
from year 1, with their personal tutor.
In 2004 a colleague in the
Centre for Nutrition and
Dietetics at Cardiff Met,
studied the expectations,
attitudes and experiences
of a cohort of students to
follow the new curriculum
and placement guidelines.
This study was carried out
retrospectively
following
the second of the three
placements. She found that
the students thought that
the PDP useful but difficult
to engage with. The sample also did not see the
connection between the
PDP and the placement
portfolios.
The author was awarded a
University teaching fellowship in 2006 to study the
effectiveness and engagement of the PDP in students on the Dietetics programmes, to assess the
integration of PDP with
reflective practice carried
out during work based
IN THIS ISSUE
Page Foregrounding PDP
1-2
The Enhancement of Personal Development
Planning (PDP) and Reflective Practice in
Dietetic Students at Cardiff Metropolitan University – Alison Nicholls
3
Express - Empowering Pharmacy Students to
Develop their Communication Skills—Efi
Mantzourani and Mat Smith
4
Students as Partners: Researching Objects
at Cardiff Story Museum – Aimee Ward
Foregrounding Employability
5
Metacognition and Undergraduate-Student
Employability– Saffron Passam
6
Addressing Perceptions of ‘Employability’
within Healthcare Programme at Cardiff University—Keren Williamson
7
Enhancing Medical Students’ Employment
Prospects in Rural and Remote Wales–
Heledd Iago and Judy Mckimm
8
Forthcoming Attractions