Foreword



Foreword

It seems very appropriate that the Journal for Learning Development in Higher 
Education should devote a special edition to the theme of Personal Development 
Planning (PDP). This collection of papers and research reports from universities 
in many parts of England comes from the National Action Research Network’s 
recent project on ‘Researching and Evaluating Personal Development Planning and 
e-Portfolio Practice’.

Those already familiar with PDP will be aware of the closeness of its 
principles to those of Learning Development. A key focus of much LD work is the 
growing understanding among students, as a result of their learning experiences, 
of the value of self-awareness. The systematic study and harnessing of these 
ideas can lead to great progress and success for students and teachers in their 
various learning roles. At its best, PDP serves this purpose. Perhaps it would 
be appropriate to see PDP as a kind of ‘technology’ for learning which also 
encompasses collaborative values, as students become members of disciplinary and 
professional communities.

For the existence of this special edition, we must first thank Chris Keenan 
from Bournemouth University, whose inspiration it was. Chris is an ALDinHE 
Steering Group member and one of the Regional Lead members of the NTFS NARN 
project. For the Association for Learning Development in HE, our decision to 
support the proposal also came from a wish to consolidate the collaborative 
approach adopted by the project and its many participants. This kind of 
practitioner-led initiative aligns well with our values as an association, and 
helps further the links we are developing with groups such as the CRA and the 
NARN.

As editors of the JLDHE we are delighted to present this special edition. We 
are confident that it will provide a much-needed enhancement to the evidence 
base for PDP and make a significant contribution to the understanding of PDP and 
e-Portfolio practices in the HE sector. In addition, it tells informative and 
constructive stories of a collaborative and supportive network of committed 
professionals. We believe that these stories show how ways of working across 
institutions and regions can evolve, and can lead to an inspiring example of a 
community of practice.

John Hilsdon and Andy Hagyard

JLDHE Editors



In addition to ourselves, the editorial team responsible for this special 
edition was:

	Natalie Bates, Research Assistant in the School of Design, 
	Engineering and Computing at Bournemouth University and Editorial Consultant 
	to the Association for Learning Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE)
	Sue Burkinshaw, Head of Learning Enhancement and Professional 
	Development, University of Bolton and Project Leader for the Higher 
	Education Academy (HEA), National Teaching Fellowships, ‘National Action 
	Research Network on Researching and Evaluating Personal Development Planning 
	and e-Portfolio Practice’ project
	Peter Hughes, Senior Lecturer in Learning Development, Centre for 
	Educational Development at the University of Bradford
	Christine Keenan, Learning and Teaching Fellow at Bournemouth 
	University and Steering Group member of the Association for Learning 
	Development in Higher Education (ALDinHE)
	Arti Kumar, Associate Director of the Centre for Excellence in 
	Teaching and Learning (CETL), and Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at the 
	University of Bedfordshire
	John Peters, Deputy Head of Academic Development and Practice and 
	Principal Lecturer in Higher Education at the University of Worcester and 
	Associate Director for Research with the Centre for Recording Achievement 
	and Principal Investigator for the National Action Research Network on 
	researching and evaluating PDP and e-Portfolio practice
	Janet Strivens, Educational Developer at the University of 
	Liverpool and Senior Associate Director of the CRA
	Rob Ward, Director of the Centre for Recording Achievement (CRA)