Personal Development Planning Assessment - Assignment Example

Personal Development Planning Student’s name Institution’s Affiliation Course +Code Professor’s name Date Personal Development Planning a. Introduction Personal development planning is one of the most effective ways for professionals and students to achieve excellence and better progress in their respective areas. The development planning involves a holistic assessment of different personal attributes that allows one to evaluate their achievement in social, emotional, and mental abilities and maturity. To enhance a holistic development of an individual, one must undertake several activities in a continuous and more progressive manner (Beausaert et al. 2011). Furthermore, it is essential to use a lot of expertise so as to develop the desirable features that will culminate into independent and objective life decisions and individual performance. Imperatively, a personal development plan uses the idea of personal reflection to enable an individual track and trace the steps that they have taken to acquire their skills and knowledge. It also allows one to keep track of the changes needed in their life and the weaknesses that they require to improve (Clegg & Bradley 2004). Using a personal development plan, an individual can gauge their progress and determine the requisite skills to achieve their future goals and plans. It follows that a comprehensive personal development plan enables an individual not only to achieve personal but also professional development goals. The rationale for this is that success requires planning and setting goals (Tucker et al 2016). Further, the goals set in such plans should not only be clear but measurable, specific, time bound, and realistic. In short, they must be SMART goals. In my personal development plan, I seek to discuss a general overview of myself; my background and significant achievement. I will also make a personal assessment before to entering the PDP module one and then focus on my PDP experience in a more comprehensive manner. I will also offer my personal insights after the PDP experience and, finally discuss my future plans. a). General Overview: My Background and Significant Achievement As a student, an international student for that matter, I would say that my background has had a huge influence on how I view life in general and my future career in particular. Coming from a humble background with an optimistic and encouraging family, I have taken my studies in a more focused way than I had initially thought. My experience in Australia as an international student has been an added advantage to me since it has given me the right ground to enhance my social skills and view people in a more positive way. In our family, my parents had offered me much support to pursue my goals and ambitions, especially when I informed them that I wanted to pursue further education and equip myself with necessary skills and knowledge in a globalized labour market. I have a desire to remain in the international arena and help all those that I interact with understand how humility can be used to advance their career goals and assist them inspire others. I may not say that I have achieved much, especially in our conservative culture; where people are taught to take their significant achievements in moderation and help others. However, I believe that my achievements have been out of the need to better myself and impact those close to me in a positive way (Clegg & Bradley 2004). Despite this, I believe that I have made significant achievements in getting to the academic level that I have today. In general, I have earned my respective school certificates and succeeded in various projects that I have undertaken successfully. I also believe that much of my success has revolved around my ability to overcome challenging situations, however small they may be in life, and nurturing a positive and optimistic view in both my personal, academic, and professional life. I would say that my major achievements have been in the social spectrum where I have improved so much in my communication and social skills. Before entering the PDP module 1, I wouldn’t say that I had the best communication and personal skills. I lacked the requisite training to help me get to the next level, especially in my social life. I would interact with others and blend my interests and opinions with the ideas that they have, but I could not demonstrate great devotion and loyalty to valued people and courses. Further, I would say that before getting into the PDP module 1, I knew very little about personal development planning, and would confuse it for anything that I do not know clearly. I have to admit that indeed I had difficulties even in making my personal assessment and clear goals in life. I had to figure out how to interact with my instructors, how to get things done in a more comprehensive way, and more importantly, how to integrate my career goals, academic achievements and my future development goals. Before the PDP module 1, it was difficult for me to work on my weaker areas and would spend most of my time attempting to understand what I required to do so as to understand and address these challenges. Further, I would say that before the PDP module 1, I did not appreciate the need to engage my instructors in a more comprehensive manner and staying in touch with to help me understand the concepts taught in class (Yorke 2006). I realised that I needed to spend more time with the instructors to attain better performance and knowing of the concepts taught in class. It follows that I lacked interpersonal skills and partly the reason why I could not effectively blend with others, value and appreciate different courses and people, and allocate requisite emphasis on good ideas coming from my classmates. Therefore, I believe that before the PDP module 1, I did not have the best communication and social skills. Further, my inability to nurture these core competencies impacted my performance, especially in time allocation and interactions with my instructors or professors. b. The PDP Experience The PDP experience has been of tremendous success and importance to my personal development and planning. Through the module, I have been able to achieve many aspects in social and interpersonal skills successfully. I have also improved on extra-curricular activities and time management. Imperatively, I have been able to identify my academic and career goals through an array of class activities. As a result, I have developed academic and career-associated skills during the PDP class. The Class Activities That Have Developed My Skills During the PDP, an array of class activities has enabled me to develop requisite skills. One activity is the intense practice of these skills, especially speaking, and listening skills. For instance, talking in pairs and during group discussions has been instrumental in allowing me to develop interpersonal and communication skills. It follows that when we do not know how to speak to the other personal, we fail to communicate and create interpersonal relationships as students and even in our professional life later. Group work gave the opportunity to understand salient communication skills that one may take for granted yet very essential in crafting and building a positive long-term relationship with others; peers, juniors and seniors alike (Adenekan 2010). Another activity that has developed my skills is the mind mapping activity whereas students we are asked to identify our skills, qualities, and talents in the classroom. Using the mind mapping activity is critical because positive reinforcement is encouraged so that we can highlight one’s special skills, qualities and talents, irrespective of our academic performance and potential (Long 2012). The purpose of the mind mapping activity is to match, if possible, the skills, personal attributes, and talents to a potential future career or occupation for the respective student. The activity creates a match that allows one to advance not only their academic but future personal development, particularly setting goals and improving personal attributes to attain these goals (Hobin et al 2012). Academic skills developed in class I have developed an array of academics skills as a result of the PDP module 1 experience. These include analytical skills when answering questions, both in class and in group discussions. Such skills allow one to have a deeper understanding of their course materials and how to apply course concepts in relevant situations. Secondly, I have acquired critical reading and writing skills that enable me to make a much comprehensive approach to watch I read and write for class assignments. Thirdly, I have developed time management and planning skills. Before the PDP 1 module, I had a problem on how to manage and plan my time. Further, I did not appreciate essential interactions in time utilisation, but through the module, I have developed these skills. The embedding of academic skills allows me to focus on the course content as opposed to the general material. As a result, I gain a better understanding of specific discipline processes and concepts in the course. The development of these skills also reduces anxiety and questions concerning the assessment and saves lecturer’s valuable time (Lipman 2013). Career related skills developed One essential career-related skills developed during the experience is my communication skills. I realized that to progress well in a diverse workplace, particularly in the globalised workplace, one needs to have effective communication skills. Secondly, the ability to learn and solve problems is a career skill that I have gained during the PDP experience. Further, I have learned goal setting, motivation, and creative skills. Again, I have learned organisation, interpersonal and leadership skills. Relationship with other students I would say that my experience with other students during the module was the most exceptional and rewarding one because of what I have learned from them. I believe that a majority of the students demonstrated their desire to succeed and apply the concepts learned in their professional and academic lives. Through them, I have learned that interpersonal and organisational skills are critical in achieving wider success in one’s social life. When we fail to appreciate others in our life, regardless of where and how, then we fail to acknowledge their place and importance in whatever spectra that they present themselves to us. Further, I have learned that I need interpersonal skills allow one to develop good leadership and communication skills that are essential in identifying the needs and issues of people, especially when in a group (Zuzelo n.d). During our group discussions, I was elected the group leader and through that I have learned to be a good listener and nurtured a focused personality because of the assigned responsibilities. Barriers experienced and resolved during the PDP module I must confess that initially, I had challenges, especially communication and interpersonal challenges. Secondly, I had a low understanding and appreciation of academic skills, particularly analytical and critical skills when tackling questions (Long 2012). However, through practice and consorted efforts I resolved most of these challenges to an acceptable level. Further, being in a new environment was a challenge that took time and effort to tackle in a more comprehensive manner. c. Personal Insight Through this experience, I can say that I have developed fundamental skills in all critical areas of my personal and perhaps career or professional life. The realization and subsequent development of necessary skills does not imply the end of the learning process, particularly in personal development planning for me. While I attained critical skills’ milestone during the experience, I believe that a critical analysis of the requisite skills is important. The implication is that I need to develop my academic, and career skills further. Academic skills to develop further Some of the academic skills that I feel that I ought to develop further include critical and analytic skills. Further, planning skills are essential since they allow one to understand how they shall set their goals within a specified timeframe and achieve them. The further development of these skills ensures that I can tackle situations, especially academic situations, in a more comprehensive manner and save valuable time for other activities. Career-related skills to develop further Additionally, I need to develop my communication skills since good and effective communication allows an organisation and its stakeholders to process information and relay message in a better way. Secondly, my ability to learn is critical, particularly during career training sessions. Therefore, I need to further develop my ability to learn and utilise creative and problem solving skills. Thirdly, I should develop interpersonal and goal setting skills, especially after realising that without set goals, one cannot have an effective career plan in the future (Long 2012). Perhaps another critical skill for me to learn further is organisational leadership and effectiveness. I realised that as a leader, one must listen more and communicate the needs and concerns of others. Imperatively, I must develop organisational leadership skills. Lastly, I believe that as a leader one must have a high sense of self-esteem and be motivated so that they can inspire and lead in a more motivated environment. Consequently, I need to develop motivational skills and nurture self-esteem. Importance of academic and career skills When one gains a hands-on experience in any area of their personal development, they can make huge strides in their future because they understand their goals, capabilities, skills, knowledge, and strategies to help them attain these goals. It suffices to note that both academic and career skills are essential to me in several ways (Long 2012). Firstly, I believe that future progress and continuous progress cannot occur in the absence of a career plan. As a student, I believe that these skills will allow me to achieve my future academic progress, either in research or classroom situations. I believe that necessary career skills are essential for one to work effectively in their profession and attain higher performance levels. These skills are important in enhancing one’s ability to understand their environment and what they need to interact with others at different social and professional levels (Yorke 2006). The importance of academic skills cannot be overemphasized since all students at higher levels are expected to apply these skills, for instance creative and problem solving skills in organisations are required in building an effective organisational culture. Important aspects of my academic and career skills in fitting into my career path It suffices to note that some aspects in both academic and career skills are important and fit in my career path. I believe that I will have a great career pathway if I understand interpersonal skills, leadership and planning skills, communication skills and motivational skills (Lipman 2013). Further, I believe that having a career plan integrated with my academic plan is essential in achieving my future professional activities. Therefore, I must develop these skills and use them to position myself in the most effective way at all levels of social and professional interactions. Important things to improve PDP class and help other students to develop Before enrolling for the PDP class, I knew little about its importance, and the skills that it teaches. However, my experience has been so positive and rewarding such that my conclusion should be that all students get to go through the module (Tucker et al 2015). Therefore, some of the important things that students should be taught include the need to incorporate an array of class activities to help them identify the necessary skills and match them with future careers. Secondly, the use of mind mapping should be enhanced to allow students identify critical skills and match them with their career development. Perhaps, the class can use the SWOT framework to help them identify their strengths and weaknesses (Yorke 2006). Understanding their weaknesses will make the class more interesting and give the students time to develop strategies to overcome those challenges. c. Future plans My future personal development plan integrates the available opportunities and how I plan to attain my goals. I believe that a wide range of opportunities exist for me as I look into the future. My goal is to ensure that I complete my Bachelor’s degree in the next two years and enroll for my Master’s a year later. However, after my graduation and before I register for my Master’s degree, I will seek employment opportunity to help me practice what I have learned in school. Secondly, I must focus on an array of career goals so that I get the available opportunities. One of my career goals is to have effective interactions with people in my professional life so that I can gain different perspectives on issues in my profession and learn how to tackled or gain from these aspects (Tucker et al 2015). Imperatively, continuous practice and appraisal opportunities will help me attain my career goals and take advantage of the existing opportunities in my professional life. My second career goal is to attain a leadership position so that I can nurture others and use my capabilities and ideas to move my future organisation to the next level. Having leadership abilities and practising to such an extent will form the basis for my future career progression in other related fields. In order to attain these goals, I need interpersonal, communication, and training skills. Further, planning skills are essential in ensuring that I utilise my time both in class, and outside, in a more effective manner for better future performance and productivity. I will seek to establish more learning habits since continuous practice needs consistent learning. I will seek to have motivational literature and improve how I manage my time (Clegg & Bradley 2004). More fundamentally, I will share many aspects of my learning during the PDP 1 module and the experience that I have had. I will share with others about what one should do when creating a personal development plan and its importance. I want to share the in-depth understanding of class activities that allows one to nurture skills, especially mind mapping. I would share the importance of having goals, being aware of the existing opportunities and how to use them to go to the next level. Conclusion It suffices to note that personal development planning is very important in tracking developmental changes that are required for one to achieve their goals. Planning offers a platform for one to set goals and device specific and time-bound strategies on how to achieve those goals. I have discovered that the most effective way to achieve personal development goals is to have requisite skills that allow one to interact with others, communicate and have the capacity to solve problems. These skills enhance one’s ability to develop at both personal and professional levels. I believe that my PDP experience has offered me great insight on how to establish and achieve set goals, both in short and long term personal and professional development. References Adenekan, S., 2010. “Why Personal Development Planning (PDP) Matters”. Accessed on May 19, 2017, from http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/careers-advice/1367/why-personal-development-planning-pdp-matters Beausaert, S.A.J., Segers, M.S.R., and Gijselaers., 2011. “Using a Personal Development Plan for Different Purposes: Its Influence on Undertaking Learning Activities and Job Performance”. Vocations and Learning, vol.4, no.3, pp.231-252. http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12186-011-9060-y Clegg, S., and Bradley, S., 2004. “Models of Personal Development Planning: practice and processes.”British Educational Research Journal, vol.32, no.1, pp.57-76. https://as.exeter.ac.uk/media/level1/academicserviceswebsite/studentandstaffdevelopment/documents/aspectsofacademicpractice/suggestedreadingresourcesforaspectsofacademicpractice/CBER_32_01_05[1].pdf Hobin, J.A., Fuhrmann, C.N., Lindstaedt, B., and Clifford, P.S., 2012. “So You Think You Have Skills”. Accessed on May 19, 2017, from http://www.sciencemag.org/careers/2012/09/so-you-think-you-have-skills Lipman, V., 2013. “Why Employee Development Is Important, Neglected And Can Cost You Talent”. Accessed on May 19, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/victorlipman/2013/01/29/why-development-planning-is-important-neglected-and-can-cost-you-young-talent/#194c657f6f63 Long, D., 2012. “Theories and models of student development. In L. J. Hinchliffe & M. A. Wong (Eds.), Environments for student growth and development: Librarians and student affairs in collaboration (pp. 41-55). Chicago: Association of College & Research Libraries http://ir.library.illinoisstate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1029&context=fpml Tucker, F., Duncan, A., and Davis, L., 2015. “Investing in yourself: Personal development planning in practice”. Journal Planet, vol. 24, no.1. Taylor and Francis online http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.11120/plan.2011.00240010 Yorke, M.(editor), 2006. “Personal Development planning and employability”. The Higher Education Academy- July 2006. Accessed on May 19, 20178, from https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/system/files/esect_pdp.pdf Zuzelo, P.R., n.d. “Chapter one: Strategic Career Planning: Professional and Personal Development”. Accessed on May 19, 2017, from http://samples.jbpub.com/9780763761141/61141_CH01_001_032.pdf Read More