Systematic map and synthesis review of the effectiveness of personal development planning for improving student learning

This systematic review was the first of its kind in UK Higher Education (HE). It was commissioned by the Learning and Teaching Support Network (LTSN) Generic Centre as part of its programme of collaborative work with the Progress File Implementation Group (PFIG) aimed at supporting the introduction of the HE Progress File and demonstrating a commitment to a research-informed approach to policy and practice.

Personal Development Planning (PDP) is a process by which individuals reflect upon and plan their own learning. The introduction of PDP and similar approaches with names such as Records of Achievement and Profiling have been major policy initiatives in secondary education in the UK over the last two decades and more recently in Further and Higher Education. The purpose of the systematic review is to examine the research literature relevant to such policies on PDP; to create a map of the empirical research that has been undertaken on PDP processes in higher and related education to inform discussions on what future research might usefully address; and to synthesize the known evidence for the effects of PDP on student learning in higher and related education, for the benefit of policy-makers and users of policy including students through investigating what empirical research has been undertaken on the use of PDP in higher and related education, and what evidence there is that processes that connect reflection, recording, planning and action improve student learning.

The quantitative and qualitative research methodology used was developed by Houghton and Gough (check and add others – proof needed in evidence – conference papers?). Houghton has presented papers on the development of this research methodology in Lisbon and Barcelona (add detail of conferences).