Lessons Learned

What are the lessons learned from the project?

Student Perceptions

The results of the focus groups showed that students found it difficult to project into the future regarding their lifelong learning needs. They were very focused on their CV for their first job and only wanted to present their best work. They did not see the point in retaining past work, especially from school. The Creative Industry students reported that hard copy and a physical portfolio are very important to them. These students were more familiar with the concept of self-evaluation and reflective practice than students generally, since it was often an important element of their course. None of them really grasped the concept that the learner record was in their control, to choose to share with others or not. There was concern expressed at the idea of a state-controlled 'big brother' style lifelong learning e-portfolio.

Employer Perceptions

The employers surveyed reported that they would not be interested in the detail in the PDP record, since they would not have time to read more than one side of A4. Academic staff still needed to be convinced of the value of PDP more broadly, since it appeared to involve additional work for both tutors and students.

Transition from FE to HE

The project has demonstrated that more work needs to be done to explore the issues relating to PDP and its support for learners' transition between FE and HE in the region. Further work on this has been identified that could be carried forward through the Lifelong Learning Networks as they begin to consider and develop their systems for PDP.