How effective is personal tutoring at delivering personal development planning in a Computer Games Technology department at Staffordshire University

Abstract

Within the Games Technology program area, student engagement with the optional pastoral personal tutoring system has been long standing problem. Previous study into the system had highlighted that following the initial meeting in their first year, students did not attend subsequent meetings. This paper reviews some of the systems that have been implemented to address these problems. It asks whether incorporating Personal Development Planning (PDP) can breathe new life into a system, which currently students feel disengaged with? Through a review of the current literature, and questionnaires to both staff and students, the appeal of the new PDP provision within the current personal tutoring system can be ascertained; The results show that the current provision is an improvement over the previous system, but that both staff and students would welcome further integration of PDP into personal tutoring. The evidence shows that whilst students at lower levels may not totally appreciate PDP at that time, as they continue in academia the need to be an employable graduate motivates the student to engage with PDP. This study recommends that when a structured PDP programme has been compiled it should be incorporated into personal tutoring as a matter of course.