1) Learning outcomes 

The learning outcome for the professional practice module is to enable you to develop skills to support good academic practice within the discipline of engineering and begin to build evidence of your progress in this discipline. 

2) The importance of your Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Your personal and professional development (CPD also known as PDP) is an important part of your University experience and is a useful activity for engineering students to undertake whilst at university.  

The primary objective of CPD is to improve the capacity of individuals to understand what and how they are learning and to review, plan and take responsibility for their own learning. The benefits to you as a student are should that you:

• become more effective, independent and confident self-directed learners;
• understand how you are learning and relate your learning to a wider context
• improve your general skills for study and career management; 
• articulate personal goals and evaluate progress towards your achievement
• to develop a positive attitude to learning throughout your professional lifeIt is also an activity which you will need to engage in during the first few years after graduation, as it will help lead to your registration as a professional engineer.  Recording and reflecting on your continuous self development is an important activity which you will need to demonstrate if you apply to become an Incorporated or Chartered Engineer. Registration as a professional Incorporated or Chartered Engineer increases your employability and shows to others that you
• uphold the highest standards in engineering. Working towards this professional registration early in your career will set you on a path of lifelong learning and the development of the highest standards.
  As part of the Professional Practice module in Year 1, you will be expected to demonstrate your personal and professional development within an E-portfolio. A portfolio is a collection of evidence, usually in written form, which demonstrates both how and what you have learnt by offering evidence and your reflections on that evidence. In subsequent years, you will be expected to build on the initial personal development undertaken in Year 1 of your degree. 

  3) Student support of e-PDP 

• Statements by students who have used and benefited from CPD. 

  “The e-CPD encourages me to be constructively self critical of my performance and the way I approach my work, which facilitates the formation of realistic objectives. e.g. Activity 2 from the Level 2 semester A part 2 template required us to think about a piece of work we enjoyed and why we enjoyed it. It took very little effort to complete the template as I was semi-aware of the answers already, but before completing the template I had not bothered to consciously consider them or the implications for the way in which I study.  This is a typical example of the way in which very little time invested in the e-CPD can be of great benefit, it is not that it is especially taxing, more that it simply makes you pause and consciously consider things of which you are probably already aware.” 

  “Good points: The best thing about e-CPD is that it gives me time to have a deep thought about my own skills and daily routine. It therefore helps me to reflect back at those skills which need to be improved, and surprisingly it does work.  It is always nice to know that a personal tutor is aware of my general thoughts and abilities, and therefore understand the student better.  However, I have to say it could be ‘irritating’ especially when we have a lot of assignments going on. But just like any other work, I need to negotiate and give it some more quality time.”  

  “I believe e-CPD portfolios are a great way to keep a track of your progress over your time at university. From this year’s part only it has helped me so much even with writing my personal statement, using the section on the SWOT test I was able to pick out my strengths to write about a long with my weaknesses that I can improve on whilst being a university. I think it’s a great way of keeping track of your grades during each term and just build a profile so little things that you could easily forget later on you have a record off. A great habit to get into to keep yourself organised and to see where you are.” 

  4) The assessment

  CPD counts for 40% of your overall mark. This is comprised of 10% for the completion of two MCQ tests and 30% for the e-CPD portfolio. Both parts are summative (gives you marks towards your credit for the module) and formative (allows you to begin to record and reflect on how you are developing as an engineering student).  

  The focus of the e-CPD portfolio is on understanding and developing your skills. This is good practice but not required for submission. You may wish to share and discuss with your personal tutor the issues that you may have with regards to the learning process. You will find examples of what should be included in your portfolio later on in this document. The portfolio you need to submit can be accessed via Study space. You will be given a separate instruction sheet telling you how to access the e-portfolio.   

  If any sections of the e-CPD portfolio are incomplete, lack evidence or do not relate to your studies, you will not receive any marks for this. You are expected to complete all the elements within each section. If there are any sections you feel you cannot complete, do so in terms future expectations and aspirations. The e-CPD portfolio must be neatly presented and communicate ideas clearly, using appropriate language. The word template can be adapted in terms of presentation and style but you must not change the basic structure or template content. There are formatting issues in the template you need to address such as adding or deleting rows or columns in tables. But remember, this is a reflective e-CPD portfolio so for most of the exercises, there are no right or wrong answers! 

  The tutorial tests make up 10% and will be on key research methods. You will be tested in your tutorial. The Evaluating Information test and “Referencing and Plagiarism” test will take place in the first semester, depending on when your tutorial takes place.  The portfolio must be submitted by 5pm on 21 February 2018 via Turnitin. See the “Lecture ppt. slides on 18th October 2017” on how to submit your E-portfolio on Module Box.