Personal Development Plan: Academic Year Skills and Research Report

This report details a personal development plan, outlining specific learning needs, research interests, and methodological approaches used during an academic year. The report focuses on enhancing skills such as time management, effective communication, and conflict resolution. It explores research conducted in the health and social care sector, specifically focusing on cancer, and the use of deductive approaches and both quantitative and qualitative research methods. The author discusses the challenges faced, including knowledge gaps and financial constraints, and the impact of the learning on professional practice, particularly in the context of health and social care policy. The report concludes with a reflection on the importance of personal development planning for achieving academic and career goals.

PERSONAL
DEVELOPMENT
PLAN

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY..................................................................................................................................1
Specific learning needs addressed during academic year............................................................1
Research interest..........................................................................................................................3
Methodological approaches used in research..............................................................................3
Principles and values challenged through participating in this module......................................4
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Personal development plan is defined as a written document that includes self reflection and
improvement about an individual. It is a detailed action plan that is required to fulfil career,
academic and personal goal of people. It is prepared while working or perusing education so that
aims, targets, strengths and weaknesses of a person can be identified (Blandford, 2012). This will
helps in carrying out required modifications and improvements in character & behaviour of an
individual. This report will cover specific learning needs that are learned in academic year. Other
than that, research interest and methodological approaches in performing it is discussed.
Challenges faced during participation and impact of this learning on professional practice related
with health ans social care is mentioned.
MAIN BODY
Specific learning needs addressed during academic year
Learning need is specified as the gap between current skills and knowledge level of a
learner, and the level of skills and knowledge which is needed to perform a specific task or set of
tasks. During academic years, it is essential for every student to enhance its skills and
capabilities so that academic work can be performed in an organised and systematic manner. In
this regard, I have also tried to develop my skills, knowledge and capabilities so that I can odd
myself out from other students. Gaining knowledge in different aspects benefits me in achieving
competitive advantage from my rivals and it will help me in sustaining a strong career in future
by providing me different kind of job opportunities. In this regard, I have mentioned some skills
that I have learned in my academic year.
 Time management skills: In order to achieve success in life, it is essential for an
individual to be punctual and capable to complete allotted work in given time frame. In
this regard, I have tried to be punctual and time oriented. To achieve this skill, I have
prepared a time table so that all work can be completed in expected time
 Effective communication skills: In order to convey information and knowledge from
one person to another in an efficient manner, an individual needs appropriate
communication skills. I have learned to communicate with different people about
different topics without getting facing lack of confidence.
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 Conflict resolution skills: in order to work in a unified manner, coordination is required.
For this, effective conflict resolution skills are needed. I have learned this skill by reading
books and watching videos that teach the right manner to deal with a problem either
faced by me or some other person associated with my personal or professional life.
Below is mentioned my learned skills along with my current and targeted proficiency.
PERSONAL SKILLS AUDIT
Serial
no.
Learned
skills
Curre
nt
profici
ency
Target
profici
ency
Minimum time to
achieve
improvements
1 Time
management
7.9 10 2 to 3 months
2 Effective
Communicat
ion skills
8 10 3 to 4 months
3 Conflict
Resolution
6 10 2 to 3 months
Measure to further enhance these needs
During second semester to further improve these skills I have adopted some measures.
These measures benefits in enhancing my skills so that I can overcome different barriers related
with academics in a desired means. These measures are defined below:
 Time management skills: I have tried to further enhance this skill by preparing a proper
plan & scheduled time table due to which activities and allotted work are completed by
me in specified time.
 Effective communication skills: I have tried to further enhance these skills by attending
group meetings, discussions and seminars. Due to this, my confidence level boosts them
and I became capable to interact with new people without getting nervous.
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 Conflict resolution skills: to further enhance these skills, I read different journal,
magazine and books. I try to understand opinion of different peoples, without making a
judgement. This helps me in resolving my personal and professional issues in a proper
manner without harming the pride of others.
Research interest
Research is defined as a study related with a specific problem or concern with the help of
scientific methods. It is a systematic inquiry to predict, explain and control observed phenomena.
A research can either follows a deductive or inductive method (Zepeda, 2013). While working on
this module, I have generated my interest in health and social care sector. It is a wide field which
is related with providing different healthcare provisions to both public and private sector. In this
regard I have worked with different organisations that helps in providing free treatment to
patients facing cancer. Under these organisations, I have gathered a lot of information about the
disease, its symptoms and the way to prevent and cure it. While working for these organisations,
I have researched about some symptoms that can be faced by a patient suffering from cancer. In
this regard, I have carried out an internship under NHS, there I was given the task to collect data
about those patients that are facing any kind of cancer.
Methodological approaches used in research
In general, there are three approaches to methodology i.e. deduction, induction and
abduction. In order to collect relevant data in a desired manner, I have used deductive approach.
Under this approach, I have acknowledged that if the premises will be true then the resultant
conclusion must also be true. This approach helps me in generalising from simple to specific
content due to which I was able to gather data of different cancer patient in a more desired
manner. With the help of research methods like questionnaire and observations, this approach
will help me in deciding if the hypothesis generated by me is accurate or not. In case, if the
research is accurate, then I can further enhance my knowledge in this field otherwise, I have to
perform different measures so that I can carry out research in a correct way.
There are different research methods that can be used by me to conduct this research in a
desired manner. I have use quantitative methodology to measure different variables and
proposing hypothesis in accordance with the research. In this way I have prepared facts and
information in statistical manner. Qualitative research benefits me in collecting data with the
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help of surveys, questionnaires, interviews, internet, books etc. All these methods help me in
finding different evidences for my research that proves its authenticity.
Use of this research in future years
Due to carrying out this research, I gain a lot of knowledge about cancer and related
aspects with it. Research carried out by me in my academic years will helps me in enhancing my
interest, knowledge and skills for future year. In this way, I will be able to perform my future
researches in a more systematic, authentic and appropriate manner. This research benefits me in
enhancing my personal and professional skills due to which I feel confident in dealing with
difficult situations in a desired manner. By this, I will be able to have a bright future and career
in whatever field I choose to work.
Principles and values challenged through participating in this module
Challenges faced during work
There were different challenges that were faced by me while working on this project.
Some challenges were related with my knowledge and other challenges were associated with my
skills. In this regard, I have faced some problems due to lack of sufficient knowledge to
overcome this problem I have taken help of internet, books and journals related with cancer and
associated illnesses. Other difficulties faced by me is shortage of fund, due to this I was not able
to interact with cancer victims and their families in a direct manner but later own with the help of
my friends and tutor I gain financial assistance. This helps me in collecting information form the
victims and their near ones in direct manner. I faces some issues with time management and
communication but to overcome these I have tried hard and achieve success in reducing the
impact of these issues on my research.
Impact of learning in health and social care policy
With the help of this research, I was able to understand about cancer in a deeply manner.
Data gathered by me from patients and their closed ones helps me in identifying the potential
reasons, symptoms related with cancer. This enhances my interest in providing appropriate
treatment to these patients so that they can live a happy and healthy life. In this regard, I have
planned to choose medical field as my profession so that I can further help these people along
with choosing a stable career option that will helps me growing professionally.
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CONCLUSION
From above mentioned report, it is concluded that in order to improve knowledge, skills
and capabilities, an individual is required to prepare an appropriate personal development plan.
This plan will benefit me in overcoming all those barriers that can hinder the success of a person.
PDP will benefits in understanding the current level of an individual along with measures so that
these skills can be further enhanced. Research in the field of health and social care helps in
understanding the issues of people related to health and wealth. Identification of these issues
helps in determination of solutions so that these problems can be overcome desirably.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Blandford, S., 2012. Managing professional development in schools. Routledge.
DiPaola, M. and Hoy, W. K., 2013. Principals improving instruction: Supervision, evaluation, and
professional development. IAP.
Reeves, D. B., 2012. Transforming professional development into student results. Ascd.
Sadruddin, M. M., 2012. Discipline-Improving Classroom Management through Action Research: A
Professional Development Plan. Journal of managerial sciences. 6(1).
Stewart, C., 2014. Transforming professional development to professional learning. Journal of Adult
Education. 43(1). pp.28-33.
Zepeda, S. J., 2013. Professional development: What works. Routledge.
Zepeda, S. J., 2014. Job-embedded professional development: Support, collaboration, and learning in
schools. Routledge.
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