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Learning activity 3.1: PDP templates

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Source a
range of
PDP
templates
by referring
to appendix
4, your

organisation’s documents and the internet. Review and

compare these; is there one that would be most suitable
for you?

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Learning activity 3.2: Long-term career goals

Lots of people have general long-term wish lists: I’d like to

earn lots of money, I want to retire by the time I’m 50, I
want to be able to work until I’m 80, I want to make a
difference to my community, etc; but no clear plan to
achieve them.
If you don’t currently have long-term career goals, you can
begin to identify them by making a wish list and then
seeking support to identify realistic ways you can achieve
them.
Do you currently have long-term career goals?
• if so, are they realistic? Have you planned to develop
your skills and knowledge so you can achieve them?
• if not, what is on you wish list? Where can you access
support to help you identify realistic goals?
I believe that most of my long-term career goals are realistic. One
of them is to start up my own business. I am currently in the
process of developing my skills and aquiring knowledge for me to
achieve it. One of the ways I am doing that is by completing a
Diploma in Business and researching the industry that I want to
start a business in...

Learning activity 3.3: AQF investigation

Access the AQF handbook from:
<http://www.aqf.edu.au/Portals/0/Documents/Handbook/AQ
F_Handbook_1-12.pdf>.
Read about the ‘characteristics’ and ‘distinguishing
features’ of learning outcomes at different qualification
levels, to gain an understanding of the expectations of
learners at each.

Learning activity 3.4: NTIS search

Access the NTIS website at: <http://www.ntis.gov.au> and

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search for the unit of competency which this course is

based: BSBWOR501A Manage personal work priorities and
professional development.
1. Read the ‘performance criteria’ for this unit. These
are the individual skills and knowledge that you will
have to demonstrate in order to be marked
‘competent’ in this course.
2. Use NTIS to browse a training package that interests
you and is relevant to your current position. Identify a
unit of competency that you think is the appropriate
level for you and justify your decision.
One of the training packages that interested me was the
Diploma of Tourism (management). I can’t relate it to my
current position as I am not currently employed but I can
relate it to the fact that it is the field that I want to run my
business and it would benefit me if I undertook this course to
give my knowledge and some practical skills that I could
apply when I run my own business.

Learning activity 3.5: Your workplace

What experiences have you had of the performance
appraisal procedure in the past?
1. In your experience has it been a positive or negative
experience?
In my experience, when I’ve had a performance appraisal its
always been positive. My manager would always use the
sandwich method of providing feedback (good-bad-good) Which
always made me feel good because he/she did not belittle me
in anyway and the negatives were always given to better
myself.
2. What changes could you implement to the way it is
conducted in your current workplace?
One of the ways that I would change to the way it is conducted
is at one of my workplaces the Manager would do it in an open
area, where sometimes other work colleagues could hear. I
would prefer it in a closed of area, where no one is around and
everything is kept confidential.

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Learning activity 3.6: 360° feedback review

Research the 360O feedback review process.
1. Write a summary, identifying the strengths of Bob’s
360O feedback review process.
Strengths of Bob’s 360 feedback process are:
- Involves different people
- Assures Sam that it is a normal process
- Survey includes a wide range of areas and questions that
will help her be able to receive insightful feedback/
-
2. Write a summary about the ways in which Bob needs
to improve the 360O feedback review process, to
ensure it is properly implemented and that all parties
engage with, and benefit from it.
- Make sure all parties know who Sam is
- Make sure that person filling out form is not biased
- Make sure people filling out surveys are aware that this is
for constructive feedback and if it’s not necessary than
don’t write it.

Learning activity 3.7: Your learning experiences

Can you think of a time when you have had a learning
experience that was very profound?
1. What were the main activities undertaken during the
learning experience: reading, writing, group discussion,
investigation, watching, participating?
The main activities that were undertaken during the learning
experience was participation and group discussion.
2. Were you learning individually or as part of a group?
I was learning individually personally but the activity was
performed in a group.
3. What was the environment like in which the learning
experience occurred: classroom, workplace, other?
At church – during one of our bible study classes.

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4. To what extent do you think that the factors above made

the experience profound?
At church there is a different spirit that is present – you feel
different and at peace and more connected and inspired to
receive feelings or promptings. It was also made profound
because I could relate it to my personal life through
participating and listening to others share their experiences.

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Learning activity 3.8: Personal learning styles

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You are going to investigate one of the models above and

prepare a presentation for the rest of the group.
Divide the models above (and any others that people know
about and think are relevant) amongst your group.
1. Research your model, starting here:
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_styles>
2. Prepare a short (five to ten minute) summary of the
model to present to the rest of the group.
In the mid 1970’s Peter Honey and Alan Mumford adapted David
Kolb’s model for use with a population of middle/senior
managers in business. They published their version of the model
in The Manual of Learning Styles (1982)[6] and Using Your
Learning Styles (1983)[7].
Two adaptations were made to Kolb’s experiential model.
Firstly, the stages in the cycle were renamed to accord with
managerial experiences of decision making/problem solving.
The Honey & Mumford stages are:

1. Having an experience
2. Reviewing the experience
3. Concluding from the experience
4. Planning the next steps.

Secondly, the styles were directly aligned to the stages in the

cycle and named Activist, Reflector, Theorist and Pragmatist.
These are assumed to be acquired preferences that are
adaptable, either at will or through changed circumstances,
rather than being fixed personality characteristics. The Honey &
Mumford Learning Styles Questionnaire (LSQ)[8] is a self-
development tool and differs from Kolb’s Learning Style
inventory by inviting managers to complete a checklist of work-
related behaviours without directly asking managers how they
learn. Having completed the self-assessment, managers are
encouraged to focus on strengthening underutilised styles in
order to become better equipped to learn from a wide range of
everyday experiences.
3. After reviewing the presentations, consider: what are
my personal learning styles?
My personal learning styles are:
- Visual
- Listening

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Learning activity 3.9: Professional development

opportunities
What experience have you had of the above professional
development opportunities?
1. Which have been positive and which have been
negative?
Positive:
- Informal training
- Mentoring
- Coaching
- Action learning
- Workshops
- Experiences
- Reading
- research
Negative:
- Mentoring/ coaching
- Reading
- research
2. Do your positive experiences match those that you
would expect to suit someone with your identified
learning style?
I believe they do, because I’m more of a hands on and visual
learner I have a lot of positives areas in action learning, informal
training, experiences etc.

Learning activity 3.10: Your networks

Give yourself a score out of ten for how well you use the
following networks. Give reasons for your score:
Informal networks 9/10. Reason:
I gave myself 9/10 because I use my informal networks a lot. From
finding work, meeting other people, gaining information, support

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and for networking with their networks.

Formal networks 6/10. Reason:
I rated myself 6/10 because I always use my formal networks for
work purposes. Especially when I need help in a certain field/area I
can always contact someone who is in the industry and knows a lot
about the particular field.
e-Networks 2/10. Reason:
I only rated myself 2/10 because I hardly go on any social network
sites as I believe they are time consuming, addictive and basically
a waste of time.

Learning activity 3.11: Industry skills councils

Go to the website <http://www.isc.org.au> and find the link to your
ISC. Spend some time getting to know the information and services
your ISC provides. Summarise what you find:

Through sharing their knowledge and leading by example they will work to
boost the innovative capacity of the Australia workforce, including the
capabilities of organisations, leaders, educators and individual workers. Their
vision on progress is to:
- Inspire a culture of innovation
- Develop leaders
- Build workforce capability
To succeed they will need the support and collaboration of informed people
from across the industry and the VET and research sectors.

Learning activity 3.12: The future of jobs

Conduct some online research on the future direction of your
industry. How do you see your own industry’s work, worker and
workplace developing over the next ten years:
- Development of new technology

- More environmentally friendly

- Ability to work from anywhere

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Learning activity 3.13: Gap analysis

Brainstorm some thoughts on the following questions
relating to your level of skill:
3. Where am I now?
Currently completing a diploma of business
4. Where do I want to be?
Running my own, successful business
5. How will I get there?
Completing the diploma, University and researching the field I
want to get into.
Using the worksheet at appendix 5 of this Student
Workbook, conduct a gap analysis of the skills you will
require over the next ten years and include these in your
PDP.

Required skills Strategies for skill acquisition

Management Work in a management position and gain

experience
Take a management course

Advanced Microsoft Take a computer course

Office Read books

Learning activity 3.14: My world in ten years

Grab some chart paper, some coloured crayons and draw a picture
of your world in ten years time. Get family, friends and especially

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children to help you. Include as many aspects of your life as you

can think of. Have fun.

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