Keeping it personal: self-generated learning tools for lifelong professional development

Approaches to learning in the twenty-first century need to reflect student diversity in order to widen and sustain participation in education and continuing professional development (CPD). There is some evidence of success in widening access to professional social care employment through training and qualification programmes but a notable lack of success in sustaining this participation into CPD and lifelong professional learning. This paper argues for an increased contribution of more personalised, self-generated learning approaches to sustainable participation through the development of the Professional Identity and Values Organisation Tools (PIVOT). The tools have been developed by the authors from the constructivist teaching and learning insights of Personal Construct Psychology and are freely available to download and use (see below). The intention is to enhance reflection for professional learners and practitioners through self-generated personal constructs and values and the creation of self-directed learning aims. We argue that the inclusion of enhanced reflective techniques such as PIVOT helps to facilitate a deep, personal engagement in the processes of learning to learn and builds a foundation for sustained participation in and ownership of students' and practitioners' CPD and lifelong learning.