Why is it Important to Plan Your Learning?
Devising a learning plan
As a medical professional, you are expected to take on the role
of being a lifelong learner to keep abreast of your field and maintain
and further develop your expertise.
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is the tool by which
you can access this learning.
Reflecting on what you have previously completed and what you think
you might like or need to do, forms the basis of your learning plan.
This may be in terms of knowledge, skill and performance in relation
to specific issues, problems or areas.
As a practitioner, you come across specific problems arising from
everyday work. When this occurs, if you decide to investigate or
resolve the problem, you may read journals and consult with colleagues
and focus on your prior knowledge, before applying a solution to
the problem. This is considered to be informal learning.
At other times, you may come across a general issue or area that
you would like to know more about. In this case, you may read more
widely, converse with colleagues, reflect on previous experiences,
seek information at meetings, do hands-on learning and explore courses
and resources that help you to gain the knowledge, skills and experience
to enhance your practice and improve patient outcomes. This is recognised
as formal or planned learning.
Managed or planned CPD programs include both formal and informal
methods of learning and should take full advantage of opportunities
that involve on-the-job and local learning. The possibility of taking
advantage of unplanned learning opportunities should be acknowledged,
as these can be used to complement activities that you have planned
for.
For this trial, we are asking you to plan your learning needs for
the next 12 months. This will require you to reflect on your practice
and to identify those areas of knowledge or skills within the framework,
that you feel you would like to learn more about and improve.
Steps to Identify Needs
Two steps
There are 2 steps to help you in identifying your needs. Both will
also provide information that will be used to develop and provide
educational opportunities and programs to meet your needs.
- Step 1 involves filling in a pre-learning plan
survey, which helps you to reflect on your practice.
- Step 2 requires you to compose an on-line
plan, by choosing the areas within the framework that you would
like to do professional development. This is a guide to you only.
You can add activities throughout the trial. However, reflecting
on your specific learning needs initially, enables you to move
away from learning what you feel comfortable with and towards
the areas you would like to develop further.
What is a Personal Learning Plan?
PLPs
A Personal Learning Plan (PLP) is a valuable tool which provides
a systematic way of identifying and addressing your educational
and professional development needs. This contrasts to the more usual
ad hoc approach to learning that is often employed such as attending
a conference which sounds interesting.
By asking you to identify your needs other than just in the clinical
area, you are encouraged to address the wider range of skills, knowledge
and attributes that are considered to be part of being a medical
professional. For example, a knowledge of how to adopt best evidence
into practice, how to use information technology effectively, how
to communicate for better outcomes or the skills involved in being
an effective mentor.
Reflecting on your specific learning needs enables you to move
away from learning what you feel comfortable with, towards the areas
you need to develop further. We are asking you to do this within
the components or domains of the framework.
There are many different versions of Personal Learning Plans. The
simpler the better! The questions below are the type that you should
ask yourself when reflecting on your learning. Reflecting on these
will mean that you are already moving towards identifying areas
that you would like to develop further.
Typical Learning Plan Questions
Questions to ask
Typical Learning Plan questions to ask yourself include:
- What do I need to learn?
Eg. How to create a data base using Excel to record antibiotic
useage rates for patients presenting with respiratory type symptoms.
- What action will I take to learn it?
Ask for a demonstration by someone who can do this, set time aside
to read an Excel manual, research short courses or a workshop.
- What evidence will I produce to show that learning
has occurred?
Actual production of a satisfactory data base and spreadsheet
- How long will it take me to achieve the task and document
it?
Eg 3 months
- Date completed and time taken
© RANZCOG
|
