NPU PDP 1 Polymers Group

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to write this short post to try to clarify how the portfolio works.

In your student handbook and in the PDP coursebook there are guidelines on what pieces of work should be uploaded into your portfolio by January 12th 2018 (the end of semester 1). Just to help, I've copied them below, with important additional notes.

4x Reflective Journal Entries. The purpose of the reflective journal entries is to encourage you to regularly think about your development, to structure that thinking, and to provide evidence that you are able to recognise the need for development and are capable of identifying (and then applying) action plans to achieve that development.

These entries also help you make sense of your initial time here and prepare you for later in your academic life when reflection becomes a key part of experimental design and report writing.

(Approx 200 words per entry)

The topic of these reflections are UP TO YOU. I gave you the first one to get you started and provided immediate feedback to let you know how you'd done. The next reflective journal entries depend on you. They should be about the learning and developmental experiences you are having here at NPU. They can be on study or learning based experience you have had - including developing study related skills like time management and group working.

You need to write AT LEAST 4 of these journal entries and upload them to your portfolio page by January 12th. BUT you can upload them whenever you've completed them if you want and I will try to provide you with some feedback as you go along.

In class I might suggest that a topic would be good for reflection - like Time Management - but this does NOT mean you MUST write a reflection on this topic - that choice is up to you.

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1x How to guide. A How to guide is a short piece of writing that explains how to do something, for example, how to improve or develop a certain skill. You can choose any of the development techniques or issues discussed in the first semester and imagine you are explaining this PDP skill to a new student. You should use examples and illustrations to enhance your guide. Possible topics include: How to improve time management. How to improve critical thinking. How to overcome barriers to critical thinking. How to adapt to a student centered classroom, etc. (Approx 500 words)

This is a short writing task that demonstrates that you have clearly understood a particular topic from PDP and are able to effectively summarise the main points. In this task you should imagine you are passing good practice or advice to students who will one day be first year students at NPU like you are now. The deadline for this is January 12th. An example can be found on the 'example portfolio page' on QMPlus Hub.

1x Rehearsal Video. You will study Effective Presentations in Weeks 7 & 8. You will learn how to structure an oral presentation and you will be asked to prepare just the introduction to a short presentation in which you follow the key structure of a presentation, effective linking language, using aspects of spoken delivery. You will video a rehearsal of the introduction and upload this to your portfolio. (Video, approx 2-4 minutes in length)

This video will only be about 2-4 minutes long (actually it may even be much shorter). The purpose is for you to practice speaking confidently, organizing information within a clear structure. It would be best to do this soon after Lecture 7 Effective Presentations while the information and techniques are still fresh in your mind. If you upload your individual videos before January 12th I will give you feedback.

1 x Mini Research Project. The topic of your Balloon Debates in Weeks 11 & 12 will be on the topic of: 'In the history of science, which scientist has made the most significant contribution?'

You will need to conduct research to choose the person you think who has made the most significant contribution to the field. You will show how you conducted this research and provide evidence from selected sources to support your choice, briefly explaining why the chosen sources are relevant and reliable and credible. (Approx 500 words)

This mini research project needs to be completed before Week 9 because this forms the research for your debate. You will need to have conducted the research before you form yourselves into debate teams so that your your team can choose the best research with the most persuasive evidence. Your whole team will then conduct further research about the famous scientist you have chosen to make your defense of them in the debate even stronger.

Your team will then make a short presentation about your chosen scientist, as well as asking questions and spontaneously debating points raised by the opposition.

Because many of you will have previously researched the famous scientist other teams while be defending, you will be able to question their choice effectively.

Interim Grade

We would prefer that all Semester 1 work be completed by January 5th 2018. If your work is visible on your PDP by this date, then you will receive an interim grade to indicate how you are progressing.

All of your portfolio work should be ON ONE PAGE

I hope this provides some clarity.

If you have any questions please add a question to the forum, email me or ask a question in the lectures.

I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

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