Personal Educational Planning at Secondary School: Vision and Voice

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the experiences and perceptions of those involved with personal educational planning (PEP) in a twenty-first century secondary school in New Zealand. PEP is the process students use to organize and plan for their learning as it unfolds throughout their school career and into the future. This thesis examines opportunities for student agency in managing their PEP; parents’ roles and engagement in student learning partnerships; and students’ efficacy beliefs in becoming self-regulated learners. The two-phased study is situated within an interpretive framework and employs a mixed methods case study approach. The first phase sought to capture a wide cross section of perceptions and experiences with a view to scoping the phenomenon of PEP within a specific secondary school context. The second phase aimed to gain in-depth understandings from a small number of participants in relation to PEP experiences over the course of eighteen months. The intention was to gain insights relating to their experiences of PEP from a student who was fully engaged with the process; one who was semi-engaged and one who was disengaged. Teachers, whanau tutors and leaders directly associated with these students were interviewed as well as the students’ parents or caregivers. Findings reported revealed that the principal and teachers had similar understandings in regard to the processes and procedures of PEP. The parents also held understandings in common in regard to the nature, place and role of PEP in the school. In contrast the three groupings of students drew attention to the differences among them in relation to their personal competency beliefs around engagement. The advances the students made in their PEP and the associated development of their capabilities had an influence on their personal efficacy. The findings of this study have implications for better understanding the processes and procedures schools, teachers and parents provide for students within the context of personal educational planning and the outcomes for students.