Be open to read entries by students who might request feedback more often than scheduled.It’s generally OK to be subjective, and use words like ‘I’ and ‘me’ in reflective writing. Either format can be adopted in any discipline where you can determine what students are learning and in what areas they need assistance. Reflective journals and learning logs can be useful as a teaching and learning tool. What steps are you going to take on the basis of what you have learned?”.What are you going to do differently in this type of situation next time?.What can be concluded in a general and specific sense from this situation/experience and the analyses you have undertaken?.Can you demonstrate an improved awareness and self-development because of the situation?.Can you integrate theory into the experience/situation?.What sense can you make of the situation?.What are the good and the bad aspects of the situation?.What did they have to do with the situation?.Describe the situation (the course, the context).Note that each of the items below could be modified to fit a personal situation (for the reflective journal) or a learning environment/situation (for the learning log). The essence of these models is presented below as the fundamental method of reflective journal and learning log entries. Each source outlines the stage or process somewhat differently yet with a similar approach. There are a number of stages through which students progress when writing reflective journals or learning logs. Recording what has happened, reflecting on processes and analyzing to improve deeper learning all can lead to new dimensions of students’ inner selves. In education, we want students to change for the better, to grow while learning and to mature into knowledgeable adults. Improvement could mean progress, development, growth, maturity, enhancement, or any number of words which could imply change. Reflecting is a cyclical process, where recording ones thoughts (reflecting) “leads to improvement and/or insight” (RMIT, 2006). I really don’t think I need to drink to be able to socialize with my friends and think we would get into trouble if we decided to drink as much as the groups do. Or, maybe they think that they have to drink because everyone else does! Self-awarenessĪt this point a student may place himself or herself in the situation by considering the ramifications. Upon reflection, the student could ask the question, Why do the all of the student groups drink together at football games but don’t seem to get along when they don’t drink? SpeculationsĪfter thinking about the situation, the student could reflect, Maybe it’s possible that that student groups drink because it’s easier to socialize that way. For example, At the pre-game parties outside the stadium I saw student groups guzzling buckets of beer. ObservationsĪt this stage a student would write about what they actually saw or their viewpoint on a particular event. Possible student comments are in italics. The following descriptions depict a reflection on university student groups and drinking. RMIT (2006) lists six types of reflections. Journals and learning logs can be used to reflect on a range of issues and situations from numerous viewpoints and perspectives (RMIT, 2006). Consider providing guidelines and/or rules to help students write meaningful and authentic journals or logs. However, to help students learn more about a particular subject or content, you can require students to write more formal entries using correct terminology, facts, and connections to course content. Both paper-based and online journals or logs can be turned in before or after each class period or at any other designated time.Ī student’s writing style for journals and logs can be informal and sometimes inappropriate. Journals and learning logs are then submitted to the instructor for feedback. Entries in journals and learning logs can be prompted by questions about course content, assignments, exams, students’ own ideas or students’ thought processes about what happened in a particular class period. Students typically are asked by their instructors to record learning-related incidents, sometimes during the learning process but more often just after they occur. Reflective journals are personal records of students’ learning experiences.
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