Centre for Teaching and Learning
Good Practice in Teaching and Learning
Learning journals and logs, Reflective Diaries
Contributor: Jennifer Moon, University of Exeter
Learning journals and logs, Reflective Diaries
Contributor: Jennifer Moon
Learning journals, logs and reflective diaries are terms often used interchangeably. However, the purposes of them may differ slightly. When keeping a learning journal, the emphasis is on making explicit and recording the learning that occurs. Reflective diaries, as the name suggests, are more concerned with demonstrating reflection on an experience, while logs are a record of events that have happened. They usually, however, all have an aspect of reflection in them.
For the purposes of this document they will be dealt with together, under the title of learning journals, but while reading please bear in mind that the terms can be used to distinguish between similar but different documents.
The sole contributor to this document is Jennifer Moon (J.Moon@Exeter.ac.uk) BSc MPhil MEd MSc PhD, who works in staff and learning development in the Staff Development Unit, University of Exeter. She has considerable and recent experience as learner, and as a teacher both in higher education and continuing professional education, has run a wide range of courses including many in personal development and journal writing. She has published books on reflection in learning and professional development, on learning journals and on running short courses and workshops (all Kogan Page).
What is a Learning Journal / Reflective Diary
Journals, logs, diaries, portfolios are containers for writing that is recorded over a period of time. The writing may accompany a programme of learning, work, fieldwork or placement experience or a research project. The journals / logs and diaries can come in many different guises and be used to fulfil different purposes. Work on profiling and recording achievement can incorporate journal...