Using Student Journals to Stimulate Authentic Learning: Balancing Bloom's Cognitive and Affective Domains

Bloom (1956) pioneered the measurement of learning outcomes with a taxonomy of educational objectives, but educators often ignore affective learning objectives and focus on attaining cognitive objectives. This study examined student journals as a way to correct the overemphasis on cognitive objectives. Results suggested that course expectations and affective journal outcomes were important correlates of student evaluations of course outcomes even after controlling for the instructor, student gender, and student achievement. These findings have important implications for the use of student journals and for interventions aimed at increasing student evaluations of course outcomes.

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