Learning from the inside Out: A Method for Analyzing Reflective Journals in the College Classroom

The literature on reflective journals reveals that unless instructors use reflection in an educationally meaningful way, students often view journaling as busywork. The instrument we have designed and propose here for analyzing reflective journal entries provides students with useful methods for reviewing and critiquing connections between classroom learning and practical experience. Because this matrix graphically portrays how concrete or abstract and how cognitive or affective a given journal entry is judged, it holds promise for developing reflective skills and self-understanding. We present a definition of reflective journals, a rationale for the instructional use of reflective journals in professional education, a method for analyzing students' journal entries, and a means for developing reflective skills. Although this work is rooted in human services education, the instrument described here—a matrix for analyzing reflective journal entries—can be used in disciplines in which the use of reflective skills is a valuable component.

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