LEARNING JOURNAL:

WHAT AND HOW TO WRITE

Dr Zulfan Tadjoeddin
Associate Professor in Development Studies
Western Sydney University

ESL Summer Course

IPB University, 15 Nov 2022
 To write 100-200
word-long
Total around 17
learning journal
learning sessions
per session during
the Summer Course
Learning journal
▪ Documenting the learning process in
your own personalised way
▪ Ensuring the learning process is right
LEARNING JOURNAL:
WHAT?
(Reflective) journals are
personal records of
students’ learning
experiences
WHY USE A LEARNING
JOURNAL
▪ To provide a ‘live picture’ of
your growing understanding of
a subject or experience
▪ To demonstrate how your
learning is developing
▪ To keep a record of your
thoughts and ideas throughout
your experiences of learning
A learning journal helps you to be reflective
about your learning, this means that your
learning journal should not be a purely
descriptive account of what you did/knew etc.
but an opportunity to communicate your
thinking process:

WHAT is your take on the new knowledge

you have learnt.
WHAT TO RECORD (1)
1. What you think about
points/issues raised
2. Any flashes of inspiration you
have had
3. What you understand so far
4. What you find puzzling,
difficult or contradictory
5. How you can reach a better
understanding of the above
6. What do you need to know more about,
and how can you go about finding out
more?
7. What resources have helped you to
understand and/or been interesting to
use?
8. How do you feel about the way you have
approached the issue/topic so far?
9. What new knowledge, skills or
understanding have you gained during
the process of writing your learning
journal?
▪ Clarity of idea
▪ Leading sentence + supporting
▪ Flow of sentences
▪ Simple and short sentences, forming a short
paragraph
Example 1