Concluding remarks

Personal reflective learning journals will enable you to create a record of the connections and meanings you are making as you engage in learning experiences. The actual writing of the journal will consolidate the reflection process for you. Remember, you can use whatever format you are most comfortable with. You may want to use diagrams, pictures and colour. Or, you may wish to record your thoughts in an audio file. You could also engage in discussion with your friends and classmates prior to putting your thoughts in more concrete form. Ultimately, your journal should reflect your own experience and observations rather than quotations from academic texts. However, this is not to say that you cannot quote academic texts where this would help the reflective process e.g. relating theory to practice.

If you do not want to write/record a reflective journal you should still make every attempt to engage in the reflective process by getting into the habit of asking yourself the questions outlined earlier in this handout. Remember that reflection is also a mechanism by which you can show what you have learned and how you have done so (for both yourself and in assessments/assignments).

NB: Note
In some of your courses you may be required to write a reflective learning journal as part of your course work. If this is being assessed and marks assigned as part of your course grades it is essential that you adhere strictly to your School or lecturer's  expectations and requirements in this regard.

This handout is meant as an aid to writing a personal reflective learning journal. It is important to point out that if you elect to keep any sort of on-line journal, log, diary, etc. you must comply with DCU’s appropriate usage policy and take responsibility for protecting your own privacy. 

End of unit: Action

Click on the notebook link below and begin your journey!
You could start with the questions: ‘What? So What? Now What?’ as discussed in this section. The following unit, ‘Creative and critical thinking’, will enhance your ability to engage in the reflective process.