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Journals, Reflection, and Learning Essay

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Journals, Reflection, and Learning

A journal is a crucible for processing the raw material of experience in order to integrate it with existing knowledge and create new meaning. Among the many purposes for journal writing are the following: to break habitual ways of thinking; enhance the development of reflective judgment and metacognition; increase awareness of tacit knowledge; facilitate self-exploration and personal growth; and work out solutions to problems (Andrusyszyn and Davie 1997; Mitchell and Coltrinari 2001; Moon 1999). Moon (1999) and Carroll (1994) discuss theories and research that support a number of assumptions about learning from journals:

. Articulating connections between new and existing knowledge improves …show more content…

Moon (1999) outlines a "map" of the reflective writing process. She calls it a map to convey that the process is flexible rather than a linear sequence of activities. The map depicts—

. A purpose for journal writing that guides selection of topics
. Description of events or issues (observations; comments on personal behavior, feelings, and context)
. Linkage to related material (further observations, relevant knowledge or experience, suggestions from others, theory, new information)
. Reflective thinking (relating, experimenting, exploring, reinterpreting from other points of view, theorizing)
. Other processes (testing new ideas, representing material in other forms such as through graphics or dialogue)
. Product (statement of something that has been learned or solved, identification of new issue or question)
. Further reflection leading to resolution or looping back to an earlier step

However, before using a reflective tool such as a journal in teaching, educators should consider whether they uncritically accept reflection as inherently good and whether the culture in which they teach supports it (Conway 1999; English 2001).

All adults may reflect, but not all reflection results in learning. Although mental reflection may occur spontaneously, "written reflection is not a natural process, but has to be

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