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Learning Journals
What is a Learning Journal?
It is simply a record of your learning, of any actions that you need or want to take because of what you have learned, and of any useful resources identified. So, after; attending a course, reading a book, watching a colleague, getting feedback, having a discussion etc., you may want to record your learning.
Why do you need Learning Journals?
The purpose of keeping a LJ is to enable you to think through learning opportunities and summarise them in a format that helps you to focus and develop your skills. It allows you to consolidate learning, think clearly about your learning needs, and review and reflect on what you have learnt. It also acts as evidence of continuous learning, and helps focus discussions in supervision etc. Lastly, it helps capture resources for your own future use, or for sharing with colleagues.
Like many of us you may have kept copious notes from a course you attended, only to look back a few months later and wonder what on earth you learned! With a short, well written (by written read written or kept on a PC), in a few seconds you should be able to identify your key learning and actions you wanted to take, and the resources you wanted to share. Over time this in itself improves the value of attending courses etc.
And please remember that LJs are primarily written for you, and for your own use. You therefore don’t need to write to ‘explain’ things to other people, only sufficient information to remind yourself.
What goes into Learning Journals?
There are three main uses for LJs, and in each you would record slightly different information.
When writing a LJ following a training event you have attended you will need to record: details of the course, the actual event programme and participants (you can attach these if you have them already), and then your Learning Points, Action Points, and any useful resources. You may then need to refer to where these resources can be found, or append them as appropriate.
Following an Assignment where you are writing a LJ you will need to record: sufficient details re the assignment to help you remember (whilst not breaching confidentiality), and any LP’s and APs. You may also want to put in details for your own future records, for example where there were problems in an assignment that you then dealt with. This is especially true of legal and child protection work for example.
Lastly, when you are using a LJ for anything else, you will need to record sufficient detail for the thing in question, whether a book, discussion, or whatever, along with your LPs, APs, and any resources. This may include any assignments that made you think about your skills, where there was a dilemma, or feedback received from your colleague, co-worker or client. You can also include your own perceptions on your knowledge and skill development.
Remember, it is the quality and not the quantity of information that will help you the most.
What are Learning Points and Action Points?
Just a shorthand way of noting your learning and any actions you want to undertake. You simply write LP …. or AP … and then a summary of the point you want to remember / do.
How do my PDP and LJs link?
Once you have recorded this information on your LJ this may feed into your PDP and vice a versa.
For example you may have done an assignment where you struggled with role shift. If this is now a pattern that you have identified, then you may have an Aim or Objective in your PDP to develop skills in this area.
Alternatively you may have decided to look at your knowledge of BSL linguistics and recorded this on your PDP. You then attended a course and read a linguistics book. Your learning from the course and book would then be recorded in your LJ with your ideas on how to put what you have learnt into practice. This then feeds back into your PDP where you record your next step.
Why are there three pro formas?
Because we are all different. There are several choices of PDP proformas, and you will want to choose just the one which best suits you. You may need to try them out first to see which you find easier to use. If you wish to record your PDP using a different, or your own, pro forma you may do so, so long as all of the elements covered in the existing pro formas are covered in yours. You may also record on PC, again so long as you cover all the elements, including tracking changes and updates. The same is true of the LJ's, though you may find that different styles of LJ are better suited for different purposes.
Summary:
Your LJs help you clarify and capture Learning, key Actions, and resources.
LJs should be kept short and sweet, containing LPs, APs, and resources, and are written for you to support your professional development.
NB this document and pro formas are adapted from originals developed in the RNID as part of their staff Professional Development scheme.
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