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Fog and Nature

Learning Journal

Dauer

0.5

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Moderate

Learning Journal

Working on a learning journal is a 10-60 minute activity, when the participants take individual time to reflect on certain experience, feelings, emotions and goals.
This process helps individuals reflect, observe, set goals, assess the learning and evaluate their experience in a more precise, clear and personal way.

Kategorie

Self-Assessment, Reflection, Non-formal education

Umfeld

Outdoor, Indoor

Dauer (Minuten)

0.5

Schwierigkeitsgrad

Moderate

Zahl der Teilnehmer

No Limit

Benötigte Materialien

Journal and Marker/Pen


Ziele und Aufgaben

This activity aims to help people assess their learning and transform their experience into learning experience.

“Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you” - Aldous Huxley

A reflection journal is one of the tools that encourages individuals to record and analyze their thoughts, experiences, and emotions. It can be a valuable aid for personal and professional development in several ways. Non-formal education, experiential learning often leaves the intangible learning outcomes to participants, which can be understood and assessed through reflection. The learning journal method can boost:

Self-awareness -  Writing in a reflection journal prompts you to explore and understand your thoughts and feelings. It allows you to gain insight into your reactions, motivations, and values, fostering a deeper understanding of yourself.

Critical thinking -  Reflective writing encourages critical thinking as you evaluate and analyze your experiences. It helps you consider different perspectives, question assumptions, and make connections between theory and practice.

Goal setting - Regularly reflecting on your experiences can help you set and refine personal and professional goals. By assessing your progress, identifying areas for improvement, and recognizing achievements, you can adjust your goals accordingly.

Problem-solving - Reflecting on challenges and setbacks can be a constructive way to develop problem-solving skills. By examining your approach to difficulties, you can brainstorm alternative strategies and learn from mistakes.

Decision-making - A reflection journal can serve as a decision-making tool. Writing down your thoughts and weighing the pros and cons of different options can help clarify your thinking and lead to more informed decisions.

Stress reduction - Expressive writing, such as that found in a reflection journal, has been linked to stress reduction. By putting your thoughts on paper, you may find a sense of release and relief, making it easier to cope with challenges.

Continuous learning - Reflection is an integral part of the learning process. A reflection journal allows you to revisit and consolidate what you've learned, reinforcing your understanding and facilitating continuous learning.

Professional development - In a professional context, a reflection journal can be a valuable tool for career development. It allows you to document your achievements, challenges, and growth, providing a record that can be useful for performance evaluations or career planning.

Enhanced communication skills - Writing in a reflection journal can improve your communication skills. It encourages you to articulate your thoughts clearly and concisely, which can be beneficial in both personal and professional contexts.

Increased mindfulness - Reflection encourages a mindful approach to experiences. By taking the time to reflect, you become more present and attentive to your thoughts and actions, fostering a greater sense of mindfulness in your daily life.

Ultimately, the benefits of a reflection journal are personal and can vary from individual to individual. Regular and thoughtful reflection, however, is generally associated with personal growth, improved decision-making, and enhanced self-awareness.

Anweisungen

  1. Participants are given the printed out questions, instructions and guides in the beginning of the activity (Materials should be chosen according to the type of activity: A single workshop or 5 day hiking expedition)

  2. The method of learning a journal and what it is for is explained to the group according to the Activity Aims and Objectives.

  3. When all the parties know the reason and purpose of Learning Journal, you can forget about it for a while, until a working session or day is finished.

  4. When the main activity is over, the facilitator asks the group to take 10-60 minutes by themselves, find the quiet and comfortable setting that suits them individually and follow the questions and statements in their journal.

  5. The activity can be done daily, weekly or monthly

Nachbesprechung

Risiken und Empfehlungen

Risks:

  • The biggest risk is that participants will not actually take their time for this activity and thorough reflection, which will make this method lose its sense.

Recommendation:

  • Facilitators should underline the benefits of this tool and give participants all the creative freedom to experiment with their learning journals. Sometimes this can mean not following the questions and inventing individual ways to reflect on their experience.

Wissen und Kompetenz der Moderatoren

No special skills and training is required to implement this method into practice.

Im Kopf behalten...

It is nice to showcase using learning journal for work:

  • Planning;

  • Goal setting;

  • Troubleshooting;

  • Mood tracking;

  • Thought dumping.

When participants will see different ways of following the journal, they might find their favorite one and use it more often.

Andere:

Goal Setting:

  1. What goals did I set for my learning, and how did I progress toward achieving them?

  2. In what ways can I apply what I've learned in real-life situations?

  3. What goals do I want to set for my next learning period?

  4. How does this learning experience contribute to my long-term goals and aspirations?

Reflection:

  1. What did I learn today/this week?

  2. Did I encounter any surprises or unexpected insights during my learning process?

  3. What strategies or resources did I find most helpful in my learning?

  4. What areas do I feel more confident in, and where do I still need improvement?

  5. How did my attitudes or beliefs about the subject or task change during the learning process?

  6. What feedback have I received, and how can I use it to enhance my learning?

  7. Did I encounter any obstacles or distractions, and how did I manage them?

Progress Check:

  1. What was the most challenging aspect of the material or task, and how did I overcome it?

  2. How does the new information connect to what I already know?

  3. Were there any moments of frustration or confusion, and how did I handle them?

  4. Did I collaborate with others during my learning, and how did that collaboration contribute to my understanding?

Feel free to adapt these questions based on your specific needs and preferences. The goal-setting questions can help your participants clarify their learning objectives, the reflection questions can deepen their understanding, and the progress check questions can help them assess the development over time.

Anhang und Ausdruck:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lmDRDh5DsXB85-nd9B_8u-vwtLZoODqI/view?usp=share_link

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