Learning diary

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A learning diary ( English learning log or learning journal ) is an educational tool to promote the learning process and behavior of students parallel to the lesson . The students document their learning behavior in the long term on the side. There are certain similarities with the reading diary , which is, however, bound to a specific reading.

If you create an e-portfolio , you automatically have a learning diary.

aims

The learning diary contributes to deepening and better understanding of the learning material through regular occupation. The development of illusions of understanding is counteracted, that is, the learner has the opportunity to discover and correct logical errors and contradictions in his concept through more intensive work. The main goal is also to develop awareness of one's own learning process. The student should be able to apply strategies that support him in learning . This should not be done purely "imitating"; rather, the revision of the results of his work should encourage him to recognize the advantages and disadvantages of these strategies and possibly adapt their application.

In addition, writing down their own thoughts gives the student the opportunity to get an overview and to develop new associations and ideas.

Psychological background

The learning process can be understood figuratively as a kind of cycle in which three phases interlock:

  • The first phase is the elaboration and organization: in this the existing knowledge is structured and worked out. Development strategies are used (e.g. formulating your own examples to illustrate the material ),
  • the use of which is checked at the same time in a second phase, monitoring. This is a monitoring of the actual work process, which can be either "negative" (negative monitoring: understanding difficulties are recognized and formulated) or "positive" (positive monitoring: ascertaining a positive learning experience). If the learner encounters a problem, he will try to fix it.
  • In a third phase, remedial strategies are considered that should resolve such difficulties in future work.

This process uses cognitive strategies such as repetition and organization (grouping, hierarchization, etc.), in which simple information is converted into dynamic knowledge. The metacognitive level is also claimed, that is, the learner is aware of the use of the cognitive strategies and can use them in a targeted manner. However, the use of cognitive strategies is not a matter of course for students, even if they are already familiar with them.

Studies with various forms of learning diaries have shown that both the use of cognitive and metacognitive learning strategies and learning success can be promoted even better by giving processing instructions (so-called prompts ) than by pure free writing. The prompts could come from both areas and relate to the different phases of the learning process, e.g. B .:

  • cognitive, organization: How can you best structure the learning content in a meaningful way?
  • cognitive, elaboration: Which examples can illustrate, confirm or contradict the learning content?
  • metacognitive, monitoring: Which points have you (not) understood so far? How can the understanding problem best be described?
  • metacognitive, remedial: which areas should you go through again? What ways can you find to resolve the comprehension difficulties?

Above all, cognitive and metacognitive prompts resulted in an increased use of strategies from their respective area. Both instructions promoted the processing of the knowledge gained at least in the short to medium term. However, a combination of prompts from different areas gave the best results.

Form and method of processing

The most important criterion for a learning diary is that it is kept over a longer period of time and regularly so that the learner has the opportunity to compare his or her learning behavior and evaluate changes.

The concrete form in which it is conducted can vary widely and depends on the age and situation of the students. Illustrations, pictures, tables and an outline of the text can help. Correspondingly, depending on requirements, the instructions given by prompts for free writing can take a back seat or be used in a targeted manner with a view to promoting cognitive and metacognitive strategies. In general, prompts for students who are inexperienced in using learning strategies should be relatively specific.

However, it should not be a pure question of knowledge, but should allow the students the freedom to determine the content relatively independently and problem-oriented. The learning diary also differs from the portfolio or scientific work in that it does not have a central focus.

literature

  • Glogger, Inga et al. A .: Activation of Learning Strategies in Writing Learning Journals. The Specificity of Prompts Matters , in: Zeitschrift für Pädagogische Psychologie 23 (Vol. 2009, No. 2), pp. 95-104.
  • McCrindle, Andrea, Christensen, Carol: The impact of learning journals on metacognitive and cognitive processes and learning performance , in: Learning and Instruction 5 (1995), pp. 167-185.
  • Nückles, Matthias u. A .: Enhancing self-regulated learning by writing learning protocols , in: Learning and Instruction 19 (2009, no. 3), pp. 259-271.
  • Nückles, Matthias u. A .: Self-regulated learning by writing learning diaries , in: Michaela Gläser-Zikuda (ed.): Learning diary & portfolio from an empirical point of view, Landau 2010.
  • Schwonke, Rolf u. A .: Computerized writing of learning protocols. Implementation and evaluation of a cognitive tool to promote self-directed learning , in: Zeitschrift für Medienpsychologie 17 (year 2005, NF 5), pp. 42–53.
  • Weber-Förster, Annette: learning diaries. In: Kunze, I., Solzbacher, C .: Individual support in secondary level I and II. 5th edition, 2016, ISBN 978-3-8340-1566-2

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