Reflections on Using Journals in Higher Education: A Focus Group Discussion with Faculty

Autor/inn/en	O'Connell, Timothy; Dyment, Janet
Titel	Reflections on Using Journals in Higher Education: A Focus Group Discussion with Faculty
Quelle	In: Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31 (2006) 6, S.671-691 (21 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0260-2938
Schlagwörter	Higher Education; Group Discussion; Focus Groups; Journal Writing; College Faculty; Teacher Attitudes; Questionnaires; Teaching Methods + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Gruppendiskussion; Zeitschriftenaufsatz; Fakultät; Lehrerverhalten; Fragebogen; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode
Abstract	Reflective journals have become an increasingly popular tool used by numerous faculty across many disciplines in higher education. Previous research and narrative reports of journal writing have explored student perceptions of journal writing, but very little is understood about faculty perceptions. In this paper, we report on a study involving eight university faculty who teach courses with outdoor field components in the areas of outdoor recreation, experiential education, or outdoor education. We present the faculty members': (1) current practices of journal writing (types of journals, types of entries, process of journal writing), (2) perceptions of journal writing (rationale, quality, evaluation) and (3) recommendations to maximize the potential of journal writing. A mixed methods approach was used that included a 32-item quantitative questionnaire and a focus group discussion. By and large, the faculty who participated in this study appreciated the pedagogical potential of journal writing. They were, however, cautious about certain aspects of the journaling process and offered numerous suggestions for improving the "journaling experience." This paper concludes with several recommendations for consideration by higher education faculty who use journal writing as an instructional technique. (Contains 2 tables and 1 note.) (Author).
Anmerkungen	Routledge. 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001. Tel: 212-216-7800; Fax: 212-564-7854; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals.
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10