FLO Workshop Handbook: Learning Journal

FLO Learning Activities

Learning Journal

Part 1 - Journal and share weekly "nuggets" as we go...

We're fans of learning journals. We know that unless and until we actually jot notes as we go, notes that move "hey neat" ideas toward application and implementation, we often lose many of the details that could help us transform ideas/thoughts into action.

So, you're asked to record what you are learning and want to remember in the form of a journal.

As you go, you’ll encounter some readings that you think are terrific (and some...not so much). You'll think some of your colleagues' ideas are brilliant (and some...not so much). Some of the teaching strategies and technology tools will resonate with you more than others. Get these thoughts down before they get jumbled with others and lose their usefulness to you.

You are welcome to use whatever format you like for your journal (blog, paper notebook, Google doc, etc) - it is your own journal, which you may keep private if you choose.

And, each week review your journal and extract an "aha" moment. This could be a quotation from a reading or forum that made something clear or made your smile. Also, share some insights you gleaned from self-assessing your participation each week (using the rubric). Post these nuggets from your journal to the Weekly Journal Share forum.

Here are some journal prompts that may be useful as you go:

Suggested Weekly Journal Share Prompts

What do you take from this week's readings? What holds special promise for your practice? Record key ideas, strategies, and resources.
Step back and consider the design and flow of activities this week. What is working? What isn't? (Consider the selection and amount of reading, time expectations, learning activities, sequencing, instructions, amount of forum activity, etc)
What is one step or task that would help you implement one (or more) of your learnings this week? i.e., how can you go from thought to action?
How is your participation in FLO this week? Do a quick self-assessment in your journal (using the rubric)

Part 2 - Collect for Final Sharing Activity

During the Week 5 you'll be asked to participate in a final reflective activity called "Looking Back, Looking Forward". As you progress through the course, collect resources that you might use to illustrate or communicate your final reflections in a unique and creative way. That might include short videos, images (drawings or photographs), snippets of a particularly eloquent argument you put forward in a forum?