Digital Journaling Research

Narrator: Two students replicated a video journaling study, discovering challenges, insights, and benefits of reflective learning. Tutor: So, your task was to select an article based on a small-scale classroom study and replicate the methodology. Let's hear about the study you chose. Amira: Right we picked an article by two lecturers who trialed video journals as a way to track student reflection during a creative writing module. Liam: Each student was asked to record weekly reflections using their phone, and then submit the clips via an online platform. The researchers wanted to assess both engagement and depth of reflection. Tutor: Interesting choice. Why did you go with that article? Amira: Mainly because it seemed flexible and easy to replicate. Plus, video journaling was something neither of us had tried before, so it felt fresh. Liam: And we thought our classmates might respond well to the format. It's a little less formal than written reflection, and potentially more personal Tutor: Good thinking. So how did you carry out your version? Amira: We asked students from our media studies class to film a short clip once a week after each seminar. We gave them prompts based on that week's topic. Liam: Then, we analyzed the clips for themes like emotional response, level of insight, and references to course content. Tutor: Were participants easy to recruit? Amira: Not initially. A few were reluctant to film themselves, but once we reassured them it wasn't being marked or shared publicly, most agreed. Liam: We ended up with 24 students. And while not everyone submitted all three videos we requested, we had enough for analysis. Tutor: And how did you evaluate the feedback? Amira: We used a rubric to score the depth of reflection. We also asked for feedback through a quick survey after the final journal. Liam: What surprised us was that several students said they'd never thought about reflection as a process before so it definitely shifted something. Tutor: That's promising. Any limitations? Amira: A few said they didn't feel comfortable on camera, and others noted they struggled to articulate thoughts aloud compared to writing. So maybe next time we offer a choice of format. Tutor: Smart conclusion. Offering choice can improve both participation and authenticity. Overall, sounds like a valuable trial.