The Australian Postgraduate Psychology Logbook Working Group: Processes and recommendations
Channel: AusPLAT Conferences and Roundtables
Date: 2022-04-12

The Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) stipulates that postgraduate psychology trainees need to gain experience across different placement contexts and maintain clear records of their placement experiences in the form of placement logbooks. Findings from past research have indicated stark differences in the way logbooks have been utilised across the various training programs. Given the crucial role that practicum plays in the development of competent and safe trainee psychologists, the need arose for agreed standards across higher education providers on what logbooks should look like and the information that they need to capture. In response to this, the Australian Postgraduate Psychology Logbook Working Group (APPLWG) was formed, which consisted of educators and academics from different postgraduate psychology programs across Australia, to review and develop guidelines for logbook processes. This presentation describes the formation of the APPLWG, processes involved in the formulation of logbook guidelines and outcomes of consultation processes which included an online survey of postgraduate psychology educators nationally. It outlines the final recommendations of the working group including a list of essential and optional information to be captured in all postgraduate psychology placement logbooks in Australia.