What do postgraduate psychology trainees and academics really think about practicum logbooks?
Channel: AusPLAT Conferences and Roundtables
Date: 2022-04-12

Professional practicum experiences play a crucial role in the training of future psychologists and thus are governed by strict requirements, including the need to maintain a formal record of trainee’s placement experiences in the form of placement logbooks. There is a need to explore the perceived functions, benefits and shortcomings of placement logbooks, as well as how practicum information can be further utilised to support trainee development. This qualitative study aimed to better understand the placement logbook user experience through interviews with eight psychology trainees and eight academic staff at Australian higher education providers. Findings indicated that the logbook was perceived to be predominately a tool to keep track of placement hours and meet accreditation requirements. Potential pedagogical functions included encouraging reflexivity, monitoring competency, and ensuring diverse client experiences but these were seldom employed. Completion and review of the logbook was mostly expressed in negative terms, with trainees reporting anxiety related to attaining needed hours, and academics noting time constraints for review. There was notable confusion regarding what counts as recordable activity, and participants indicated that the opportunity for hours substantially varies across placement sites. Participants raised a number of ways to improve logbooks, including progress trackers, better use of technology, standardized formats and better integration with other systems. Findings highlight that more could and should be done to improve the use of logbooks in psychology training.