Journal Writing and Adult Learning. ERIC Digest No. 174. Journal Writing and Adult Learning. The value of journal writing to a course with adult students cannot be overemphasized.
Journals are useful learning tools in a variety of adult education settings.
Dialog journals, for example, have become popular in adult literacy and English as a second language classrooms. This digest focuses on several types of journals, exploring their value in assisting adults through their learning journey and summarizing advice from the literature on effective ways to use journals. Usually, entries are shared with the class, stimulating discussion. In one variation described by Perham, a looseleaf notebook accessible to the whole class becomes a collaborative journal in which learners and teacher make ongoing comments. The learning journal is a systematic way of documenting learning and collecting information for self-analysis and reflection.