Disrupting Leaders

Learning Journals

The Learning Journal is the primary content mastery assignment in this course – there are no tests.

Under each Module in the Syllabus, students will find a list of books, book chapters, and articles to read before each class.

Students are expected to prepare and submit a reflective paper before each class (in MSFT Word; APA style, format, and citation; submitted in Canvas). A typical Learning Journal is between 3 and 10 pages long, depending on the readings assigned. The full APA document format includes: (1) Title Page; (2) Table of Contents; (3) body of the Learning Journal itself; (4) References, for each reading, in APA citation format. Note that Learning Journals do not need an Abstract/Executive Summary section, although more complex documents in APA Style do.

This paper, which we call a Learning Journal, is a collection of analyses and reflections of all assigned readings. Students are expected to write a summary and reflection of each assigned reading’s primary ideas. Each book chapter and each article is considered an “assigned reading”. Each assigned reading would be a stand-alone section of your Learning Journal, with its own title.

Also, students are expected to write at least one (1) question for each assigned reading section (book chapter and article), focusing on an aspect of the reading that requires clarification or points to the need for additional information.

Learning Journals are an essential aspect in determining how well students develop their thinking and communication skills about leadership, disruption, and transformation.

Learning Journals are a Personal Learning Tool … with three parts:

Summarize the key ideas.
Proof 1 >>> that you have grasped the key ideas.
Relate the ideas to something.
Reflect your ideas off the ideas of the author, or
Reflect other ideas off the ideas of this author.
Proof 2 >>> that you have internalized the key ideas & can relate them to other ideas.
Question the ideas.
Write a question about the material.
A question that demonstrates you can extend the ideas of the author using your imagination.
Proof 3 >>> that you fully understand and can question the ideas.
Through your writing – your Learning Journal – we can observe your Learning Journey … as you teach yourself … passing through the three parts.

As a result, Learning Journal assignments are a significant part of grading each student’s mastery of this course material.

In summary:

Learning Journals are a required weekly paper that is approximately 3 to 10 pages long, depending on the readings assigned.
Summarize the ideas – of each chapter, essay, or article.
Relate the ideas to something – reflect your ideas off the ideas of the author – or reflect other ideas off the ideas of this author.
Question the ideas – write a question about the material – a question that demonstrates you can extend the ideas of the author using your imagination.
Do this for each assigned reading section (book chapter and article),
Use APA style, format, and citation – for the complete document – from cover page to references.
Emphasize precision and depth in content, style, and format.