Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
CROATIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION-HRVATSKI CASOPIS ZA ODGOJ I OBRAZOVANJE, cilt.16, sa.3, ss.723-743, 2014 (SSCI)
The efficacy of reflective writing in stimulating critical thinking and developing metacognitive awareness has been widely recognized; yet, in spite of the clear benefits provided by reflective tools such as learning journals, the ultimate success of such activities largely depends on whether or not learners are receptive to their use. In the Turkish educational system, where a student-centred, constructivist approach to learning is still a novel practice, it may be especially difficult to implement reflective writing successfully. Thus, in this action research project, the investigator decided to explore the attitudes of Turkish graduate students in an English Language Teaching Methodology course towards the use of learning journals as a reflective tool. The findings indicate that, after some initial resistance, most of the participants found reflective writing to be an effective learning strategy. In light of the participants' views, some suggestions are offered concerning the implementation of reflective writing in contexts where students may not be familiar with the process of reflection.