The Effect Of Study Journals On Student Performance And Attitudes In An Electrical Engineering Course

One hundred and eighty nine students enrolled in a sophomore electrical engineering circuits class were asked to keep a journal of their study habits, observations, and attitudes regarding the course as it progressed through the semester. They were periodically asked to turn in parts of their journal for review, with a submittal of a two-page study journal summary at midterm and the end of the semester. This paper describes how the use of a study journal in this way improved many students’ awareness of their study habits for the course and enhanced their overall educational experience. Data are presented in the form of student comments excerpted from their study journal summaries. The authors discuss inferred improvements in the students’ cognitive development. While difficult to prove, the authors postulate that the use of a study journal ultimately benefits the students’ attitude and performance in follow-on engineering classes and can aid techniques such as problem-based learning.