Recording and reflecting on your learning to aid professional development Learning log guidance and template

What is a learning log? A learning log is a tool that enables you to record and reflect upon each development activity you undertake to achieve your development objectives. Why have a learning log? When we undertake any kind of learning activity, unless we record it somewhere, it’s easy to forget. A detailed learning log can be a really useful mechanism for keeping track, reminding you of aspects of your learning you may otherwise have forgotten about, but which could be useful in the future. If you already have a personal development plan, the learning log will help you to monitor progress against this. If you don’t yet have a personal development plan, the learning log should help to inform this, in the context of regular SRDS meetings with your manager. It is a tool for your personal use; you will not be required to use it, or asked to produce it. However, you may find it helpful in considering how to put your learning into practice. It can help you maximise benefits from learning activities, helping you to embed what you learn and change working practices to ensure ongoing improvement (this is, after all, what development is). When to complete your learning log Complete your log as soon as possible after each learning activity so you can capture the key points while they are still fresh in your mind.

What to record on your learning log Training is much wider than just formal training courses. There are many ways in which we learn and develop. We need to record the different activities that build our knowledge, skills and experience. You should record all your learning and development activities on the log, whether formal or informal. These could include:  Coaching  Briefing sessions  Peer-to-peer training  Mentoring  Researching / reading about a work-related topic  Internal and external training courses  Internal or external conferences  Completing an e-learning resource Reflect on what you actually learned and assess that against what you had hoped to learn from the activity. Are there any gaps in your learning you would like to address? Think about how your learning can be applied to your work. How will you put what you’ve learnt into practice? A learning log can be quite simple and to the point; it therefore does not have to be a daunting task to fill it in. There are a number of templates available online, including an AUA template on the Guide to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) page of the SDDU website. Another suggested template is included below.Guide to Continuing Professional Development (CPD) page of the SDDU website

DateActivity topic/title Activity type DurationWhat did I hope to learn? What were my reasons for undertaking the activity? What did I learn? Top 3 headline points/key messages? Gaps / further learning requirements? How will I apply what I learned? Action plan? How will I know it’s working / making a difference? 2/4/15Developing eLearning resources Online research 2 hoursGain understanding of important points Keep it brief Keep language simple Use lots of visuals n/aUse in developing and editing online resources. Evaluate effectiveness of online resources. 5/5/15Communication skills Training workshop 3 hoursImprove presentation skills and effectiveness in meetings Preparation / rehearse what plan to say Keep desired end result in mind Listen to others Practice!Seek more opportunities to present in meetings Talk to manager and arrange to practice in team meetings & seek feedback Example Learning Log (copy and paste to Word / Excel to adapt for your own use)