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Internship: Introduction to logbook

Brief description

The exercise introduces the students to the use of a logbook in their project placement. The logbook should act as a reflection tool in their company project or project placement.

Motivation for the exercise and required outcome

Keeping a logbook greatly raises students’ awareness of how to translate their theoretical knowledge into concrete practice. A logbook that is being used throughout the internship – from identification of internship host organisation to the exam – helps the students to describe in words how their personal and academic competences have increased during the internship. At the same time, it raises the students’ awareness of how they may bring their academic competences into play in a career context – now as well as in the future.

Performing the exercise

    • As a teacher you must distribute handout 1 (Awaiting translation) to all your students.
    • The students read handout 1 and consider how they can integrate their logbook as a reflection tool in their own company project. They must also consider which questions they might add.
    • In pairs, the students discuss their own use of the handbook (advantages, disadvantages, at what times, how much etc.) and any alternative questions that might be added (cf. handout 1).
    • Follow up in class and decide jointly, if possible, how often the students should write in their logbook, and what they might focus on in particular.

    Options:

    • Use the reflection questions from the inspiration sheet for supervision as an element in the students’ logbook. These may act as a good basis for the students to start using the logbook both before, during and after their internship.

    Activities

      Examples of practice


        You will need:

        • Download the attached handout here:

        Worth considering:

        • Should all students in a class submit their logbooks at scheduled intervals? For instance to a group blog in Blackboard or Blogs?