What is it?
A logbook is a record of events, experiences and performance of procedures or processes that students document to provide evidence of how they have met particular requirements that are essential for student progression through a unit. A logbook is often used in health-based professional programs to indicate the range of experiences and events that students have been exposed to or taken part in. However, they can be used in any authentic context which requires students to provide evidence of their exposure to events or providing evidence that students are able to perform skills or processes.
Why use it?
Authentic contexts are highly variable and this means that events, experiences and teaching practices are likely to differ. The purpose of the logbook is to introduce consistency across the student learning experience to enable students to map events and experiences against learning objectives or required competencies. Logbooks also provide a sense of how individual students are progressing against the learning objectives in a particular unit.
How do I do it?
- Take some time to establish whether a logbook already exists and determine if you can re-purpose it.
- Clearly outline the learning objectives or competencies that the student is required to meet and if these can be met by outlining an event, process or procedure.
- The easiest way to implement the use of logbooks in your unit is to provide students with a template. Students can then upload this template via vUWS.
Considerations
- Logbooks should be clear and concise and they should have a very clear structure and easy to use.
- Embed the logbook as a key component of the curriculum and provide students with very clear guidelines about how to use it and why it is important. Consider the development of examples to guide students in their use of the logbook.
- If possible, attempt to monitor student logbooks to ensure that students are on the right track.
Resources
Curtin University (n.d.). Logbook for Engineering. Retrieved 1.5.2025 from https://www.curtin.edu.au/resources/file/faculty/sci/1.1_Bachelor-of-Engineering-Yellow-Logbook-full.pdf
University of Nottingham (n.d.). A template logbook for nursing. Retrieved 15.2025 from https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/nursing/practice/mentors/downloads/dtp-2464.pdf
University of Salford (n.d.). Writing a reflective log. Retrieved 1.5.2025 from https://www.salford.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/Writing%20A%20Reflective%20Log.pdf
