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Running Head: ADOLESCENT CHRONICLE
Learning Adolescent Development: The Adolescent Chronicle Paper
M Cecil Smith
Northern Illinois University
June 16, 2008
Word count: 1,316
Contact information:
M Cecil Smith, Ph.D.Department of LEPF
Northern Illinois University
DeKalb, IL 60115(815) 753-8448
(815) 753-8750 (f)
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]8/14/2019 Learning Adolescent Development: The Adolescent Chronicle Paper
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Abstract
A four-part journaling assignment requires graduate students in a course on adolescent
development to reflect upon their interests in and goals for working with adolescents
whether as teacher, counselors and therapists, or youth workers. The journal writing
assignment requires a series of observations of, reflections on, and analyses of adolescent
behavior and development in response to assigned readings, class discussions, or out-
of-class stimuli (e.g., newspaper articles). Student responses to the journal assignment
indicate that students find this to be both an enjoyable and valued learning experience,
and one which increases their interest in adolescents, and helps improve their writing.
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Learning Adolescent Development: The Adolescent Chronicle Paper
Several learning benefits that result from having students write reflective journals
have been described in the literature on the teaching of psychology (Cisero, 2006; Mayo,
2003; Miller, 1979). These benefits include opportunities for students to connect ideas
and knowledge acquired from course material to the experiences...surrounding their own
lives (Mayo, 2003, p. 234), making sense of what they are learning, increasing the
relevance of course content, developing analytical and creative thinking skills, enhancing
students motivation for learning, and for average-achieving students improveing
course performance (Cisero, 2006).
Bolin, Khramtsova, and Saarnio (2005) have suggested that, in addition to desired
cognitive outcomes, journal writing can help to achieve important (but often overlooked)
affective objectives in psychology courses, such as self-understanding, and motivation for
behavioral change and personal growth. They found that learning in an introductory
psychology course was strongly related to the affective outcomes (e.g., extent to which
journal assignments had a personally relevant impact) evident in students journals, but
unrelated to the cognitive outcomes (e.g., extent to which journal assignments helped
students learn the course material). Intriguingly, students affective outcomes also
predicted their evaluations of the course. Thus, journal writing assignments appear to
have benefits for both students and instructors.
I have used a journal writing activity in an adolescent development course that
has proven to be very effective in helping students make connections between course
contents and their out-of-class experiences, enhanced their understanding of the course
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material, and deepened their appreciation of the value of theory in interpreting
adolescents behaviors.
Graduate course in adolescent development. The course is an entry-level graduate
course that is intended for secondary education students. Typically, about 75% of the
enrolled students are young adults who are returning to school to obtain secondary
teacher certification, with plans to teach middle or high school. The remainder are
enrolled in psychology, educational psychology, or counseling programs. Thus, these
students lack teaching or clinical experience with teens, although some may have spent
time observing in classrooms, or have had limited work as substitute teachers.
Because they had few direct interactions with adolescents, the journal writing
assignment is designed to help students to think about their motivations for working with
adolescents, analyze the situations in which they observe adolescents in various settings,
and to reflect upon what the course contents in regards to adolescent development. I refer
to this writing assignment as an adolescent chronicle paper.
The Adolescent Chronicle Paper. The chronicle is a 4-part paper, and each part is
due at different times throughout the semester. The purpose of Part 1 is for students to
briefly describe their educational and employment background and personal interests as
these pertain to working with adolescents. They are asked to describe any experiences
they have had with adolescents (e.g., sibling, camp counselor, softball coach, Big
Brother/BigSister), and to describe any concerns they have about adolescents (e.g.,
disrespectful to adults). They also state what they want or expect to learn from the course.
Parts 2 and 3 each consist of five periodic observations, commentaries, and/or reflections
regarding some aspects of adolescents learning, behavior development, and/or schooling.
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These comments can be based upon the course reading assignments, lectures, discussions,
or any outside-of-course source materials, such as news and magazine articles or
websites, observations of or interviews with teens, recent classroom observations or
teaching experiences, or consumption of novels, movies, or TV programs having an
adolescent protagonist. Each entry is dated and there are ten entries across these two parts
of the chronicle. Each of the three chronicle parts is qualitatively evaluated as
satisfactory, needs improvement, or unsatisfactory. Students are encouraged to
revise the parts that are not satisfactory.
For Part 4, students briefly summarize the most important facts, concepts, and
ideas have learned in the course, drawing upon their prior reflections and observations
(Parts 2 & 3). They also state theirconclusions about how they can best integrate, apply,
adopt or otherwise employ their knowledge of adolescent development into their
teaching, counseling, parenting, or other interactions with adolescents. Part 4 is submitted
along with Parts 1, 2, and 3 as a final single document. A scoring rubric is used to
evaluate the chronicle along the following dimensions: grammar and mechanics; APA
style; demonstrates understanding of relevant psychological theories, contemporary
social issues, or research findings; and, demonstrates ability to reflect upon, analyze, and
interpret the adolescent experience in contemporary culture, respond to adolescents as
individuals and as learners, and ones role in teaching, counseling, and guiding
adolescents in schools and other settings.
Students Performance
Students typically respond very positively to this writing assignment, as reflected
in the average score for the assignment over several semesters for more than 80 students.
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On a 100 point scale, the average score has equaled 93, with scores ranging from 74 -
100.
What do students write about?
A content analysis of the 10 required journal entries (Parts 2 and 3) in the
Chronicle paper among revealed that students wrote about their observations and
interactions with adolescents in- and outside of school (25%), reactions to newspaper,
magazine, and online articles about adolescents (16%), and ideas about social-
psychological issues affecting teens (ranging from teens coffee consumption to sexual
activities, and depression; 15%). Descriptions of movies, television programs, and fiction
having teenaged protagonists accounted for another 13% of students written comments.
The remainder of journal entries consisted of comments regarding their teaching
experiences, reflections on their own adolescent experiences, or responses to course
assignments or required reading materials.
Students written comments captured a wide range of ideas, experiences, and
responses to the course materials, as well as their perceptions of their readiness to teach
or counsel adolescents. One student wrote:
Being a parent who has successfully reared two boys did not prepare me to teach
adolescents. This class has exposed me to many facets of teens lives that I would
not have believed existed had I not taken this class.
Another commented:
Understanding how adolescents perceive their peers, parents, and teachers is the
most valuable thing I have learnedI better understand how my actions will be
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perceived by my students and how to get the results I wantI feel more confident
as a young adult working with teens.
Many students wrote about the value of the course in altering their views about their
professional responsibilities, increasing their understanding of adolescents behaviors, or
influencing their beliefs about adolescents characteristics, as reflected in the following
comments:
Before this class, I would have said my job is to teach my students art. Now,
would say that I also need to include in my lessons attention to students identity,
self-esteem, and morality.
By taking this class, I was forced to observe my students and get a better
understanding why they exhibit behaviors such as a lack of motivation or school
avoidance the most frequent self-defeating behaviors I see as a counselor.
Many of the myths I had previously believed about teens are not true, such as
storm and stress.
Student evaluations of Chronicle paper. Data from an end-of-course survey found
overwhelmingly positive views of the value of the Chronicle writing project (Table 1).
The majority of students indicated somewhat to strong agreement that the project
was not only enjoyable, but also increased their interest in and understanding of
adolescent development. An added benefit was that four of five students believed that this
assignment helped them to improve their writing skills an asset that was strongly
emphasized in the course.
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Conclusion
Journal writing is a valuable assignment in psychology courses because it
provides multiple opportunities for students to think deeply about the facts and ideas they
are learning, to integrate this new knowledge with existing knowledge, beliefs, and
opinions, and to gain insights into their goals, behaviors, and attitudes. The adolescent
chronicle paper is a useful journaling assignment that helps students make connections
between theory and practice, increases students interest in learning about adolescents,
and is viewed by students as both interesting and enjoyable.
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Table 1.
Student evaluations of Chronicle paper project
Item
The Adolescent Chronicle paper Mean (S.D.)
Percent
agreeingwith
statement
was enjoyable 4.33 (1.29) 73
increased my interest in adolescent development 4.20 (1.21) 80
was a valuable learning activity 4.60 (0.99) 93
helped me connect theories of adolescence to
educational or clinical practice 4.67 (1.05)
93
increased my understanding of adolescent
development
4.67 (1.11) 87
helped me think about my views and beliefs
regarding adolescents
4.60 (0.98) 93
helped me to improve my writing skills 4.73 (1.34) 80
helped me to improve my memory for
information about adolescent development
4.47 (1.13) 53
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References
Bolin, A., Khramtsova, I., & Saarnio, D. (2005). Using student journals to stimulate
authentic learning: Balancing Blooms cognitive and affective domains. Teaching
of Psychology, 32(3), 154-159.
Cisero, C.A. (2006). Does reflective journal writing improve course performance?
College Teaching, 54(2), 231-236.
Mayo, J.A. (2003). Observational diary: The merits of journal writing as case-based
instruction in introductory psychology.Journal of Constructivist Psychology, 16,
233-247.
Miller, S.U. (1979). Keeping a psychological journal. Gifted Child Quarterly, 23, 168-
175.