COU104A Applied Counselling 1 Reflective Journal

Assessment Description: 

Reflective Journal: Write and maintain a reflective journal from week two to week eleven. The journal needs to highlight your interaction with the module materials and highlight the progress made through the module. The journal also needs to cover concerns raised and how you have responded to them, using examples where possible. 

In your journal please reflect on the learning outcomes below: 

•  Demonstration of assertive communication skills in the counselling context
•  Ability to apply the value of listening in the counselling context 
•  Developing ideas on a counselling model of student’s choice 
•  Ability to critically reflect on and evaluate own use of the core counselling skills and ability to identify strategies for improvements. 

In each entry you need to address the following: 

1. Description – What happened? 
2. Analysis – Why did it happen? What were you feeling? What theories might  help explain what happened? Are there other perspectives that challenge your views? 
3. Outcomes or Actions – What did you learn? What would you do differently next time? 

When reflecting on your learning (such as an educational theory you have learned about within  a unit) you might address the following questions: 

1. Description - What is the concept, idea or theory you are reflecting on? 
2. Analysis - Are there aspects you found particularly interesting or challenging?  Does it tie in with anything you have learned in the past? Has it changed the way you think, or affirmed something you already knew? 
3. Outcomes or Action - What else might you need to find out? Do you have any questions?  How might you incorporate or apply these ideas in the future, perhaps in your professional life? 

Whether reflecting on an experience, on your own learning, or both, you will need to make sure  you include description, analysis and outcomes or action. 

Your final version of journal should include: 

•  an introductory section (approximately 250 words) setting the context for your journal and what you hope to achieve 
•  an entry for each week from week 2 to week 11 (app. 200 words each) 
•  a summary section (approximately 250 words) outlining what you have learned from your journal and how you will apply that knowledge

This journal is assessing for your capacity to reflect on, and integrate, the theory into your counselling practice. It is written in the first person and the literature can be used to support commentary.

Assessment Marking Matrix: 

• Ability to analyse and reflect on the application of counselling skills 
• Documentation of counselling skills development and progress over the term
• Areas For Further Improvement Identified and strategies for development proposed 
• Regularity and consistency of weekly journal entries 
• Word count,readability, and structure 

What we want to see: 

Researching: You can search for peer-reviewed journal articles, which you can find in the online journal databases and which can be accessed from the library homepage. Reputable  news sites such as The Conversation (https://theconversation.com/au/health), online  dictionaries and online encyclopedias are acceptable as a starting point to gain knowledge about a topic. Government departments, research institutes such as the National Health and  Medical Research Council (NHMRC), international organisations such as the World Health  Organisation (WHO) and local not for profit organisations such as the Cancer Council are also good resources. 

What we don’t want to see: 

Plagiarism: All sources of information need to properly be acknowledged. Please refer to the plagiarism website on blackboardi. By clicking the 'Upload this file' button you acknowledge that you have read, understood and can confirm that the work you are about to submit complies with the Flexible and Online plagiarism policy as shown in the JNI Student Handbook. Like other forms of cheating plagiarism is treated seriously. Plagiarising students will be referred to the Program Manager.