Journals in professional education and development

This chapter concerns the use of journals in professional education and professional development. The chapter refers to journals in the beginning stage of professional education as well as in practising professional stages, often in the form, then, of a professional portfolio. The chapter is divided into five sections. The first concerns journals that are orientated towards the development of the self as a professional. The second section concerns journals that improve practice, often by making the link between theory and practice. The next section concerns journals that focus on professional empowerment by raising and working with socio-political awareness. The penultimate section reviews examples of the ways in which journals can support elements of educational programmes. The last section is based on one specific example of a journal used in a multi-professional manner with professionals from a number of different professions. As we have said before, however, most journals are set for or fulfil several purposes and that is the case with many journals in this chapter. We have not made a division between practising professionals and novices. In this age of learning across the lifetime, there is a sense that education and development are continuous – only the content and methods may vary.