Observational diary: The merits of journal writing as case-based instruction in introductory psychology

In this article, I report on the use of the Observational Diary as a case-based, journal-writing assignment in an introductory psychology course. In composing an Observational Diary, students maintain an ongoing record of the times that they observe basic psychology being applied in their lives or the lives of others, commenting on how psychological principles are at work in these situations. Linking journal writing to case-study methodology, each journal entry serves as a vignette, or brief case description, portraying some experience through which students are afforded the opportunity to exemplify, analyze, and apply psychological concepts. As predicted, objective test results show that students completing an Observational Diary learned more about psychology and its real-life applicability than students receiving traditional didactics alone. Narrative excerpts from selected diaries offer appreciable evidence of analytical and creative thinking. Questionnaire data suggest that students viewed the diary assignment as an effective learning tool for cultivating critical thinking, intellectual challenge, creative expression, real-world relevance of psychological principles, insight into self and others, and personal interest in the subject matter of psychology. Results are discussed in terms of a cognitive constructivist model of instruction. Implications for the undergraduate psychology curriculum are also presented.