Learning journals leading to authentic learning in a hospitality context

Abstract

There is a call for more reflective practices in hospitality education to deliver authentic learning. This article evaluates a learning journal assessment that stimulates both real-world relevance and experience and documents how the assessment was managed. The literature review outlines assessment characteristics and implementation considerations. This empirical article uses both quantitative and qualitative data. It was found that the informality of the assessment, student insecurity, and the lack of structure regarding expectations made the learning journal problematic in the early stages for most students, yet if managed well, it can lead to an authentic learning experience.