Guided Reflective Journaling with Case-Based Instruction in a Dysphagia Course: Learner Self-Efficacy and Reaction

Guided reflective journaling (Dunlap, Tech Trends, 50(6), 20–26, 2006) was used in this semester-long study to investigate the impact of case studies on speech-language pathology (SLP) students’ self-efficacy for diagnosing and treating dysphagia patients. The students’ reactions to case-based instruction also were examined. Twenty-seven, first-year SLP graduate students completed this qualitative study. Students reacted positively to the use of case studies in the course and an increase in self-efficacy to work with dysphagia patients was observed. The findings indicate that guided reflective journaling is an effective instructional technology to use with SLP students. The positive impact of the case-based instruction extends earlier research (Ertmer, Newby, & MacDougall, American Educational Research Journal 33, 719–752, 1996) to the context of SLP students.