Diary as a tool to support the process of inquiry-based learning and building a community of learners.

Reflective learning diary is a tool designed to deepen and consolidate the learning process by encouraging students to systematically reflect on the process of acquiring knowledge and skills in each area. From the summer semester 2018/2019 we used this tool as optional task at two different undergraduate courses in two different fields (European integration and Asian Studies), conducted in-class and online at the University of Lodz. In this paper we would like to share our experiences of using a learning diary in academic education. Based on the analyses of more than 100 students’ diaries, results of surveys, as well as our own observations, we will try to argue that this teaching method is both efficient and attractive (for students and teachers as well). Learning diaries might be a very good form of promotion and assessment of self-regulated learning and inquiry-based learning. Our experiences also show that diaries might be also a tool of communication with other students and may help in building a community of learners. It was particularly important during forced online learning caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Finally, we present some limitations of this teaching method.