This paper traces the development over several years of an initiative, involving student journals, that was introduced into a tertiary science education course for pre-service teachers in order to improve communication between the lecturer and students. The narrative recounts how the nature and uses of the journals evolve subsequently as a result of reflective practice by the course lecturer and students. This introduction of intentional reflection by the course lecturer, informed by ongoing action research, is providing valuable insights into the nature and extent of student learning and the actions required to improve outcomes for students.