The present article focusses on the use of the Electronic Language Log (ELL) as a tool to monitor independent learning practices by "ab initio" students of Italian in their first year of study at the University of Leeds. The ELL is first described in the pedagogic framework from which it derives, the language log; the primary aim of this contribution, however, is to give a direct analysis and critical evaluation of the work produced by students for their ELL and, specifically, of the work submitted in the academic year 2015-2016. Key findings show how this learning tool has helped beginner students of Italian manage their own learning independently. Emphasis is placed on students as the primary owners of the ELL and on their preferences for self-directed, mobile-learning (m-learning) practices. The conclusion discusses the potential of the ELL for evaluating students' skills and competences in Italian, and whether the ELL is fulfilling its purpose effectively. [For the complete volume, "Using Digital Resources to Enhance Language Learning: Case Studies in Italian," see ED585224.]