Use of Reflection as a Method of Improving Student Engagement

Dr Karen FullertonUniversity of Aberdeen

29th January 2011

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To introduce reflection to undergraduate law students at an early stage

To improve the student learning experience and engagement with the course

To encourage students to relate their learning to skills required in legal practice

To enable students to start early in self-recording evidence of skills development for use in preparation for applying for entry into the legal practice

Aim of the pilot study

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To introduce the use of a reflective logbook as part of a compulsory first year LLB course

To trial its use in a dedicated skills course – Legal Research & Writing:

Legal information retrievalCritical evaluation of documentary/online resourcesLegal writingOral communication

Team working

Evaluation of use of the logbook:◦ Review of the submitted logbooks◦ A questionnaire survey examining student experience ◦ Legal profession input through a series of interviews

Pilot study

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University-wide PDP resource ◦ Used by students without active intervention by

lecturers◦ Owned by students◦ Generic resource which is not directly linked to

any discipline

Logbook intended to complement wider PDP system

Relationship with University-wide PDP

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Purpose and relevancy Self assessed audits of specific skills at start

and end of the course Information and reflective questions in

relation to each of the five skills areas Reflective questions on the first year and

relating their experience to date to how this is equipping them for legal practice

The Reflective Logbook

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295 log books submitted - 94% of the class

Self assessed audit of skills

Upward movement for all skills areas Positive shift average of 2 for all skills

(0 none -3 excellent) Highest initial self-assessment - team

working followed by oral communication Lowest initial self-assessments - information

retrieval and evaluation

Review of logbooks

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Asked to rate the level of achievement of the learning outcome for each area of skills on a scale of 1(low) to 5 (high)

Majority response in all cases was 4 with the exception of team working skills where the majority response was 5

Achievements in five areas of skills

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Legal information skills◦ “(a) Using materials in the library rather than just using

online sources widened my knowledge and access to information

◦ (b) It took me a while to discover where these source were◦ (c) Spend more time in the library tracing different sources.”

Evaluation skills◦ “(a) Having to discuss an article I found relating to my topic

(Sarah’s Law) because it came from a site that did not have good authority.

◦ (b) Well – I feel I learnt the importance of considering where sources come from and who they were written by, as a key part of evaluation.

◦ (c) Continue to evaluate retrieved information in future work.”

Significant learning event

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Legal writing skills◦ “(a) Having to create an accurate bibliography◦ (b) I felt I gave it my best attempt, but I still don’t feel

comfortable presenting work in the correct format◦ (c) Keep looking over the referencing guide in the

handout until I feel more comfortable.”

Oral communication skills◦ “(a) the group presentation◦ (b) not to the best of my abilities I became a bit

flustered when I stumbled on a few words◦ (c) prepare more notes in advance – slow down my

speaking when presenting.”

Significant learning event

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Team working skills◦ “(a) Group meetings and the issue of deadlines and

contributing◦ (b) As leader of my group I felt my reaction initially to

group members failing to meet deadlines and their lack of contribution was poor. I tended to take on their workload myself. My performance became much better when organising the oral presentation, as I encouraged the members more strictly to contribute.

◦ (c) Participation in more group discussions.”

Significant learning event

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Skills development“I will try to be critical when it comes to reading: not just reading of legal sources but reading in general. For example when reading the newspaper I will try to see if there is a slant.” “I already do team work with the University Air Squadron. Thus allowing me to use the skills I have developed in this course to outside realities.”

Making good any skills shortfall:“Ask friends to constructively criticise my attempts at practice presentations.”“Become involved in the mooting society.”“I need to plan my work better so I have a well organised structure and not drift from the topic by inserting bits of my own opinion and going off on tangents not related to the topic.”

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Which aspect of your studies do you find most challenging and why?

“I found that referencing is the most difficult part. Although I follow written guides my mind appears to always put it in backwards. I need to keep an extremely close eye on this.”

“The reading side of law I initially found very challenging as a lot of the cases and statutes are quite lengthy, and it takes a while to feel more comfortable with them.”

“Definitely oral presentations. I am very self conscious about being centre of people’s attention particularly if I don’t know them.”

End of year reflections

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How do you feel about your academic performance so far? Could you improve it in any way?

“I feel I am doing quite well in the subjects I am interested in and scraping by in the ones I am not. I could improve by going to more lectures and revising as the year goes, rather than cramming 3 weeks before exams.”

“I feel I am performing to a reasonably high level but I know I could improve it by working harder and doing more work in my own time.”

“I think I am doing well, of course I can do better, spend more time away from face book!”

End of year reflections

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What practical experience have you gained this year that you feel will help equip you to work as a solicitor/legal advisor?

“Enjoyed being part of the mooting society and have attended most moots.”

“Having delivered an oral presentation, worked as a team and participated in tutorials has greatly helped my confidence which is essential for a solicitor/legal advisor.”

“The ability to work alone on a topic I know little about. The individual report really taught me how to write independently without constant assistance.”

End of year reflections

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Anonymous questionnaire distributed electronically

Response rate: 31%◦ 97 responses out of a class of 314 students

Previous reflection◦ Just over a third (36%) had used formal reflection

prior to completing the reflective logbook

Questionnaire survey of the class

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Self assessment of skills grids

No % of responses

It did not tell me anything I did not already know

41 39

It emphasised to me the amount my skills had developed between February and May

25 23

A waste of time 23 22

A useful measure of my learning at different points in time

17 16

Total responses (multiple response) 106 100

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No % of responses

They served no useful purpose 35 21

It helped me identify areas where I need to improve my skills

26 16

They helped me evaluate the various teaching and learning activities

22 13

They made me aware of how I am learning 19 12

They helped me create a record of learning experiences which I can build into my CV

19 12

They made me think about how I will carry on skills development in the 5 areas

18 11

It has given me a method of reviewing my learning which I will now use in other courses

13 8

They helped me demonstrate achievement 12 7

Total responses (multiple response) 164 100

Questions on 5 specific skills areas

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No % of responses

They were unnecessary as I was already reflecting about my experience in first year

48 43

They helped me realise how much I had achieved

25 23

They helped me identify areas where I need to improve

23 21

They made me think about how my first year experience relates to working as a solicitor/legal adviser

15 13

Total responses (multiple response) 111 100

End of year reflection

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68% had completed it in 1-2 hours

84% would not have completed the logbook if it had been voluntary

Only 1 student had incorporated their logbook into the university PDP e-portfolio

Completion of the logbook

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46% did not regard the logbook as a useful part of first year law studies while 24% thought it was useful (30% were neutral)

The students were split with regard to the relevancy of the logbook to their studies: 42% relevant/39% not relevant (19% were unsure)

26% perceived the logbook as relevant to their future career while 39% viewed it as not relevant (35% were unsure)

Usefulness and relevancy

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Interviews were undertaken with 5 practicing solicitors from firms of different sizes

Benefits identified for The recruitment process Preparing students for their time as a

trainee Identification of their own development

needs

Extension to other years

Views of the legal profession

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Logbook review – evidence of reflection and engagement with their learning experience

Questionnaire on the student experience – evidence of benefits but students display little direct recognition of the benefit to themselves

Legal profession input – useful for future careers for those intending to enter legal practice

Conclusions

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Reflection a new activity to majority of students

Students not attracted by reflection Students had little direct recognition of any

benefit to themselves

Students did reflect candidly on their learning experience

Probing questions indicate benefits realised Actual process is beneficial to engagement

enabling students to reflect on their learning, performance and achievement

Conclusions

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Subject specific reflective learning activities

Element of compulsion

Improve promotion of the benefits of reflection – feed back the positive reaction of the legal profession

Electronic format

Lessons for the future