Learning in Law Annual Conference 2008: (Dis)integration...designs on the law curriculum

Papers on engagement at Learning in Law Annual Conference 2008:

• Law students engaging in a critique of their own learning experience: concept mapping as a tool for student self assessment – Jane Henderson and Laurie Lomas (King’s College London) read report below
• Designing students’ learning by promoting online formative assessment – Alison Bone (University of Brighton) read full paper

Law students engaging in a critique of their own learning experience: concept mapping as a tool for student self assessment

Jane and Laurie explained how they were using concept mapping as a pilot project to help first year law students appreciate their progress, prepare for an examination and reflect on their results. The aim of concept mapping is to encourage students to become reflective practitioners, developing understanding and encouraging autonomous learning. To find out more see the poster on Teaching and learning structures in law (PDF file) presented at King’s 2008 Excellence in Teaching Conference.

Ausubel’s theory of assimilative learning predicts that prior knowledge and its structure are important as a basis on which to anchor new knowledge. Concept mapping, originally developed by Novak and his colleagues and subject to a number of further studies by members of the King’s Institute of Learning and Teaching (KILT), is a tool which can be used to chart the existing state of knowledge.

The project, part of a larger multi-disciplinary study, involves two classes of first year law students on a two semester module (Introduction to the Law of Contract). A pilot study during 2006-07 indicated that reflection on concept maps was a fruitful exercise. During 2007-08 each student on the module is being given ownership of that reflection, with the aspiration that this will assist their engagement with the concepts under study and enhance their learning experience.

During the first tutorial the students will make a concept map to chart their initial (‘naïve’) understanding of what is meant by ‘the law of contract’, with a second map made during the revision class at the end of the autumn semester. After the second maps have been made there will be the usual discussion of revision topics. It is envisaged that the exercise of preparing maps at this stage will alert the students to gaps in their understanding, and will be a useful indicator of what would be valuable to review during the revision session.

The students take a formative mid-sessional examination immediately after the Christmas vacation. In the following class each student is given their script back marked with comments, and there is a discussion of what was expected by way of response to the questions set. At this point the students will be given a copy of their concept maps and be invited to see whether any misunderstandings apparent from their scripts were reflected in the second map. They will also be invited to reflect on their progress as shown in the difference between their first and second maps – reflecting on how far they have come on the ‘learning journey’ and where any gaps might be in their knowledge.

A number of uses will be made of the students’ concept maps. The students will undertake the exercise of considering what concepts of the law of contract they have acquired and how they inter-relate, charting their own progress and assessing their strengths and weaknesses, The tutor will have an opportunity to see whether her attempts to inculcate the requisite concepts in the students have met with any success, and may attempt a prognostication of examination results on the basis of an analysis of the students’ maps.

Participants in the session were encouraged to distinguish between ‘mind mapping’ and ‘concept mapping’ by undertaking a simple exercise (or what appeared to be a simple exercise) in examining the concept of ‘What is a law teacher’. This proved to be quite challenging!

Last Modified: 9 July 2010