Legal History and Student Involvement in the Assessment Process Jonathan Bainbridge and Clare Sandford-Couch Law School, Northumbria University 50 Years of Assessment in Legal Education – one day conference 29th January 2015

Assessment innovations “the most powerful lever teachers have to influence the way students respond to courses and behave as learners” (Graham Gibb) Student involvement in setting their assessment Student involvement in marking assessments Why should we do this? Possible pitfalls?

The Legal History Module 15 credit half option module open to students: – in years 3 and 4 of the exempting law degree, whether they are training to be solicitors or barristers – students in their final year of the three year LLB Hons degree module currently capped at 24 students

The Legal History Module subject areas can change each year module taught in a mix of lectures and 2 hour seminars assessed by combination of written coursework assignment of 2500 words and oral presentation written coursework assignment carries 70% of the total mark for the module; oral presentation carries 30% of the mark for the module

Student involvement in setting their assessment students select from an indicative list of broad subject areas each student must choose a different subject area students agree a limited time period of history in consultation with the module tutors students then devise their own coursework question

Why should we do this? each student can develop a personalised response to their study of Legal History and their chosen subject area LETR: “It was widely recognized that legal research skills were not sufficiently acquired by the end of the academic stage” (page 44) “general transferable skills”: skills of analysis, synthesis, report writing, time management, self-monitoring, and goal setting

Student involvement in peer assessment assessment of the module involves first an oral presentation by each student on their chosen subject area presentation carries 30% of the mark for the course this comprises a mark accounting for 15% of the total module mark assessed by the module tutors and 15% of the total module mark assessed by the other students

Why should we do this? student as an active ‘doer’ helps to install autonomy in learners interactive classes many believe that academic study is enhanced by the active development of skills and competencies transparency in assessment

peer assessment - possible pitfalls? doubts about the validity and reliability of peer assessment student dislike of innovation student concerns about peer assessment friends marking each others’ work inconsistent/arbitrary marking the role of the tutor

“The success of peer-assessment schemes depends greatly on how the process is set-up and subsequently managed” ’ keeping everyone in the picture; a simple assessment system; negotiating assessment criteria with classes in advance; having a moderation system by tutors; allowing plenty of time in peer-assessment sessions; and some form of feedback to students to confirm that peer marks are valid and similar to that of the tutors But also a complaints or review process

Any questions? Jonathan Bainbridge and Clare Sandford-Couch Law School, Northumbria University