Presentation Transcript

1. Mooting as a compulsory part of the law programme: enhancing the quality of the student learning experience?HEA Discipline Workshop and Seminar Series University of Leeds30 January 2013
2. Aims / Purposes of the session To share our experiences and gain feedback/suggestions on examples of good practice, areas for improvement etc ... ... with a view to improving the quality of the learning experience for students at Leeds and to aid with curriculum review and development
3. Mooting as an intra-curricular activity In 2006/2007, Gillespie and Watt carried out ‘the first comprehensive public study of the use of mooting within the curriculum of the academic stage of legal education.’1 They found that in 1995 only 20% of mooting operated within the curriculum, yet by 2005 nearly 60% of mooting took place this way – a significant shift. 1Allisdair Gillespie and Gary Watt, Mooting for Learning (UKCLE PDF Project, 2007) <http://www.ukcle.ac.uk/projects/past-projects/gillespie/>
4. Different ways of incorporating mooting into the curriculum As part of a ‘Legal Skills’ module Embedded in ‘substantive modules’, e.g. Contract Law As a discrete ‘mooting’ module Can be assessed or non-assessed Assessment can be summative or formative Although mooting can be used incrementally throughout the years of study, the Mooting for Learning project showed that a majority of intra-curricular mooting takes place in the first year A single moot within the curriculum appeared to be the norm
5. Mooting as a compulsory element of the LLB at Leeds – what we do Since 2006: UG students must undertake one moot as part of the year 1 compulsory ‘Legal Skills’ module NB. Students on the 2 year LLB Law (Graduate Programme) do not take the Legal Skills module, nor do those students entering directly into year 2 or 3 through collaborative programmes The moot is assessed (20% of the total marks) and students cannot transfer to the second year without undertaking the moot Final part of a litigation case study in which students work in groups and individually to research black letter law and apply it to a civil dispute
6. Why the litigation case study? Good for team work It’s the “real world” of law which encourages student engagement Higher order skills: legal research and application of law to facts Goes beyond a textbook
7. Why a moot? Need to encourage oral skills especially in the context of larger group sizes in seminars Must use case law… law isn’t all context!
8. Extra support Westlaw and Lexis Library pay a student rep to foster use of their databases These students run voluntary ‘mooting help sessions’ for students undertaking the Legal Skills module
9. Voluntary mooting Available to all students (UG and PG) as an extra-curricular activity Law students’ society (LawSoc) 1styear competition ( judged by 2nd and 3rd year students) Senior years competition ( judged by a third year and a member of staff) Final in the Supreme Court! National mooting competitions ICLR; OUP/BPP; Essex Court; Beechcroft; Jessup Inter-varsity
10. At Leeds, is the compulsory moot something that we should keep / change etc?
11. Benefits to students Black letter academic skills Confidence and ability as speakers Professionalism Toughness and maturity Career identity Employability Enjoyment
12. But … Is one moot enough to develop and practise these skills and attributes? Does mooting in the first year provide the best opportunity for students to develop these skills and attributes (and be assessed on them)? Can these skills and attributes be developed in other ways? To an extent profiting from these will depend on reflection and consciousness…. PDP and reflexive learning Can students articulate these benefits on application forms and in interviews?
13. Disadvantages for students Compulsory moot: Don’t want to be an advocate ... it’s irrelevant to me The prospect is intimidating ... I’m very anxious I’m so focused on the formalities ... I’ve forgotten all about the law! The formalities are silly
14. Benefits to the Law School Raises the standards in black letter subjects, helps to foster key skills, encourages student-centred and problem-based learning ... and (almost) all students are exposed to this Interests student applicants … but scares others
15. Disadvantages for the Law School Very time consuming approximately 40 one-hour moots have to be organised, timetabled, and judged by 3/4 members of staff Student absence means that several moots have to be re-scheduled Module Coordinator has to ensure consistency of marking
16. Small scale research project planned to explore: Is mooting (as part of a compulsory module) a valuable activity? What are its benefits? How do students feel about the compulsory first year moot? Do students benefit from this? How much? In what ways? Do students feel that they benefit from this? What are the advantages/disadvantages and benefits/costs of the first year moot? Is the first year moot worth doing/keeping? Is the first year the best time to do a compulsory moot? Should the moot be assessed? Would students prefer to do more, or less, moots? Is our way of incorporating mooting into the curriculum the most effective way? Could we do things better? Etc ... Survey and focus group data to be collected from staff and students in the Law School and analysed alongside data from module review questionnaires etc