How LRW Faculty can Contribute to Their Law School ’ s Assessment Plan

1. How LRW Faculty can Contribute to Their Law School’s Assessment Plan • David Thomson (University of Denver) • Sophie Sparrow (University of New Hampshire) • Lori Shaw (University of Dayton)

2. Session Outcomes Recognize that LRW Profs are already experts at assessment Understand the language and process of assessment Recognize that LRW Profs can become leaders in the conversation

3. Session Plan Introduction and Background Language and Process Taking it School Wide Questions

4. Introduction • Our Current Situation • Where we want to get to • Our Fictional Law Student • Our Fictional Law Professor

5. Context • ABA Standards • Introduction to Assessment • Experience at my own School

6. Participant Engagement Has your LRW Program Articulated Learning Outcomes? Have you aligned your Rubrics with your Outcomes? How many of your law school faculties have articulated learning outcomes? Small group discussion

7. Language and Process

8. Assessment Terms & Process • No one set of definitions • Assessment concepts areshared • Don’t let the language interfere • Use definitions adopted by others • Many waysto assess effectively • Assessment is powerful& FUN!

9. “That which we measure we tend to improve.” • David Leach, MD

10. Assessment Terms & Process • Assessment • Assessment cycle • Learning goals, objectives & outcomes • Formative and summative - Rubrics • Alignment • Assessment plan

11. Assessment: gathering information about student learning to improve teaching and learning • We do this already - • all the time, • formally and informally

12. 1. Articulate student learning goals & objectives 2. Gather information about how well students are learning (outcomes) 4. Use information to improve teaching and learning 3. Give feedback (formative rubrics), interpret information (alignment). Assessment Cycle

13. 1. Identify Learning Goals • Broad, general, long-range statements of what the program, course, or activity intends to accomplish Can be at the class, course, program level

14. Learning Goals - Examples • LAR&W students will communicate legal analysis effectively • JD students graduate “client-ready” for the 21st Century Each learning goal will often have multiple learning objectives

15. Identify Learning Objectives • Specific, measurable descriptions of • knowledge (cognitive), • skills (behavioral), and • values (affective) students should showby end of learning unit (class, course, program).

16. Learning Objectives - Examples • LAR&W: Given new set of facts, student will effectively research, analyze & write • Pre-trial advocacy: Given discovery problem, student will listen and consider colleagues’ experience, knowledge & insights

17. 2. Get data: Learning Outcomes • Like objectives: specific knowledge, skills, values students have achieved Based on objective evidence (performance, product). ABA 302:identify, publish outcomes ABA 305(a):use evidence to show competency

18. Learning Outcomes - Examples • LAR&W: Given a new problem, 85% students accurately • identified binding authority and rules, • identified and applied relevant facts, • cited authorities, and • presented analysis in coherent prose. Evidence (direct): student work, rubric data Evidence (indirect):student surveys

19. 3. Give feedback: Formative &Summative Assessment • Formative: meaningful feedback designed to help students improve • Summative:feedback that evaluates performance, e.g. score or grade Feedback can be both (e.g. comments, rubrics) ABA 304: provide variety of both across the curriculum

20. Feedback using Rubrics • Scoring tools that name specific expectations for assignment parts & describe levels of performance • Valuable for students and teachers • Example:

21. “People pay attention to what you inspect, not what you expect.”

22. Check Alignment • How well do student outcomes reflect your goals & objectives? • Gaps between? • Experience at UNH • Remediate – step 4: change teaching

23. Assessment Plans must be: • Ongoing • Sustainable • Use multiple measures • Flexible • Public

24. On the white index card on your seat... Name 3 (or more) Learning Outcomes for LRW that you have for your students Discuss with your neighbors Participant Engagement

25. How do you assess your objectives - that is, gather student outcomes? How do you check for alignment? Where are there gaps? Your Assessment Process

26. Taking it School-wide

27. What does institutional assessment have to do with me? “We assess that which we value.” - Lloyd Bond, Carnegie Institute

28. A stronger emphasis on learning outcomes benefits both students and legal writing professionals. You already possess expertise in teaching and assessment. Your school and students need that expertise. Taking a leadership role in this area will only enhance your professional reputation among your colleagues.

29. 6 Key Points to Remember...

30. Institutional Assessment • 1. Compels faculty to work together to expressly identify the broad outcomes they seek – “Truth in Advertising” • 2. Provides empirical evidence of success (and failure) for faculty, administrators, and “customers” (students and prospective students) – “A U.S. News Alternative” • 3. Requires a thoughtful, carefully structured plan – “Focus on Quality of Assessment, NOT Quantity”

31. Institutional Assessment • 4. Focuses on the collective, not the individual performance of students – “Representative Samples” • 5. Focuses on the collective, not the individual performance of faculty – “Focuses on Students’ Overall Experience” • 6. Requires that we “close the loop” – “Change for the Better ”

34. Dayton Law’s Learning Outcomes • 1) Graduates will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the law. • 2) Graduates will exhibit issue-spotting skills. • 3) Graduates will demonstrate analytical and problem-solving skills. • 4) Graduates will communicate effectively and efficiently to individuals and groups. • 5) Graduates will perform effective and efficient legal and non-legal research.

35. Dayton Law’s Learning Outcomes • 6) Graduates will demonstrate competency in legal practice skills. • 7) Graduates will recognize and resolve ethical dilemmas. • 8) Graduates will exhibit and continue to develop professional competency. • 9) Graduates will adopt the Marianist charism of faith, service, community, and inclusivity in their professional and personal life.

37. Participant Engagement What do you want your graduates to know? What do you want your graduates to be able to do? What do you want your graduates to value?

38. Panel Discussion • Barriers to Assessment

39. Questions