Teaching and Assessing Reflective Writing in a Large Undergraduate Core Substantive Law Unit

Abstract

In addition to a continuing focus on developing students’ substantive discipline knowledge, the focus of legal education has now shifted to include a focus on building students’ skills and self-awareness in preparation for future employment. This means that there is an increasing need to embed approaches within teaching and learning that provide a context within which law students can engage in developing specific professional skills as well as the ability to think critically about their experiences and learning. When students document their reflective thinking, these texts can be used as evidence of their professional development, that is, their preparedness for the transition from legal education to professional practice as reflective practitioners. Given this, a model for teaching and assessing reflective writing has been implemented in a large, core second year undergraduate law unit, The teaching and learning approaches utilised in the model adopt the four features of the effective teaching of reflective practice identified by Rogers—clarity of expectations, structure, exemplars and feedback (2001). Following implementation of the model, data were collected to evaluate students’ views about the value of the reflective task for their learning and future career. The level of reflection that students were able to demonstrate by analysing samples of reflective writing was also evaluated. This chapter is divided into three parts. The first part will describe why teaching and assessing reflective writing was embedded in LWB240 Equity. The second part will describe the teaching and learning approaches that were implemented to embed reflective writing in LWB240 Equity. In the final part we analyse the data collected from evaluations and reflect on the way forward.

Appendices

Appendix 1: Pattern

1.1 Task-Orientated Teamwork Reflection (TTR)

1.1.1 The Problem

Undergraduate students are often inexperienced in teamwork processes, particularly in professional contexts. Many of the skills related to working in teams that we would like them to acquire are tacit and can only be practised in group settings. And while students may be happy to work in groups, social relations are often conflated with team working relationships.

1.1.2 The Context

Reflective writing can be employed to make teamwork processes explicit. These processes may include things like: on-task communication, conflict resolution, priority setting, etc. Once useful teamwork processes are experienced and named, they are more available for effective learning through reflection.

This pattern assumes that most students have already received introductory treatment of reflective writing and assessment (including a framework, writing skill sets and knowledge of assessment associated with reflection).

1.1.3 The Pattern

• Determine and establish the relevance and authenticity of the task in professional contexts. Also establish the need to adopt a team-based approach to tasks of this nature.

• Determine student competence in writing reflectively as individuals. For students who require it, direct them to tutorial and/or base materials that introduce the basic reflective writing framework, let them practise skills and provide an overview of assessment methods.

• Likewise, determine student competence in working collaboratively. For students who require it, direct them to tutorial and/or base materials that introduce a basic teamwork framework, let them practice skills and provide an overview of (teamwork) assessment methods.

• Provide details of the task as formal summative assessment. Pay particular attention to what parts of the assessment are team-based (where members receive the same result) and which parts are individually-based. Provide detailed assessment criteria (Resource 2), including samples of how they have been applied in the past. Scaffold the task carefully and in detail. For example, the task product may be team-assessed while reflections on process might be individually assessed. (Resources and notices posted to Blackboard

• Give the students a practice activity in team problem-solving with an exercise that shares some of the important elements of the assessable task. Highlight the need to uncover effective teamwork practices and principles (that are normally tacit), along with the difficulty in simultaneously engaging in problem-solving while gathering evidence for reflection. As part of the activity, set aside a sub-task for team members to reflect on team and individual processes. This normally requires some explicit scaffolding (setting aside time, giving prompts, organising recording, etc.). Students should swap reflections and engage in peer-assessment using a simplified criteria set. The team should present their solution along with aggregated reflections to a wider audience.

• Continue scaffolding and monitoring of teams as the major task is completed.

• When assessment is finished, collect samples and gain permission for re-use (in subsequent semesters) from relevant students.

1.1.4 Relates Patterns

Double Sided Projects (DSP)

1.1.5 Resources

The Unit outline and Blackboard site for LWB240 includes resources, assessment requirements and criteria for the Individual ePortfolio reflection assessment that were provided for students. In the Week 2 lecture the ePortfolio reflection assessment was introduced and students were pointed to relevant learning resources, including an online ePortfolio module so students could learn about the ePortfolio, resources about reflective writing, the 4Rs model of reflection as well as an exemplar of a reflection using this framework. An FAQ for ePortfolio reflections was also provided.¹

Appendix 2: ePortfolio Assessment at a Glance

Acknowledgement: This resource was developed with the assistance of Anne Matthew, academic in the QUT Faculty of Law.

Extract from LWB240 Equity study guide:

2.1 Individual ePortfolio Reflection—All (Internal and External) Students 5 %

You are required to document, evaluate and reflect upon your own performance and skill development during your team letter writing assignment . This will involve recognising gaps in your knowledge and developing an action plan for future development by making an individual entry into the QUT student ePortfolio.

You will receive an individual mark for the ePortfolio reflection. This item of assessment is pass/fail. This assessment relates to learning outcomes 1–7.

2.2 How to Approach the ePortfolio Reflection

Learning resources to assist you with this task will be available on Blackboard. In particular, if you have not already completed the online ePortfolio module, you should do so by the end of week 4 and obtain a certificate of completion .

Learning resources available on Blackboard (Assessment/ePortfolio) to assist you with approaching this exercise include:

• instructions on how to complete this item of assessment

• information on, and links to the Using the ePortfolio Module

• information on the 4R Model of Reflective Writing, and

• an exemplar of a law student’s reflection demonstrating the 4R model in an eportfolio reflection of skill development.

ePortfolio reflection at a glance
The topic	The topic will be made available on blackboard (assessment/ePortfolio)
Due date	Internal students: Your week 12 tutorial. External students: Thursday 23 May 2013
Word limits	The word limit for the reflection is 400 words maximum. Material exceeding the word limit will not be read or marked
Criterion referenced assessment	This item of assessment is marked against the criterion referenced assessment sheet (CRA) which will be available on blackboard
	You must submit a copy of the CRA sheet with your ePortfolio entry.
	This item of assessment is Pass/Fail. This means you will either receive the full five marks or zero. You will only receive 0/5 if you:
	do not submit or
	do not submit on time or
	do not submit all the required documents or
	submit an incomplete or unsatisfactory reflection when considered against the CRA
Submission	External students: Upload to the link on Blackboard.
	Internal Students: Bring to your week 12 tutorial
	a. two printouts of your ePortfolio reflection as uploaded to ePortfolio and
	b. two copies of the CRA sheet
	Neither internal nor external students are required to submit to assignment minder.
	Subject to faculty policies and procedures regarding extensions and special consideration, submission requirements will be strictly applied
Feedback	You will receive:
	1. Internal students will receive peer feedback in tutorials and feedback from your tutor during tutorials
	2. External students will receive feedback by way of written comments and/or corrections.
	3. a completed criterion referenced assessment sheet (indicating your standard of achievement for each of the assessment criteria)
	4. generic feedback will be posted on blackboard (assessment/results and feedback)

2.2.1 ePortfolio Reflection Topic

Prepare a reflection upon your skill development in any ONE (1) of the skills you developed in your Team Letter Writing Exercise from this list:

• Teamwork

• Communication—written

The reflection must address the 4/5Rs Model of Reflective Writing.

You can support your reflection with evidence/artifacts. These can be uploaded to eportfolio and also submitted with your reflection.

Appendix 3: Criteria Referenced Assessment Sheet—Pass/Fail ePortfolio Reflection

3.1 LWB240 EQUITY

3.1.1 CRA Sheet e-Portfolio entry

Marked out of 5 (5 % of assessment in unit—individual mark): PASS/FAIL

Students who pass (satisfactory attempt and complete submission) will receive 5/5.

Students who fail (unsatisfactory attempt or no submission or incomplete submission) will receive 0/5

STUDENT NAME: _____________________________________

Criteria	To pass the following criteria must be satisfactorily met
1. Reflection upon experience—satisfactory reflection which follows the 4Rs model of reflection
Reporting and responding	Satisfactory identification, description and analysis of key aspects of a relevant incident and issues
Relating	Satisfactory attempt at relating or making a connection between the incident or issue and your own skills, professional experience or discipline knowledge
Reasoning	Satisfactory attempt at highlighting in detail significant factors underlying the incident or issue by considering how the incidents and issues could be explained, by referring to your own knowledge and experience and relevant theory and literature
Reconstructing	Satisfactory attempt at reframing or reconstructing future practice or professional understanding
2. Satisfactory use of student ePortfolio and completion of online ePortfolio module
Presentation in ePortfolio	Structure: The structure of your student ePortfolio entry satisfactorily complies with requirements of form, including maximum word/character length and 4Rs model.
	Professionalism: Your student ePortfolio entry is satisfactorily presented and sufficiently professional with satisfactory supporting materials (artefact attached).
	Organisation: Your description and reflection on your experience is sufficiently coherent.
	Communication: Written communication skills are of a satisfactory standard.
	Proofreading: Mistakes in spelling, grammar or use of language indicate lack of thorough proofreading
Completion of online ePortfolio module	Satisfactory completion of online ePortfolio module. Upon satisfactory completion of the online module you will be issued with a certificate of completion, which you should retain in your own records for production on request (i.e you do not need to submit a copy of the certificate of completion unless requested to do so). If you have previously satisfactorily completed the online ePortfolio module you do not need to complete it again this semester unless you wish to refresh your memory prior to writing and uploading your reflection to ePortfolio