A tripartite approach to tackling the Sophomore Slump in the School of Law:

enhanced induction, enhanced support and student involvement in curriculum redesign

Simon Brooman & Sue Darwent

Overview

Student voice

Lack of specific evidence

Local context

Influences

Hearing the student voice

Considerations:- Impartiality Engaging participants

Focus groups in curriculum re-design study Digital voice recordings in Critical Incident

Technique study of induction experience

Curriculum re-design Carried out over three years 11 focus groups of 3-7 participants (n=44) Underperforming 2nd year core module, with low mean marks and pass

rate

1. Teacher-centred re-design 2008-9

2. Focus groups

3. Student-informed re-design 2009-10

RESULTS

2006-7 2007-8 2008-9 Jan

Number of registered students

248 (224) 264 (236) 235 (208)

Absent10%

Pass46%

Fail44%

Absent11%

Pass55%

Fail34%

Absent12%

Pass50%

Fail38%

Curriculum re-design Three year project 11 focus groups of 3-7 participants (n=44) Underperforming 2nd year core module, with low mean marks and pass

rate

1. Teacher-centred re-design 2008-9

2. Focus groups

3. Student-informed re-design 2009-10

Failure of some basic structural elements of the curriculum:-

Timing of lectures and seminars

Module assessment

Workload

Resources

Failure of the interactive learning process:-

o Rule re: attendance/preparation

o Language/vocabulary

o Relationship with lecturer and tutor

o Not relating to content

o Failure to engage had behavioural and emotional outcomes

Curriculum re-design Three year project 11 focus groups of 3-7 participants (n=44) Underperforming 2nd year core module, with low mean marks and pass

rate

1. Teacher-centred re-design 2008-9

2. Focus groups

3. Student-informed re-design 2009-102006-7 2007-8 2008-9 2009-10 2010-11

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

% pass

Mean mark

InductionCritical Incident Technique study

Transition?

Over to you…. 1. Find a good way of listening to the second year

voice that one of you uses now.

2. Good practice:- what is the best thing that someone in your group does to support second year transition?

3. Your burning issue – what do you need to know or what is your key question that you are left with?