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?