Assessing the (Legal) Essentials: A Reflection through the Prism of Self-Determination Theory

Coyle, Stella

Abstract

This is a reflection on the teaching and assessment of the Legal Essentials module, in terms of its role
in preparing Level 4 students for the rest of their Law degree. Legal Essentials is designed to provide
a grounding in legal skills and the legal system, and to support students’ transition to higher
education. Legal Essentials provides a foundation for the whole degree, and module assessment
therefore has a Janus-like, dual-faced quality: looking back over students’ learning since joining
Keele; and looking forward to what they need to engage successfully with their future studies. This
paper illustrates how module and assessment design is constructively aligned and informed by
pedagogic research. Design draws on self-determination theory, supporting students’ autonomy,
competence, and relatedness to improve engagement and motivation. It also consciously aims to
capture assessment of learning, for learning, and as learning. The paper considers the challenges
inherent in scaffolding the learning in Legal Essentials throughout the degree and looks forward to
how skills development and meaningful assessment can be understood as belonging to the whole
School community.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 1, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023-12
• Deposit Date: Jan 29, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 29, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Academic Development and Education
• Print ISSN: 2051-3593
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.21252/zeh6-dk31
• Keywords: legal essentials; self-determination theory
• Publisher URL: https://doi.org/10.21252/zeh6-dk31