Metacognition in professional legal education: equipping trainee solicitors for practice post SQE
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Education
Abstract
The aim of my research is to investigate the effect of a programme designed to support metacognitive development for law students during the professional phase of their legal education. As the introduction of the SQE includes transitional arrangements, the LPC and the SQE are likely to run in parallel for at least two years and it will be valuable to collect data from both cohorts.
Following the development of the above resource, I anticipate that the first year of this research will be required to develop the questionnaires and agree the parameters of the research. Students will be offered the opportunity to participate and will be provided with details of the research and their involvement, together with a statement regarding anonymity and their right to end their involvement at any time without giving a reason if they so wish in compliance with appropriate ethical requirements. I will also ensure that the management of data is fully compliant with GDPR requirements.
The aim of the research is to evaluate the significance of metacognitive development in legal education and to analyse the effect on performance, both academically and in the workplace. It is anticipated that learners and employers will find the programme beneficial and that providing students with this type of support will assist students whose educational experience has included fewer opportunities to develop metacognitively and whose performance in academic life and in professional education may be inhibited as a result. As considered above, the SQE is essentially a product-focused curriculum. As there are no courses, and therefore no attendance requirement, there are concerns that professional attributes and mindsets, which were integral to the LPC, will not be developed across the board (Bristol Law Society response to SRA consultation 2017).
Following the development of the above resource, I anticipate that the first year of this research will be required to develop the questionnaires and agree the parameters of the research. Students will be offered the opportunity to participate and will be provided with details of the research and their involvement, together with a statement regarding anonymity and their right to end their involvement at any time without giving a reason if they so wish in compliance with appropriate ethical requirements. I will also ensure that the management of data is fully compliant with GDPR requirements.
The aim of the research is to evaluate the significance of metacognitive development in legal education and to analyse the effect on performance, both academically and in the workplace. It is anticipated that learners and employers will find the programme beneficial and that providing students with this type of support will assist students whose educational experience has included fewer opportunities to develop metacognitively and whose performance in academic life and in professional education may be inhibited as a result. As considered above, the SQE is essentially a product-focused curriculum. As there are no courses, and therefore no attendance requirement, there are concerns that professional attributes and mindsets, which were integral to the LPC, will not be developed across the board (Bristol Law Society response to SRA consultation 2017).
People |
ORCID iD |
| Nigel Fancourt (Primary Supervisor) | |
| Elizabeth Polding (Student) |
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ES/P000649/1 | 01/10/2017 | 30/09/2027 | |||
| 2266941 | Studentship | ES/P000649/1 | 01/10/2019 | 30/09/2022 | Elizabeth Polding |
| Description | Appointed as an external member of the University of Law's Apprenticeship Governance Committee |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Membership of a guideline committee |
| Description | Association of Law Teachers conference paper 2021: Solicitor apprenticeships as experiential learning: disruption or a return to the roots of legal education? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a conference paper at the 2021 Association of Law Teachers' conference online. As a result of my presentation, I was invited to a meeting with the Chair of the Law Society's Education Committee and to have regular meetings with a policy adviser to the Law Society regarding my experience of legal professional education and my research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www2.aston.ac.uk/alt-conference-2021 |
| Description | Contributor to the Social Mobility Commission's publication, Apprenticeships that Work for All: A practical toolkit for employers, training providers and apprenticeship practitioners |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I attended a workshop hosted online by the Social Mobility Commission to share ideas and best practice regarding the recruitment and employment of apprentices. I followed this up by reviewing and suggesting amendments to the Commission's toolkit, which were incorporated into the final version. I was credited as a contributor in the publication. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1025... |
| Description | Presentation at the The Third International Apprenticeships Conference, hosted online by First Landing Education |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I recorded a presentation to be included in the programme of the international apprenticeship conference, submitted in advance in order to allow subtitles to be added. The presentation examined apprenticeships in the UK, their role in tertiary education, and included audience questions submitted in advance for my response. The conference presentations were viewed by over 36,000 participants. It was intended to showcase examples of effective practice, and to influence decision making in relation to apprenticeships. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Speaker at a Digital Education Futures Initiative event (University of Cambridge): The Future of Work - AI and Machine Learning |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to speak on the subject of artificial intelligence in legal practice and legal education alongside two other speakers on the topic of artificial intelligence and machine learning in education. The presentations generated a lot of useful questions and a strong panel discussion. It was filmed and uploaded to YouTube, making it accessible to anyone researching artificial intelligence in education. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnEZ1rXZ97w |