Presentation at HEA Social Sciences learning and teaching summit 'Engaging legal education'. As part of the Higher Education Academy’s commitment to support strategic development within disciplines, this summit event provided the opportunity to bring together an expert audience to discuss and plan actions on a key area of our work. This presentation forms part of a blog post which can be accessed via: http://bit.ly/1iv2kYu For further details of HEA Social Sciences work relating to 'Supporting the future of legal education' please see http://bit.ly/1ezsxUf

1. HEA Law Summit 2014
Land law for the next generation?
Emma Flint
Senior Lecturer
Birmingham City University
emma.flint@bcu.ac.uk
@MrsGingerLawyer

2. Project Overview
• Re-design of assessment methods,
teaching and learning practice in core LLB
module
• Shift away from traditional end of year
exam
• Use of e-Portfolio approach to assess
‘process’ not just ‘product’

3. Key Project Themes
1. Embedding legal research/other skills into
teaching practice through innovative
curriculum design and assessment;
2. Developing student skills of writing in
different formats for different audiences;
3. The role of digital literacies
technology in developing legal skills
and

4. Project Outcomes
• Evaluation report
– Teaching and learning design
– Staff and student perspective
– Involving practitioners & students
evaluation Advisory Group
in
the
• Publication – theoretical account of the value
and purpose of the re-design
• Open resource online tutorials

5. Benefits
• Students
–
–
–
–
Developing as a reflective practitioner
Engagement with different forms of writing
Research Skills
Engagement with digital literacies
• Tutors
– Encourage innovation
– Provide a toolkit via the online tutorials to
evaluate curriculum design and embed new
techniques

6. Use of ePortfolios and
reflection
• Since 2010 within the Law School
• Stand alone Level 4 Skills module
– PDP
• Extended & developed use at Level 5
– Professional Skills
– Land Law
• Recognised the need to embed to avoid being
viewed as ‘bolt-on’

7. How does it work in land law?
• Usual lecture & seminar format
– ‘experiential’ learning
– Assessment
and
formative
embedded into curriculum design
opportunities
• Assessment by way of:
– Exam (40%)
– ePortfolio (60%)
• Reflective journal
– 4 seminar reflections
– Structured & use of reflection model (Driscoll)

8. A Reflective Model
Adapted from Driscoll J. (1994) Reflective practice for practise. Senior Nurse. Vol.13 Jan/Feb. 47 -50

9. Assessment
• Annotated
Bibliography
– Citation
– Summary & analysis
of the source

10. An example – in relation to fixtures
and chattels
Sexton R and Bogusz B, Land Law Text, Cases and
Materials (OUP 2013)
There was relatively little information about fixtures and chattels in this
textbook. What was included was a reasonable introduction to the topic
and it was particularly useful to read extracts of the judgment of Lord Lloyd
of Berwick in the Elitestone v Morris case. There was a useful distinction
between a substantial structure that could not be moved without
destruction and one that was built in such a way to be removeable. This is
potentially useful when applying the case to the problem question.
Although the facts are different, could you argue that the damage caused
to the building by the removal of the wardrobes points to them being
wardrobes? Further reading will be required to establish this – in particular
Holland v Hodgson is a case I must read.

11. Assessment
• Memorandum
of
advice based on a
problem question
– Applying
skills
of
problem solving to
more complex legal
problems (Bloom)
– Builds on seminar work
– Reflective of practice

12. Challenges
• ‘Buy in’
– Students
• Rejection of reflection
• Lack of engagement
– Staff
• Workloads
• New methods & training
– Institution
• Progression & retention
• Digital Natives? (Prenskey, 2001; 2011)