ERIC Number: EJ1361961
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 20
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1449-9789
EISSN: EISSN-1449-9789
Reflections on Belonging and a Law Student Pledge
Murray, Karina; Tubridy, Kate P.; Littrich, John; Mundy, Trish K.
Journal of University Teaching and Learning Practice, v19 n4 Article 14 2022
In 2017, the School of Law at the University of Wollongong commenced an experimental initiative through the introduction of a Law Student Pledge. It was designed as a symbolic statement to students that from the day they begin their law studies they become a member of the legal professional community. In this way, it invited First Year Students to commit to core values, attitudes and practices seen as important to developing a positive professional identity. This article reports on learnings following the implementation of the Pledge over 3 iterations and reflects upon its impact on shaping students' sense of belonging. As an empirical project, this research incorporates both the student voice as well as the academic perspective, via the methodology of reflective practice. The research will consider whether the Pledge provided an opportunity for students to engage in a community of shared identity or became a perceived 'imposed' requirement to belong.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Law Schools, Legal Education (Professions), Law Students, Student Attitudes, Student Motivation, Sense of Community, Professional Identity, Group Membership, Communities of Practice, Well Being
University of Wollongong. Available from: Centre for Educational Development and Interactive Resources. Northfields Avenue, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia. Tel: +61-2-4221-3140; Fax: +61-2-4225-8312; e-mail: jutlp@uow.edu.au; Web site: https://ro.uow.edu.au/jutlp/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A