The University of Detroit Mercy Law Review is pleased to announce its annual academic Symposium to be held on March 3, 2017, at the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law. The Symposium will contemplate how the American Bar Association’s emphasis on outcome measures in its revised Standards for Approval will affect law students’ educational experience. Specific topics may address, but are not limited to, the following issues:
1. The Need for and Benefits of Incorporating Formative Assessments into the Classroom
· The importance of self-regulated learning and qualitative feedback; the benefits of formative assessment versus using only summative assessment; the effect of formative assessments on professors’ teaching experience.
2. Methods for Incorporating Formative Assessments into the Classroom
· The types of formative assessments that satisfy the ABA’s requirements; when qualitative feedback is most affective for student success; ways in which to implement formative assessments to improve student learning.
3. Measuring the Success of Formative Assessments
· The methods by which law schools can conduct ongoing evaluation of the assessment methods to adequately “measure the degree to which students have attained competency in the school’s learning outcomes” as required by the new ABA Standards.
The Law Review invites interested individuals to submit an abstract of 250-300 words that detail their proposed topic and presentation. Since the above list of topics is non-exhaustive, the University of Detroit Mercy Law Review encourages all interested parties to develop their own topic to present at the Symposium. Included with the abstract should be the author’s name, contact information, and a copy of their resume/curriculum vitae. Abstracts should indicate whether the proposal is for presentation and publication or for presentation only. Although publication is not required to present at the Symposium, preference will be given to proposals that include a commitment to produce a publishable article for the Symposium edition of the Law Review (to be published Fall 2017).
The deadline for abstract submissions is October 31, 2016. Individuals selected to present at the Symposium will be contacted by November 14, 2016.
Submissions, and any questions regarding the Symposium or the abstract process, should be directed to Law Review Symposium Director Erin Cobane at cobaneer@udmercy.edu.