'Learning' Like Lawyers: Addressing the Differences in Law Student Learning Styles

53 Pages Posted: 15 Jan 2012

See all articles by Eric A. DeGroff

Eric A. DeGroff

Regent University - School of Law

Kathleen A. McKee

Regent University - School of Law

Date Written: 2006

Abstract

The desire for diversity in legal education has led to increased attention to the concept of adult learning styles. The research presented in this article demonstrates a statistically significant correlation between learning styles and academic performance in law school as well as performance on the LSAT. The findings also reflect a distinct, though less profound, relationship between ethnicity and learning style.

While previous scholarship has found that adapting the classroom to accommodate students' learning preferences may make learning easier in some respects, this research indicates that the learning preferences of at-risk law students may require substantive change, not merely accommodation. The article suggests that experiential learning theory may hold a key to reaching students whose learning styles are not entirely compatible with the demands of legal education.

Keywords: learning styles, diversity, legal education, pedagogy, Socratic teaching, experiential learning, active learning

JEL Classification: I20, I21, K40

Suggested Citation

DeGroff, Eric A. and McKee, Kathleen A., 'Learning' Like Lawyers: Addressing the Differences in Law Student Learning Styles (2006). Brigham Young University Education and Law Journal, p. 499, 2006, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1985229

Eric A. DeGroff (Contact Author)

Regent University - School of Law ( email )

1000 Regent University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
United States

Kathleen A. McKee

Regent University - School of Law ( email )

1000 Regent University Drive
Virginia Beach, VA 23464
United States

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