National Jurist - February 2009 - (Page 17)

“It’s all part of that professionalism training students need, especially those in their first year of law school,” Boyle said. But the LSSSE report, based on information from more than 29,000 law students at 85 law schools, found that students who frequently used their laptop to take notes or review ideas from past lectures were more likely to come to class prepared. They also contributed more to class discussions and were more likely to work hard to meet faculty expectations. But there are the students who frequently used their laptops during class to surf the Web, email or instant message, making them much less engaged. Those are reasons why some professors prefer to ban laptop use. Another professor notes that her threeyear-old ban continues to receive mild, if any, feedback over the past semester, so she plans to keep her policy as is. “I have had almost no negative ramifications,” said Nancy Maxwell, professor at the Washburn University School of Law. “My teaching evaluation scores have not been impacted — they continue to remain above average.” Maxwell said the number of students who make a negative comment on her teaching evaluations about not having a laptop and those who say they appreciate the ban are about equal. “There have been about five total com- ments pro and five total comments con on my teaching evaluations in the past three years with the ban in place,” she said. Maxwell also said she sees evidence that her ban has actually helped her students grasp legal concepts far better than they may have otherwise. “In my criminal law class, for multiple choice questions that were repeated in both a laptop and a no-laptop environment, the scores still remain higher in the no-laptop environment,” Maxwell said. The annual LSSSE study gives law schools an idea of how well students are learning, along with what student put into and get out of their law school experience. The Bridge Between Educating for Justice Since 1912 LEGAL THEORY AND PRACTICE is in San Francisco this Summer May 25 - June 7, 2009 Develop Trial Advocacy Skills in San Francisco ■ USF offers an intensive two-week course on litigation and trial techniques and strategies. ■ Learn to take and defend depositions, argue pre-trial motions, examine eye witnesses and experts, select juries and make opening and closing statements and arguments. ■ Earn 3 units of academic credit in two weeks. ■ Work with over 100 distinguished judges and trial lawyers from around the country who will lecture, demonstrate skills and lead you in practice workshops. ■ Conduct a mock trial in front of a judge and jury and receive a videotape of your performance. ■ Learn to think on your feet and develop the confidence to advocate for your clients! The reason you went to law school! For more information see www.usfca.edu/law. Click on Centers & Programs, then on Intensive Advocacy Program. Email advocacyprograms@usfca.edu, or call 415-422-5780 x1. February 2009 THE NATIONAL JURIST 17 http://www.usfca.edu/law http://www.usfca.edu/law

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of National Jurist - February 2009

National Jurist - February 2009 Contents Entertainment: Get Organized! The Firm Report: The Part-Time Lawyer News: Keeping Ethics Intact, New Law Deans, Latest Survey Findings Seattle Law Students Secure Asylum for East African Women Laptops in the Classroom Attorneys Dissect Health Law Law Students Contribute to 2008 Election Process Remembering Professors Obama and Biden Bar Exam Diaries How Well Balanced are Law Students? How to Choose a Summer Program Career Hotline Linguistic Gymnastics Disturbing the Peace

National Jurist - February 2009

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