Learning How to Learn: Carnegie’s Third Apprenticeship
Clinical Law Review, Vol. 18, p. 101, 2011
34 Pages Posted: 6 Jun 2012 Last revised: 30 Sep 2015
Abstract
This article uses the lens of the Carnegie Report’s third apprenticeship (of “Professional Identity Formation”) to examine one particular component of an externship program – the mid-semester self-evaluation and meeting process. The author argues that several lessons critical to the formation of professional identity can be taught through this component: the skill of learning to be effectively supervised by others, the skill of being a self-directed and reflective learner, and the skill of exhaustive preparation. The author also argues that the Carnegie Report’s call for increased formative assessment can be met through this process because the on-site supervisor can critique the student’s self-evaluation in the presence of the faculty member. Because the ABA Regulations do not require a three-way meeting that includes the faculty member, the on-site supervisor, and the student, many externship programs do not include this component. This article is designed to spark a discussion among clinicians about the teaching of professional identity formation, the incorporation of formative assessment, and quality faculty engagement (a Best Practice for Externships) through a mid-semester self-evaluation process or other pedagogical practices.
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