Communication and Jounalism departments can help you with focus groups to get ideas from alumni and lawyers in your community about the skills and values students should learn in law school. Medical school models of assessment can be great sources for skills based assessment. University accreditation initiatives are likely to involve a review of assessment priorities. Other departments around campus may have structured assessment initiatives that good be helpful and be a source for terrific speakers. Co-teaching with someone from another department will enrich teachign expertise and assessment ideas. We have used these resources in the past at the law school.
My advice for tapping these resources is 1) get involved with different teaching and assessment initiatives developed at your university and 2) participate in projects wtih professors from other departments and then introduce teaching and assessment as a topic. 3) call professors you know are doing interesting and innovative things and invite them to lunch. Insights from other disciplines informed the Best Practices Book and there is nothing like continuing the learning with your colleagues from other departments.
Filed under: Who is Using the Best Practices Book?
