ERIC Number: EJ1145954
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017-Jul
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0098-6283
EISSN: N/A
Teaching Psychology and Law: An Empirical Evaluation of Experiential Learning
Zelechoski, Amanda D.; Riggs Romaine, Christina L.; Wolbransky, Melinda
Teaching of Psychology, v44 n3 p222-231 Jul 2017
Given the recent proliferation of undergraduate psychology and law courses, there is an increased need to empirically evaluate effective methods of teaching psycholegal material. The current study used a between- and within-subject design across four higher education institutions (N = 291 students) to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating experiential learning activities in undergraduate psychology and law courses. Students who participated in the experiential activities performed significantly better than did control students on exam questions related to some, but not all, of the activities. In addition, experiential students consistently rated aspects of the course as more enjoyable than did control students. Results suggest that the inclusion of experiential learning activities has the potential to improve student performance and increase interest and motivation.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Experiential Learning, Learning Activities, Psychology, Legal Education (Professions), Teaching Methods, Instructional Effectiveness, Experimental Groups, Control Groups, Student Attitudes, Course Evaluation, Learning Motivation, Learner Engagement, Crime, Outcomes of Education, Legal Problems, Problem Solving, Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A