Two Series sessions will be hosted at the Canadian Association of Law Teachers Conference in London, Ontario Wednesday, June 3 and Thursday, June 4. The first explores the imperatives for advancing reflective practice as a professional metacompetency for law. The second looks at how it supports transformative learning. Time permitting, participants in these sessions will engage in a visioning sessions of how reflective practice and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning could be better advanced in Canadian legal education.
Presenters on Wednesday include Prof. Annie Rochette speaking to the essentiality of Reflective Practice as a Professional Competency," followed by Prof. Sharry Aiken and Educational Developer and Instructional Designer Andrea Speltz exploring the vexing issue of "Beyond Bans" AI Literacy, Reflective Practice, and Assessment Integrity in Legal Education." Concerned about how we might catalyze a shift in legal education, American law Prof Jennifer Rosen Valverde and Queen's Law Visiting Scholar Michele Leering will review the "Micro, Meso, and Macro Factors Influencing the Acceptance of Reflective Practice as a Core Professional Competency," sharing findings from the healthcare disciplines and Australian and American legal education.
The transformative potential of reflective practice and inquiry is one of its most hopeful contributions to legal education in Canada and internationally. It contributes to better preparing law students for what society needs from legal professionals in the 21st century, supports lifelong professional development, and promotes wellbeing. In this second session offered as part of the International Symposium Series, promising practices for diversifying and intensifying students', law teachers', and legal professionals' reflective capacity through aesthetic and other methods will be explored. The opportunities for reflective practice supporting competency development in the context of academic medical legal/health justice partnerships will be discussed based on Prof. Valverde's extensive experience in the US. Prof. Valverde will also reflect on process recordings as a reflection tool for students building on their acceptance in social work.
This second session will also examine an innovative study looking at spheres of influence and transformation in the legal profession - using a collaborative ethnographic approach. This research is in response to the urgent need for a systemic shift to trauma-responsive and dignity-centred legal practice and other changes in law. University of Saskatchewan College of Law's Wellbeing Coordinator, Dr. Judy Jaunzems-Fernuk and her co-authors seek to inform and inspire legal educators seeking more humanizing, inclusive and healing-centred approaches to justice work. Taking a reflective approach in a upper substantive law course, Prof. Debra Haak will explain how she has introduced the critical case comment to build reflective capacity. The assignment includes critical reflection, peer feedback and self- and integrative reflection.