The 2010 Law School Survey of Student Engagement, conducted by the Association of American Law Schools and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, found that only 20 percent of law students frequently discuss course concepts with their professors and 29 percent discuss career plans with them.
The study also found that female law students are less likely than male students to ask questions in class.
Robert Jarvis, professor of law, said that the survey’s methodology is not thorough.
“Two thirds of American law schools aren’t being surveyed and in the one third that is being surveyed, we don’t know who is answering the surveys,” he said. “I wouldn’t put a lot of faith in it. They’re not doing controlled studies.”
However, James Levy, associate professor of law, said that the survey seemed to get a good response rate.
Levy said he believed that the survey’s findings about female engagement in class mirrored past surveys that indicate that women are more reluctant to talk in class than men.
“I don’t think we have a particular problem at NSU, but I think it’s probably something that professors should be sensitive to because there are earlier reports saying the same thing,” he said.
Raymond Traendly, first-year law student, said that, from his experience, female law students are very involved in class.
“I suppose that if the participants in the study aren’t inclined to participate in class it might be because the law profession is seen as an ‘old boys’ club’ maybe not so much now but there still may be some tensions there,” said Traendly.
Levy said he was surprised to learn that students do not frequently discuss the course with their professors. He also said this was not the case at NSU.
“I think many teachers enjoy meeting with the students, and that’s one of the things that makes the job satisfying. It might be that we make ourselves available, but students still feel intimidated about coming to talk to us after class,” he said.
Sara Noon, second-year law student, said that other responsibilities keep students from keeping in touch with their professors.
“I think as you get further along, you don’t think you need as much help, and your classes aren’t as complicated,” she said. “By the time they get to their third year, a lot of people have jobs and don’t have time to meet with their professors.”
Levy said he hopes to see a change in the results of these types of surveys.
“Surveys like this will just sensitize professors that there still may be a problem out there and we still have to do more to make the classroom a more comfortable environment for everybody,” he said.
