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Abstract

For several decades, clinical teachers have searched for a central theory or model to distinguish, and perhaps legitimize within the academic community, the experience-based method of teaching. One theory popular with clinicians is "andragogy" or adult education, developed by educational psychologist Malcolm Knowles. In 1982 Knowles' theory of adult education, based in humanistic precepts, was popularized in the clinical field through Professor Frank Bloch's groundbreaking article, "The Andragogical Basis of Clinical Legal Education." Clinicians embraced Knowles' theories of "self-directed learning," "facilitated learning," and "competency-based education" as justifications for their teaching methodology. Such concepts contrasted sharply with more traditional pedagogical models of teaching and served to differentiate clinical legal education from other approaches. Despite its attractive humanistic underpinnings, the application of andragogical theory to our externship program's goals and methods at California Western has proven frustrating. We have experienced an uneasy tension between treating students as adults within an andragogical framework and implementing our own values and objectives. In fact, aspects of our program conform more to traditional pedagogy (a term Knowles uses to describe the teaching of children, rather than adults) - a concept some clinicians might disparage. Upon closer examination of andragogical theory, we have concluded that it does not provide the unifying theory for clinical legal education we had once hoped. In substantial part this is because our students have not always reached the stage of "adulthood" the andragogical method requires, and also because we feel it necessary to teach specific content.

Publication Title

Clinical Law Review

Volume

5

Issue

2

First Page

469

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