Abstract:

The change of paradigm imposed by the Bologna Declaration has significant implications for the learning processes in the law studies. The learning of law is increasingly oriented towards the acquisition of professional skills that facilitate a smooth transition from the university studies to the working environments. Hence there is a need for changes in both the habits and ways of making the teaching and the assessment of achieved learning.

This paper deals with the promotion and assessment of generic skills in the Bachelor Degree of Law through the use of digital portfolio. For this purpose, phases in implementation, selection of skills to assess and a table of equivalence between activities and the competences are defined as goals to be achieved.

The easiest way to show the processes and learning outcomes in relation to both the content and the skills acquired by students is a tool that keeps evidence and makes visible the progress as far as possible in the acquisition and development of these skills. Digital portfolio was the selected one. Our previous experience in using digital portfolios has enabled us to design a skills portfolio for tracking, monitoring and assessing skills of students. Since the portfolio was implemented on a pilot group, it was decided to restrict the assessment to the generic skills. The pilot group involved 90 students in a double bachelor degree (Law and Management) at the Faculty of Law of the University of Barcelona.

In order to promote the design of activities and the assessment of developed skills a guide has been compiled. This guide includes assessment rubrics that enable tutors to perform adequate monitoring of the learning process of students.

Keywords:

Law, generic competences, professional skills, assessment, e-portfolio.