Developing Students’ Sense of Autonomy, Competence and Purpose Through a Clinical Component in Ethics Teaching

ABSTRACT This article examines empirical research which surveyed 69 legal ethics students, and analyses the impact of a short clinical experience on students’ confidence in their later legal studies. It connects the importance of providing meaningful experiences to law students in their degree program in order to build their sense of purpose and intrinsic motivation. While an entire clinical course would be expected to impact positively on students’ confidence and sense of purpose, it is a new finding that even a short clinical experience can have this effect. Building in experiences which reinforce students’ sense of purpose and competence has the potential to support students’ intrinsic motivation for law students studying law. This has flow on impacts for students’ mental health and ability to successfully complete their studies.