The Unique Challenges Posed by Mock Trial: Evaluation and Assessment of a Simulation Course

Abstract

Simulations in political science and pre-law courses are used as a tool for student engagement and classroom interaction and to get students interested in politics and law by engaging them in either the political or legal process. Much of the literature addresses how to conduct various simulations for particular classes, what the students learned from this hands-on experience, and how the simulation compares to a more traditionally taught course. Student assessment is typically based on a reflective paper or may include questions on an exam. This paper diverges from “student reaction” assessments and attempts to fill a gap in the literature by building an assessment and evaluation model in order to assign a fair grade for Mock Trial, a simulation-based course that spans two semesters and January term.