Hopeful perspectives: incorporating hope theory in Australian law students' academic experience

Holland, Claire;Taylor, Donnalee

Abstract

The graduate landscape paints an austere outlook for law students with the ultra-competitive legal market fluctuating in its need for graduate lawyers. How law students and members of the legal profession are adapting to the complex nature of modern legal roles and the 'wellness' of law students and legal professionals is being increasingly evaluated in Australia. Given that students are enrolling in law degrees in a fast-paced changing world, it is important for universities to consider how students' studies, academic achievement and career skills-building might be impacted by how they are thinking and feeling about their future. How students feel about and perceive their future affects their level of hope and subsequently their wellbeing. Hope is defined as an individuals' positive motivational state and perceived capability to plan and seek pathways to meet their desired goals. This review will consider evidence from the fields of positive psychology, first year experience in higher education, alternative dispute resolution, and teaching and learning pedagogy in order to examine how certain characteristics of the student experience relates to individual hope. The implications for future research in the field of hope theory, specifically in law student populations, and how hope theory can be utilised to inform teaching practices are discussed.

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James Cook University Law Review

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1839-2792

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James Cook University

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