Responsive and democratic evaluation of a law school curriculum: A case study (Colombia)

This is an evaluative case study of the curriculum at the Private University of Bogota School of Law (PUBSOL) in Colombia. The evaluation design is embedded substantively in the field of critical curriculum theorizing and methodologically in democratic evaluation theories and practices. It contains a critical appraisal of the official curriculum and a responsive evaluation of the operational curriculum. The whole undertaking is framed under a commitment to democratic values.; Main issues addressed are: How do different PUBSOL stakeholders define what the purpose of legal education is? Are there conflicting views about legal education affecting the quality of the education offered at the school? What are the educational opportunities that the School actually offers? What do students learn at PUBSOL? To answer these questions, a broad set of qualitative research techniques has been used to portray the complexity of the program.; PUBSOL's official curriculum is characterized by a progressive perspective, flexibility with room for specialization and electives, emphasis on skills development through problem-based learning and argumentation, interdisciplinary studies, integration of substantive and procedural law, theoretical and practical knowledge, and emphasis in general education as opposed to delivery of information. These features make PUBSOL unique among Colombian and Latin American law schools. Data and analysis of the operational curriculum however shows that the official curriculum is often neglected and even counteracted by the operational curriculum. Several factors accounting for this opposition are assessed in the evaluation of PUBSOL's practices.; It is suggested that PUBSOL could do a lot more to promote its ideology and to support the professional development of its professors according with the School's aims and goals. Continuing group work is required to keep things going in the direction the curriculum indicates, to avoid repetitions and gaps in content and activities, and to develop the progressive curriculum for developing the skills, attitudes and values the School is aiming to. Taken for granted views about how legal education has traditionally been arranged and conducted, what students learn and what they need to know when entering the work life are challenged by the detailed study of PUBSOL's experience.