1. Does the Oxford tutorial system help to stimulate critical thinking and foster a critical dialogue around feedback among Law students?
Anil Balan

2. The Oxford Tutorial System
The development of a tutorial system at Oxford
Pedagogy of the Oxford tutorial – Socratic dialogues
Criticism of the system
Defence of the system – Moore (1968), OUEC (2008), Palfreyman (2008)

3. Critical thinking Tutor’s role – OLI (2016) Golding (2011)
The ‘community of inquiry’
Collins (2010)

4. Professional legal skills
Mirfield (2008)
Shale (2008)
Ashwin (2005, 2006)

5. Critical feedback dialogue
OUEC (2008)
Dialogical approach to feedback (Nicol 2010)
Effective feedback - self-regulated learning
Critical dialogue - critical thinking, LETR (2013)

6. Criticism of the Oxford tutorial system
Mirfield (2008)
Brookfield (2000)
OUSU (2010)

7. Methodology Research question Case study design Qualitative data
Sampling
Observations and interviews
Ethical considerations
Analysis

8. Findings Tutorial A – A1, A2, A3 Tutorial B – B1, B2
Tutorial C – C1, C2

9. Discussion
Strengths and weaknesses
Assessment and feedback

10. Critical thinking and critical dialogue
Development of critical thinking skills – Golding (2011)
Role of tutor – Socratic method
Oral argument and presentation
Legal education and training – critical thinking

11. Conclusions Limitations of study Similarities – tutor’s role
Differences – superficial?
Areas for further research

12. References
Ashwin, P. (2005) ‘Variation in students’ experiences of the Oxford tutorial’, Higher Education 50,
Ashwin, P. (2006) ‘Variation in academics’ accounts of tutorials’, Studies in Higher Education 31 (6),
Brookfield, S. (2001) ‘Through the Lens of Learning: how the visceral experience of learning reframes teaching’, in: Paechter, C., Edwards, R. M., Harrison, R. and Twining, P. (Eds.) Learning, Space and Identity (London: Sage), pp
Collins, P. (2010) ‘Inclusive team assessment of off-campus and on-campus first year Law students using instantaneous communication technology’, The Law Teacher, 44:3,
Golding, C. (2011) ‘Educating for critical thinking: thought-encouraging questions in a community of inquiry’, Higher Education Research and Development, 30(3):
Mirfield, P. (2008) ‘Teaching Law, Learning Law: Growing Up Intellectually’. In Palfreyman, David, ed. The Oxford Tutorial: "Thanks, You Taught Me How to Think," 2nd ed. (pp.44-46) (Oxford: Blackwell’s).
Moore, W.G. (1968). The Tutorial System and its Future. (Oxford: Pergamon Press).
Nicol, D. (2010) ‘From Monologue to Dialogue: improving written feedback processes in mass Higher Education’ Assessment and Evaluation in Higher Education, 35(5):
Oxford University Education Committee (2008) Policy Guidance on Undergraduate Learning and Teaching, (University of Oxford).
Oxford University Student Union (2010) Undergraduate Teaching Review Report (University of Oxford).
Palfreyman, D., (Ed.)  (2008) The Oxford Tutorial: "Thanks, You Taught Me How to Think," 2nd ed. (Oxford: Blackwell’s).
Shale, S. (2008) ‘The Oxford Tutorial in the Context of Theory on Student Learning: “Knowledge is a wild thing, and must be hunted before it can be tamed”’. In Palfreyman, D., ed. The Oxford Tutorial: "Thanks, You Taught Me How to Think," 2nd ed. (pp.85-90) (Oxford: Blackwell’s).