Can you learn to lawyer online? A blended learning environment case study

Date

2015

Authors

Hewitt, A.

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Journal article

Citation

The Law Teacher, 2015; 49(1):92-121

Statement of Responsibility

Anne Hewitt

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Abstract

Law students’ future clients and employers, and the broader community, all deserve graduates to be equipped with not only substantive legal knowledge, but also a range of skills and practical knowledge. However, most law schools face resource pressures that mean that traditional skills development methodologies (which are often resource intensive) can only be used judiciously. In this resource-poor environment, skills development methodologies which incorporate new technologies can be one way to assist law students to develop the professional skills they require. Online learning tools have the potential to be resource friendly, and law schools may therefore be able to utilise them to ensure that maximum learning potential is achieved from the limited resources available. Considering an online or blended skills development framework is also supported by evidence that new technology learning tools can usefully contribute to skills development. In this article the potential for online learning to replicate aspects of an apprenticeship model of learning is explored, as a means of explaining this contribution. This analysis is intended to facilitate consideration of a broad panoply of learning tools for skills development, and inform educators considering adding a new technology component to student skills development.

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Dissertation Note

Provenance

Description

Published online: 23 Jan 2015

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© 2015 The Association of Law Teachers

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