Mind the GAP: connecting the classroom to the courtroom in an online learning environment
| Autor | Eshan Dauhoo |
| Ocupação do Autor | LLB, BSc, LLM, MA, PGCert Inter. Law, PGCert Psych., PGDip Eur. Law, PhD (candidate) at University College London. Law Mentor (Academic) at London Metropolitan University and Visiting Law Lecturer at University of West London |
| Páginas | 319-344 |
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Capítulo 12
MIND THE GAP: CONNECTING THE CLASSROOM TO THE
COURTROOM IN AN ONLINE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT
Eshan Dauhoo1
Summary: Online law courses are not a novel feature of the UK Higher
Education landscape. Whilst some universities may have tentatively
dabbled in their exploration, preferring not to stray too far from the safety
and familiarity of on-campus courses, other universities have been more
adventurous in courting and embracing the online environment. Such
universities have carved out an impressive space in the virtual world2.
SARS-CoV-193, however, has forced online legal education from the
fringes to the forefront of the higher education landscape. In this current
environment, online teaching and learning seems no longer niche or
optional, but rather mainstream and obligatory.
This article aims to provide some practical guidance by reflecting upon
how Law Schools can attempt to make the most of a difficult situation. The
article suggests that the shift to the virtual world offers an opportunity and
platform to rethink and reshape the traditional approach to legal education.
The author counsels against the mere transposition of the traditional
approach to the virtual world. Instead, there is the possibility to transform
the online experience of law students by creating a space which connects
the classroom to the courtroom. The article reflects upon ways in which
1 Eshan Dauhoo, LLB, BSc, LLM, MA, PGCert Inter. Law, PGCert Psych., PGDip Eur.
Law, PhD (candidate) at University College London. Law Mentor (Academic) at London
Metropolitan University and Visiting Law Lecturer at University of West London. E-mail:
eshan.dauhoo@gmail.com
2 Institutions such as The Open University and The University of London Worldwide have
specialised in providing distance and online law degrees. Other universities, e.g., BPP
University and the University of Law have also developed a strong portfolio of online law
degrees.
3 Hereinafter referred to as COVID-19.
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the aforementioned can be facilitated by adopting and adapting features of
an approach commonly known as flipped classroom, to construct
courtroom style sessions4 where students can take centre stage. Here,
students are invited to explore, develop and apply key legal skills in an
interactive and dynamic environment. The learning space is also
encouraged to expand beyond the virtual classroom to provide further
opportunities for law students to develop their legal skills and online
learning communities.
The author is mindful of the difficulties of such a transformation. Whilst
the idea is for flipping the classroom and creating courtroom style sessions
to become common features of online learning, many law schools will still
be wrestling with replicating basic features of a traditional face-to-face
classroom in the virtual environment. The article acknowledges that
progress is more likely to be incremental and hence takes a layered
approach. It first considers ways in which online sessions can be created
and delivered without too much of a shift from the traditional face-face
sessions (Safe mode) as well as the more transformational approaches to
teaching and learning online legal education (Smart mode). The article also
explores some of the challenges of creating such online environments and
reflects upon the way forward.
1. Introduction
We a re all online, is perhaps an apt way to paint the current
situation in the UK higher education (HE) landscape. Following the
COVID-19 outbreak, and national lockdown, universities were inevitably
forced to close their physical doors and open their virtual doors to
students5. The unexpected and unprecedented nature of the situation meant
that universities had very little time to react and, as a result, scrambled to
put into place an online teaching and learning environment that could see
students through to the end of their academic year.
With the light at the end of the tunnel still dim, and campus doors
only partially re-opening, it makes sense to take stock of the opportunities
4 Flipped classroom and courtroom style sessions are discussed in section 3.2.2.
5 The UK entered lockdown on 23 March 2020.
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