Blended Learning

Blended_Learning-01.png

Abstract/Snapshot:

This pattern outlines an approach to provide law students with an advance organiser to assist them to understand and master a number of practical skills they will need in their practice as lawyers, including:

advocacy through mooting
legal interviewing
negotiation
mediation.

To facilitate this learning, students engage in a variety of face-to-face simulations and industry feedback is provided. However, the preparation for these simulations can be constrained by time. The development of legal skills online video materials provides students with scaffolded, asynchronous, just-in-time preparation for face-to-face role-plays. This approach blends the online and face-to-face experience of students to optimise learning, and is adaptable to a broad range of discipline areas.

Learning Context

This approach was developed in the Juris Doctor program in Graduate School of Business and Law. The program is delivered to both on-campus and online students, and the student cohort is varied, with a range of educational backgrounds, age and experience.

The pattern can have wide application to students in a broad range of disciplines, who access both face-to-face and online learning experiences. It is particularly applicable to work integrated learning student experiences, and those who need to undertake preparation for skills-based activities.

Rationale

The Juris Doctor develops several core practical legal skills throughout the program. Students need to be able to identify the purpose of the legal skills activities and be adequately prepared for the practical activities to ensure they gain maximum benefit from the opportunities. Past experience has shown that the effectiveness of this preparation could be improved.

This pattern provides a purposeful approach to the blending of learning modes through the use of video and online/face-to-face discussion. This approach helps students to orient themselves with the process and effectively prepare them for their practical activities. Industry feedback is provided in relation to the skills simulations, further enhancing the benefits of work integrated learning.

Learning Design

The elements of this curriculum design pattern align with assessment in a number of courses in the Juris Doctor program. The blended approach is used for scaffolding legal skills integrated in core, substantive law courses i.e. Law of Torts, Civil Procedure and Evidence. This approach is also used in an elective course dealing with legal practice, Clinical Legal Education.

Each course has a Blackboard site where resources such as prescribed text, presentations, study guides and seminar audio files are provided. Additionally, specific Blackboard sites provide precedents, study material, library links and video instruction for the legal skills.

Conditions/Critical Success Factors

Successful implementation of the pattern requires the Program Co-ordinator to ensure all access to the blended learning experiences are organised across the participating courses.

Resources/Technology

The following resources are used to support this pattern:

Instructional videos for to support student preparation (via YouTube and the Blended Learning Google site)
Blended Learning Google Site

Case Studies/Implementation

Develop course videos (if required)
Recruit industry representatives for feedback
Set up Blackboard with course videos
Include Part B assessment for each step in pattern
Provide students with instructional videos that outline steps to help them engage with video material, reflect in discussions (either face-to-face or online), participate in role-plays and receive industry feedback
Students view video material, engage in discussions and give feedback
Teacher schedules role-play days while students engage with video materials
Post announcement of role play dates and logistics of discussion boards etc
Students engage in role-plays
Teacher observes students role plays and provides direct feedback
Students receive industry feedback and self-reflect
Assess and assign grades.

Outcomes

This pattern provides an approach to blended learning using video in WIL related activities. The pattern uses video material in the online environment to provide scaffolding, asynchronous support and just-in-time materials to prepare students for face-to-face simulations. The learners’ experience and participation with the simulations will be improved by exposing the learner to the online resources prior to the simulations taking place.

Video provides the opportunity to engage with ‘good’ practice examples therefore the blending of the online and face-to-face experiences better prepare students to be work-ready.

Program

Blackboard (online learning)

Learning engagement/activities

WIL

Blended Learning.pdf

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Design Pattern

Blended Learning

Blended_Learning-01.png

Blended Learning.pdf