LEGAL EDUCATION & ICT

LEGAL EDUCATION & ICTLEGAL EDUCATION & ICT

Electronic legal education involves the Electronic legal education involves the use of information, communication and use of information, communication and instructional technologies to enhance instructional technologies to enhance students’ learning of the law and to students’ learning of the law and to provide law teachers with environments provide law teachers with environments and tools for teaching the law. and tools for teaching the law. With the fast growth of the Internet With the fast growth of the Internet many Law schools and Law faculties are many Law schools and Law faculties are moving their education and training into moving their education and training into web environments. web environments.


We must start somewhere to use We must start somewhere to use technology, and where best to start technology, and where best to start but with the forms of documents and but with the forms of documents and the educational approaches that we the educational approaches that we know well. know well.

ICT enables teachers to assemble, ICT enables teachers to assemble, store and (re) use materials for store and (re) use materials for learning the law. learning the law.


ICT provides students with an ICT provides students with an environment in which they can manage environment in which they can manage legal information and legal knowledge for legal information and legal knowledge for their personal professional use.their personal professional use.

We may integrate interactive tools and We may integrate interactive tools and substantive material, for example self-substantive material, for example self-tests on different fields of law, a video tests on different fields of law, a video simulation of an oral exam, and handouts simulation of an oral exam, and handouts from professors and judges etc. from professors and judges etc.


There can be a CD-Rom reproducing a virtual There can be a CD-Rom reproducing a virtual legal library with the aim to explain how a legal library with the aim to explain how a lawyer can retrieve legal materials (statutes, lawyer can retrieve legal materials (statutes, case law, legal literature) consulting case law, legal literature) consulting specialized books and periodicals specialized books and periodicals

The web can be used for many innovative The web can be used for many innovative purposes; it is also a valuable source of purposes; it is also a valuable source of information information

The importance of the web lies in its use The importance of the web lies in its use both as a display and an interactive medium both as a display and an interactive medium


The focus should be on the The focus should be on the implementation of development implementation of development strategies centered on quality of content strategies centered on quality of content and processes. and processes.

We should treat the design of electronic We should treat the design of electronic materials for learning the law as a materials for learning the law as a research activity. research activity.

In designing these electronic materials a In designing these electronic materials a principled and structured design principled and structured design approach should be taken. approach should be taken.


This approach involves three major types This approach involves three major types of research categories:of research categories:

Basic research in the modeling of legal Basic research in the modeling of legal knowledge and legal reasoningknowledge and legal reasoning

Applied research for realizing the Applied research for realizing the electronic materialselectronic materials

Integrated research where the emphasis Integrated research where the emphasis is on managing existing electronic is on managing existing electronic materials and delivering coursesmaterials and delivering courses


Classification of electronic materials for Classification of electronic materials for learning the law:learning the law:

Communication tools - that help to Communication tools - that help to structure, organize and support structure, organize and support communication in accomplishing a certain communication in accomplishing a certain legal task legal task

Information tools - that contain legal data Information tools - that contain legal data that are needed in order to carry out a that are needed in order to carry out a certain legal task certain legal task

Instructional tools - electronic materials for Instructional tools - electronic materials for the effective and efficient acquisition of the effective and efficient acquisition of legal knowledge and legal skillslegal knowledge and legal skills


Approach to handle ICT in Legal Education:Approach to handle ICT in Legal Education:

A problem-seeking, not a solution-driven, A problem-seeking, not a solution-driven, approach to ICTapproach to ICT

An explicit model for managing changeAn explicit model for managing change Explicit goals, both organisational and Explicit goals, both organisational and

educationaleducational Development methodologies centered on Development methodologies centered on

quality of content and processes, not quality of content and processes, not technical compatibilitiestechnical compatibilities

Involvement of studentsInvolvement of students Alternative ‘visualisations’ of a managed Alternative ‘visualisations’ of a managed

learning environment’s functions. learning environment’s functions.


The decision to use ICT is often clothed in The decision to use ICT is often clothed in three layers of knowledge conception: three layers of knowledge conception:

Democratic conception, which includes Democratic conception, which includes reference to distance learning and reference to distance learning and transparency;transparency;

Economic conception, referring to income Economic conception, referring to income generation and competitiveness; and generation and competitiveness; and

Discipline-related conception, where the Discipline-related conception, where the greater efficiency of discipline-based greater efficiency of discipline-based learning is adducedlearning is adduced


The strategy involves major decisions The strategy involves major decisions regarding:regarding:

registry services; registry services; the creation, handling and access to the creation, handling and access to

personal data; personal data; academic course information;academic course information; and much more and much more


Suggestions:Suggestions: Creation of a publicly-accessible ICT Creation of a publicly-accessible ICT

database where developers input and database where developers input and maintain their own projects, to be maintain their own projects, to be updated regularly by a dedicated team. updated regularly by a dedicated team.

Programme of meetings for specialist Programme of meetings for specialist developersdevelopers

Integration of educational theory with Integration of educational theory with ICT implementationsICT implementations

Focus on processes of learning rather Focus on processes of learning rather than on software products.than on software products.


SuggestionsSuggestions Cont…Cont…

Extensive use of student voice in feedbackExtensive use of student voice in feedback Rejection of ‘one size fits all’ approach to Rejection of ‘one size fits all’ approach to

e-learning, and support for diversity e-learning, and support for diversity and heterogeneity in the creation and use and heterogeneity in the creation and use of e-learning.of e-learning.

Further research into the factors that Further research into the factors that explain why certain forms of teaching and explain why certain forms of teaching and learning work better in some areas than in learning work better in some areas than in othersothers

Long-term and large-scale comparisons of Long-term and large-scale comparisons of methods and results, based upon quality methods and results, based upon quality evidence evidence

THANKSTHANKS Please send your suggestions/views at:Please send your suggestions/views at: E-mail: E-mail: [email protected]@gmail.com Mobile: +91-99103-84653Mobile: +91-99103-84653 Interesting Websites:Interesting Websites: www.delhicourts.nic.inwww.delhicourts.nic.in www.indiacyber.netwww.indiacyber.net www.legalbasket.comwww.legalbasket.com

TALWANT SINGHTALWANT SINGH

Addl Distt. & Sessions Judge Addl Distt. & Sessions Judge

Delhi (India)Delhi (India)

LEGAL EDUCATION & ICT

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