New York Law School (NYLS) and continuing legal education (CLE) provider, Lawline.com are collaborating to bring online legal learning resources to law students and others who want to learn about law.
Together they will explore the potential for new kinds of legal learning such as online games and simulations.
“We are excited to bring our CLE materials to law students, many of whom will learn more about the real challenges of law practice, and take advantage of the convenience of video materials to study on their mobile devices,” said David Schnurman, CEO of Lawline.com.
NYLS has been delivering novel software-based games and simulations to its students for some time.
“We believe it is time to invite a wider array of teachers and learners into a shared online legal learning space,” said Professor Dan Hunter, Director of the Institute for Information Law & Policy at New York Law School.
For more information on this groundbreaking legal education alliance, see New York Law School Announces Online Legal Learning Alliance with Lawline.com.
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So New York Law School’s idea of online learning for law students is “…online games and simulations.” Really? What a joke! So typical of the professional legal education crowd. Offer online games and simulations but don’t touch our bloated salaries, lite work loads and visiting professorships. Oh yes and give us money so we can continue in the nonproductive course we are on now. How about online classes and meaningful online learning experences, to among other things bring down the cost of legal education?
Good points, Patrick. Lots of discussion recently around the need for law school’s curriculum to prepare students for the practice of law and more transparency and assistance about the job market and career services. Bringing the cost of legal education down needs to be among those discussions.
Patrick,
Thanks for the comment. The costs of law school is unsustainable and you are absolutely right the costs need to come down substantially. I agree with you that meaningful online learning experience is the future to not only law school education but education in general. Just to be clear the terminology of gaming and simulations is focused on having students actively participate in the learning process instead of just passively watching a course online. Having a true elearning experience for law students will not only increase their absorption of the materials but will lower the costs of education. That is the ultimate goal of this project and I believe we are well on our way to achieving it.
I hope this helps.
Thanks for weighing in, David! Look forward to seeing how this alliance develops and what it produces.
Check out this on point TechCrunch piece from earlier today and the interesting comments – Peter Thiel: We’re in a Bubble and It’s Not the Internet. It’s Higher Education.
David,
My comments were in no way intended to denigrate the efforts of your organization in this effort. Indeed I am sure you are spot on concerning the educational value of well thought out and well constructed online gaming and simulation situations. My comments were directed at the law school, the legal education community and most of the college and university academic crowd as it pertains to online courses. Admittedly online courses are not for all students. On the other hand they are, in my opinion the wave of the future for much of higher education in this country and world wide. I speak from experience as a user of online CLE and an online CLE presenter. I have taught courses in one of my areas of concentration, i.e., representation of the left behind parent in international kidnapping cases via a number of bar association sponsored programs throughout the United States all, of which have been approved by one or more of the CLE accrediting boards in various states. I just wish higher education generally, including law schools, was more open to using this type of educational tool.