Richards, B --- "Alice Comes to Law School: The Internet as a Teaching Tool" [2004] LegEdDig 63; (2004) 13(2) Legal Education Digest 22

Alice Comes to Law School: The Internet as a Teaching Tool

B Richards

[2004] LegEdDig 63; (2004) 13(2) Legal Education Digest 22

[2003] LegEdRev 2; 14 Legal Educ Rev 1, 2003–4, pp 115–134

Traditional university education is evolving to include the world wide web as a teaching partner. This is not an overnight revolution. Computer technology has been active on many different levels in the educator’s tool box for a number of years — from the simple course homepage management and internet communication via email, right through to full internet delivery.

It is trite to observe that change is not always welcome in any organisation. With regard to the internet in legal education, there has been some reticence with regard to its inclusion. The key to the successful introduction of the internet into the educational process is to keep an open mind. The benefits and, indeed, the necessity of the internet in legal education are now clear. A quick glance at legal practice will confirm this.

Traditional modes of education also limit students to specified contact hours and opportunities. By adding internet learning to the equation we are providing an opportunity for students to interact with their peers outside allocated class times. It has been argued, too, that one of the most important outcomes of a legal education is the ability to learn by oneself and to understand and adapt to change. Internet-based learning fosters these skills. At the same time as fostering student collaboration and interaction, it can present the student with individual tasks which must be completed in isolation before collaboration and interaction is possible.

The focus turns to how much reliance should be placed on internet-based learning — should it really be an all or nothing question or can a compromise be struck with traditional modes of learning? At Adelaide University, Australia, a balance has been struck — an online tutorial system (ALICE) is available for the staff to use as a teaching tool as they wish. This article focuses on the manner in which this system was introduced into the Law School at Adelaide, outlining both the development and implementation phases. The main lesson to be learnt from the Adelaide experience, though, is that care and planning in the implementation phase are crucial to the success of the inclusion of the internet in the legal education process.

The ALICE system is an online tutorial system with a focus on participation and collaboration. The first step is for the student to access the ALICE homepage and then follow the link to the tutorials. An important part of the ALICE tutorial system is the common room, which is similar to a discussion board. Students are encouraged to post questions, concerns, thoughts and so on, directed to other students and the ALICE tutor. It is always necessary to update students on the current tutorial as well as to respond to common problems and provide advice. An ALICE tutor is employed by the Law School. The role of the tutor is to write and conduct the tutorials as required. Some academic staff prefer to write and run their own tutorials and in that case the ALICE tutor takes on an advisory role.

The ALICE tutorial system was developed in partnership between the Schools of Law and Computer Science. The foundation of the proposed system exists in eight basic principles: (1) communication preceded by thought; (2) conciseness; (3) active participation; (4) thorough participation; (5) absence of ‘malign domination’; (6) liberation from shyness; (7) frequent iteration; and (8) guidance of interaction.

The initial implementation of ALICE in Semester 1 lacked the structured framework and support system required for acceptance by students and staff. The biggest issue in first semester was clearly one of dissemination of information. A further teething problem involved some technical glitches, which made the transition to web-based learning more disrupted than would have been wished. Despite the teething problems experienced in the early part of semester 1, the participation levels reflected a general willingness by students to at least try ALICE.

Semester 2 saw the introduction of the ALICE User Guide, ALICE News, a new homepage and a more coordinated approach. The result was reduced fear and concern amongst the students, culminating in less resistance and more participation. Participation was encouraged and the tutorials were discussed during the conduct of the course. The answers to the tutorials were, however, made available on the internet later in the semester and this meant that some students avoided participation, preferring to wait until the answers were posted. It became evident that confusion, poor communication and lack of general coordination are the natural enemies to the successful introduction of online learning to the law school.

This early experience showed that the students need to be adequately informed about the online tutorial system before they are presented with it. The User Guide as well as the webpage must be in place prior to the commencement of the course and staff must constantly liaise with each other to ensure that the introduction of the tutorials is smooth and the students are well informed. As semester 1 progressed, it became apparent that the most appropriate way to run the tutorials was to be flexible in the timing.

The second year began with a concerted effort to inform both staff and students in the law school about the nature and advantages of the program. If a full picture of the effect of any teaching and learning innovation is to be obtained, it is essential that student perceptions and experiences are systematically surveyed. To this end a study was conducted with the aim of providing a snapshot of student attitudes. The findings clearly reflected the need to implement any innovation with care and provide students with support and direction.

The first step in the collection of data was to determine the level of student participation in the ALICE tutorials. The second step was to gain an overview of the student perceptions, with each question focusing on different aspects of ALICE. The differences in the experiences of the two groups began to have an impact on the data at this point. The responses to the first general question ranged from ‘scrap them’ to constructive suggestions on how to add to the value of the learning experience. Students emphasised the importance of the teacher’s response and there were many comments regarding the availability and content of these responses. Another recommendation from the students was that the tutorials become more integrated into the conduct of the subject and to more directly reflect the subject matter of the weekly lectures, seminars and tutorials. This is a valid recommendation.

The second general question also drew a wide range of answers. There were some extremely positive comments, which included recognition that ALICE is a learning tool that supplements and enhances the face-to-face conduct of the course by providing the students with an opportunity to interact with each other outside of the classroom situation. The most disturbing comments were: (1) participating in an ALICE tutorial is a waste of valuable reading time; (2) ALICE cannot replace face-to-face teaching; (3) the answers of other students are of a poor quality and ALICE does not offer any benefits over in-class tutorials. These comments reflect a real lack of understanding on behalf of the students — for one thing, ALICE was never designed to replace face-to-face tutorials.

The introduction of internet-based learning into the world of legal education is not something to be taken lightly. It will present a unique set of challenges and difficulties requiring dedication and planning. While the Adelaide experience clearly demonstrates some of the practical problems, it also suggests that over time perhaps even the most cynical student may come to realise that internet-based learning is not intended as a substitute for face-to-face teaching, but that technological innovations like ALICE have distinctive benefits for the teaching and learning process.