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ERIC Number: EJ902689
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 26
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0896-5811
EISSN: N/A
The Case of the Unhappy Sports Fan: Embracing Student-Centered Learning and Promoting Upper-Level Cognitive Skills through an Online Dispute Resolution Simulation
Ponte, Lucille M.
Journal of Legal Studies Education, v23 n2 p169-194 Aug-Sep 2006
Pedagogical experts contend that students learn best when they are actively involved in and responsible for their own learning. In a student-centered learning environment, the instructor ideally serves primarily as a learning resource or facilitator. With the guidance of the instructor, students in active learning environments strive for higher-level cognitive skills that effectively develop written and oral communication abilities and critical thinking and reasoning skills. Faculty members who wish to incorporate active learning strategies into their law courses must be mindful of the diverse learning styles found in the classroom. Instructors must employ pedagogical methods that reach out to a broad range of learning styles in their efforts to promote student-centered learning and upper-level cognitive skills. Collaborative learning groups integrated with productive technological tools can further strengthen student-centered learning and bridge the gap between different learning styles. A major obstacle to legal studies faculty seeking to achieve these varied learning goals in an undergraduate law course may be the lack of appropriate classroom materials. This article summarizes the major learning domains and reviews higher-level cognitive skills under Bloom's Taxonomy in a legal education context. The importance of active learning and the various types of learning styles found in undergraduate law classes are also addressed. The article then provides the materials for an online dispute resolution (ODR) simulation, "The Case of the Unhappy Sports Fan," and a student reflection paper for a team evaluation of the simulation exercise. These exercises offer student-centered learning opportunities aimed at enhancing upper-level cognitive skills and attuned to different student learning styles. The assignment materials allow for collaborative work outside of class and lead to interesting class discussions about the online learning experience during class time. Two different undergraduate law courses, Cyberlaw and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) in Business, have successfully used the online simulation and reflection paper, which could be easily replicated in other undergraduate law courses. (Contains 133 footnotes.)
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A