Association of American Law Schools
2001 Annual Meeting
Wednesday, January 3, 2001 - Saturday, January 6, 2001
San Francisco, California
Wednesday, January 3, 2001
2:00–5:00 p.m.

Imperial B
Hilton San Francisco and Towers
Ballroom Level

AALS Committee on Libraries and Technology
Joan S. Howland, University of Minnesota, Chair

Distance Education in Law Schools: Rhetoric vs. Reality; Passion vs. Practicality

Moderator:

Joan S. Howland, University of Minnesota

Speakers:
William E. Boyd, The University of Arizona
William H. Graves, Chairman & Founder, Eduprise, Morrisville, North Carolina
Richard A. Matasar, New York Law School [View Program Material]
Arthur R. Miller, Harvard Law School
John A. Sebert, Consultant on Legal Education, American Bar Association, Chicago, Illinois

The philosophical and practical issues associated with distance education are receiving increasing attention from law school faculties, deans, accreditation bodies, and non-academic entrepreneurs. This growing interest in distance education is stimulated by a variety of factors including: 1) the increasing integration of technology into traditional academic environments and teaching methodologies; 2) the widening acceptance of distance learning in other academic disciplines; 3) the ubiquitous presence of the Internet; and 4) the potential for distance education to radically alter the market factors that have historically driven competition in legal education. Issues for discussion include comparative quality issues, accreditation concerns, financial and administrative costs, technological challenges, and faculty/student experiences and reactions. A major issue to be addressed is the impact distance education will have on traditional models for legal education.

Part 1 of the program will be a 1 ½ hour session focusing on intellectual and philosophical issues such as the future acceptance of distance education as a valid avenue for the dissemination of quality academic programs, the potential to enhance traditional legal education programs, the impact on faculty and student relationships, potential new markets for legal education, and accreditation concerns. Speakers on this portion of the program will include Dean Matasar and Professor Sebert.

Part 2 of the program will be a 1 ½ hour session concentrating on practical issues associated with distance education including the advisability of utilizing specific technologies, financial and technological concerns, administrative issues, and the impact of distance education on the faculty and student classroom experience. Speakers on this portion of the program will include Professor Boyd and Mr. Graves.

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