a.  

Technology and Externships

 

J. P. Ogilvy, Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America

Nora Pasman-Green, Thomas C. Cooley Law School

  (see also http://faculty.cua.edu/ogilvy/Presentation.htm)

  This concurrent session will focus on computer-assisted technology in legal externship programs.  (An externship involves a student earning course credit for engaging in closely supervised lawyering activities in placements outside of the law school).  However, because externship programs encompass the full range of teaching methodologies in use in American law schools, the information and techniques addressed in this session will be of interest to all legal educators.

 

In the first part of the session, we will demonstrate the use of computer-assisted technology in both the administrative and pedagogical aspects of legal externships, showcase an innovative online remedies course for externs in remote placements, and talk about the future of developing technologies for externship programs.

 

We intend this session to be interactive.  We will leave a significant time for members of the audience to ask questions about our demonstrations, and more importantly, to share with us their present and projected uses of technology in the administration and teaching of externships.  Finally, we will explore together desirable features of a web-based externship portal site on which all persons involved in the design, administration, and teaching of externships can share information that can lead to improved delivery of legal education through experiential learning.

  Outline of Presentation

 

I.        Administrative uses of computer-based technology in externship programs

 

A.      Providing information to students, fieldwork supervisors, prospective placement sites

 

1.       Program descriptions

 

2.       Online forms

 

B.      Online database of placements

 

II.       Pedagogical uses (advantages and disadvantages of various tools)

 

A.      Communication with students and fieldwork supervisors

 

B.      Teaching resources

 

C.      Online Remedies Course

 

1.  Creating On-Line Courses – Overall Justifications

a.  Essential Steps

i.  Course Choice

ii.  Course Population

b.  Pros & Cons

       2.  ABA Standard 306

a.  Goal

b.  Essential Ingredients

       3.  Creating an On-Line for Externs

a.  Justification - General

b.  Remedies Course Choice

c.  Other Options

       4.  Course Components

a.  Delivery

i.  Platforms

ii.  On-Line Lecture Software

b.  Learning Exercises

i.  On-Line Research

ii. On-Line Access to Judicial Documents

iii. CALI

c.  Interaction, Consultation & Evaluation

i.  Broadcasted Discussion

ii. On-Line Office Hours

iii. Threaded Discussion

(1).  Discussion Preparation

iv.  On-Line Feedback

v.  Final Examination

5.  Challenges & Obstacles

 

III. Externship Portal

 

IV. Questions and Audience participation