Training Needs for Law Teachers: Being Strategic

Abstract

The new teaching environment features flexible delivery, heavy use of technology, increased infusion of skills into the curriculum, large class sizes and overall, an increasing sophistication of the higher education teaching environment. Even in this environment, Erica McWilliams' "teaching tech(no)body", 1 the virtual instructor, needs some of the old-fashioned teaching skills so necessary for rounded delivery of knowledge and skills to the students. This article examines training needs and options for legal academics and points to effective ways of engendering excellence. The article argues that voluntary teaching improvement rather than accreditation is the more valuable. However, any up-skilling schemes should not become an institutional or personal barrier to personal diversity in teaching style in the university, and especially in the Law School. THE CONTEXT OF LEGAL EDUCATIONAll academics have traditionally treasured their intellectual freedom. This group has always quite rightly viewed any infringement with concern. However, reality suggests there has been a mammoth change in many aspects of university teaching culture.These changes include firstly, an infusion of skills into the university curriculum. Law schools have always aimed to engender lawyering skills such as legal analysis and legal research into their Hutchinson and Hannah: Training Needs for Law Teachers