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IN MOTION Some Single Full-Year Courses
Standing Committee on Teaching and Learning (SCTL) has undertaken
Finally, we are moving to deliver some of our first-year courses over a
responsibility for reviewing policies, procedures and programs connected
full year rather than a single semester. In addition to the Legal Process
to our teaching mission at Osgoode and for planning the annual
course, Public Law and Constitutional Law will be merged to create a
Osgoode Course Design Institute (OCDI) with a view towards achieving
single full-year course. This change will reduce some of the time pres-
this central aspiration of our strategic plan.
sures on students in the fall term, and it goes along with a new require-
Not surprisingly, the concept of ‘best practices’ in the context of
ment for professors to provide feedback to students on their work
legal education is one that is constantly evolving. While no picture of
before they write a final exam or other evaluation.
legal education is complete without a backwards glance to the infamous
This major reform to the first-year curriculum was achieved
Professor Kingsfield of Paper Chase fame, current scholarship about
through wide and energetic debate in keeping with our strong tradition
teaching law encourages the active engagement of students in far more
of democratic self-governance at Osgoode. The plan enjoys robust sup-
varied and creative ways. In our inaugural OCDI held last May, over two-
port among faculty and students, and the work of implementing the
thirds of our full-time faculty and a number of adjunct colleagues met
reforms for September 2007 is being taken up with great excitement.
for two solid days of expert presentations and facilitated workshops devoted entirely to creating a learner-centered environment and enhancing our students’ classroom experiences. With the assistance of a number of expert external facilitators from across Canada, we reflected upon such themes as evaluating students effectively, engaging both
Pursuing Best Practices in Legal Education
small and large classes, listening as a communication strategy and effectively evaluating our courses. By all accounts, the inaugural OCDI, led by Professor Poonam Puri and the SCTL, was a resounding success. One of the key messages to emerge from the OCDI was the importance of designing detailed, accurate and measurable learning objec-
There is an old proverb warning that you
tives for each course that we teach at Osgoode. Among other things,
cannot leap a 20-foot chasm in two 10-
stated learning objectives are invaluable in communicating the course
foot jumps. The past two years, like no
priorities to our students and in assisting the students at the end of the
other period in Osgoode’s recent history,
day in evaluating their experiences in the course. This is so central to
have proven the truth of this adage.
developing best practices at Osgoode that the faculty has agreed to
Beginning with our strategic planning
adopt a requirement whereby each course syllabus at Osgoode will
process that culminated in The Plan for
include, as of next fall, an explicit statement of learning objectives.
the Law School: 2006-2010, we have Professor Colleen Hanycz LLM ‘99, PhD ‘03
To assist in that endeavour, the SCTL has decided to dedicate our
embarked upon an accelerated growth
second OCDI (to be held in May) to an intense workshop on designing
pattern that shows no sign of slowing
effective learning objectives. We are already busy lining up experts to
down at present with continued curricu-
assist us in this venture and we anticipate another highly successful
lum reforms and faculty renewal.
and enjoyable institute next summer. Clearly, teaching excellence is
One of the most exciting priorities to emerge from our strategic
something that is reflected in many varied ways; to institutionally sup-
planning process was our commitment to “develop, promote and
port such excellence through these initiatives strengthens Osgoode as a
enhance best practices in legal education”. To this end, the newly formed
leader in legal education. ❂
Continuum 2007
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