Optimising student learning in law using blended delivery: issues and strategies

Southern Cross University has an established reputation for the delivery of distance education programs. More recently, following recommendations of the New Directions in Delivery Action Group in 2007, the Deputy Vice Chancellor has provided support for a range of faculty-based initiatives directed towards the development and implementation of ‘converged’ delivery options within the University. These options are informed by the following objectives: 1. To develop a range of learning and delivery designs that collapse divisions between external and internal enrolments, and that provides students with a refreshed suite of learning opportunities 2. To strengthen and enhance pedagogies which are most effective and provide best value to students 3. To provide greater equity of learning opportunity to students irrespective of location 4. To develop learning resources and expertise in the employment of learning technologies for new generation flexible delivery 5. To address institutional impediments and providing a blueprint for a whole-of-institution approach to new generation flexible delivery at SCU 6. To assist the University to position itself as an innovative and responsive University in the 21st century. During 2009 the authors have been involved in the development and delivery of a number of pilot converged delivery projects in the School of Law and Justice. They will be reporting on issues relating to the development, implementation and delivery of these pilot projects in the context of legal education. Specifically: • The identification of modalities for converged delivery; • Learning and teaching issues related to converged delivery of legal education programs; • Issues relating to the use of digital technologies in legal education; • Resource implications: including; human resources and staff development requirements • Student responses and feedback • Student learning outcome