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I can confirm what Susan says regarding Legal Research and Legal Writing. The ABA has approved the online offering of NWTC for both courses. So a school can offer all of its legal specialty courses online. The catch is, as was pointed out, that students must get a least 10 (which translates into 12 credits when you have 3 credit classes) of the legal specialty course in face to face format, and face to face includes live interactive video.
As for the screening of students, at LTC we require a free orientation course before you can take an online class.. The orientation is online, of course and requires a student to use the technology skills they would have to use in an online class. They cannot take an online class until they complete the course. If they cannot complete the course they have the option of coming to campus to have an in person orientation. Our retention in online classes went way up after institution of this system. You can check out the orientation yourself by going to our homepage at gotoltc.edu and follow the online/flexible learning link (in the upper left corner of the homepage).
Richard Opie, J.D., M.A.
Paralegal Program Director
Lakeshore Technical College
920-693-1202
Aloha--
> > Can someone give me an update on whether AAfPE and/or the ABA now
> > approve programs that are complete online? My last understanding
> > was that the ABA
> > approved schools that had some online courses, but legal research
> > and legal
> > writing could not be among them.
In looking at the guidelines, it appears as though the ABA _could_ approve an all online courses _as long as_ at least ten semester credits of those are via a synchronous interactive video system. See quote below. I note that your understanding in regard to legal research and legal writing does not seem in synch with the ABA's guidelines, which state:
"J. Programs may offer legal specialty courses with a combination of traditional
classroom and alternative delivery formats, such as a compressed or accelerated
format and online instruction, so long as the courses meet the stated hour
requirements of G-302D and other requirements that apply to the alternative
format used as set forth in this section J.
1. Programs must provide and students must be required to take at least ten
semester credits or the equivalent of legal specialty courses through
traditional classroom instruction. This requirement may be satisfied through
synchronous interactive video systems, as they are considered equivalent to
traditional classroom instruction."
I see nothing in here that would prevent teaching legal research or legal writing on line, and if someone knows something that has modified the guidelines, please let me know as I am in the very beginning stages of planning an online writing course.
> > And one last question, have any of you discovered that some people
> > “take” to
> > online education better than others and, if so, what qualities make
> > that experience more successful for them than it has for others?
The ABA guideline require that the school perform this assessment:
"J.2.(a).(2) The program must screen the qualifications and background of the
students to ensure that they have the potential to succeed in courses
offered in an alternative format."
If anyone uses a particular methodology for doing this assessment, I'd love to hear it!
--Susan
Susan Jaworowski
Assistant Professor and
Program Director, Legal Education
Kapi`olani Community College
4303 Diamond Head Road
Honolulu, HI 96816
808-734-9100
Can someone give me an update on whether AAfPE and/or the ABA now approve
programs that are complete online? My last understanding was that the ABA
approved schools that had some online courses, but legal research and legal
writing could not be among them.
Online or distance courses, whichever terminology you prefer, webinars, and
other online resources seem to be developing at a rapid pace, which is
another reason I need an update on what has become more mainstream.
And one last question, have any of you discovered that some people “take” to
online education better than others and, if so, what qualities make that
experience more successful for them than it has for others? Just as some
people are good test-takers and some aren’t, I wonder whether some people
folks work better in a classic classroom and some do better with the online
experience.
Celia C. Elwell, RP
Oklahoma City
[Celia C. Elwell]
George Washington University will launch an online version of our Master's Degree in Paralegal Studies this September.
We are currently developing the curriculum and creating the courses. It's very exciting. It's already one of the very few
master's degress in the country, and the only online master's degree to my knowledge.
Toni Marsh, J.D.
Director, Paralegal Studies Programs
The George Washington University
2101 F Street NW, Room 100
Washington, DC 20052
202.994.2844
www.nearyou.gwu.edu/plx
The ABA Guidelines do not specify which legal specialty courses can or
cannot be offered in an online or hybrid format.
Synchronous video is considered equivalent to face-to-face.
A minimum of 10 semester hours (or the equivalent if you are on something
other than a semester format) must be taught in the traditional
(face-to-face or synchronous video) format.
Thus, it is not possible to have an entire ABA-Approved program online
because no matter how many legal specialty credits are in your program, at
least 10 of those semester hour credits must be taught in traditional
format.
Scott A. Hauert
Paralegal Studies Program Director
Phoenix College
Phoenix, Arizona
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