Abstract:

The comprehensive University of Johannesburg (UJ) has endured a history of intellectual, political and technological changes. Clark (2009:[online]) argues that “the most common instructional methods used by faculty and educational technology in colleges and universities are based on adult learning theories that have not been supported in the past half-century of research.” Garrison and Akyol (2009:[online]) further argue that instructional and communications technology is used to either sustain or transform teaching and learning in higher education. Moreover, Hirsh and Miller (2004:1) state that the Socratic Method is still dominant and that there “has been little effort to contextualize the importance of technology for law students.” In this stance, the authors proffer the collaborative constructivist approach to teaching and learning with technology in higher education. Consequently, they confirm the birth of online and blended learning in higher education.
Currently, a variety of law courses are presented to post graduate learners at the University who are not studying to become practicing lawyers. Technology as such is now seen as a means to academic productivity leading to productive lawyers (within context of this paper) in practice in society (Hunter-Taylor, 2001:1; Hoorn & Van Hoorn, 2007:1; Molenda, 2009:[online]). Subsequently, “the idea of sustained learning communities made possible with new and emerging instructional technologies is challenging passive learning environments in higher education” (Garrison & Akyol, 2009:[online]). A research-based approach to develop new instructional technologies for higher education is proposed (Clark,2009:[online]). Therefore, this paper presents the application of online collaboration within a learning management system (LMS) to establish social constructivism. Ultimately, a blended research approach claims the efficacy and learning effectiveness in an electronic learning ecology for non-law students.
Currently, legal terms and procedures, as fluency in law practice, need to be achieved as outcome of courses in law to non-law students. However, these applications claim for retention over a period of time. We argue that online learning, in context of this research, brings about more effective communication amongst learners and allows for effective interventions from lecturers. Case studies will be used focussing on a strategy for collaborative online learning. Feedback, and extended contact time are established to enhance the standard of achieving this outcome.
Data is gathered within and established online learning ecology and analysed qualitatively substantiated by quantitative data. This will endorse Clark’s research-based approach to effective learning in an online learning ecology for law students within context of this study.

Keywords:

Online, Non-law students, legal discourse, e-learning, Communities of Practice, e-Communities.