Bringing Law to life

Northumbria University’s School of Law is sharing its legal expertise with sixth formers across the country as part of an innovative move to enhance the student experience.

A webcast and podcast package on criminal law, produced by Law lecturers at Northumbria, has been piloted with sixth formers at ten schools who study a similar but simpler syllabus to students in their first year at University. Feedback has been so positive that it is now to be rolled out to A level Law providers across the UK.

Webcasts on seven other core legal subjects ranging from property law to public law and English legal systems – are currently being trialled with full-time, part-time and open learning Law students at Northumbria.

Principal Law lecturer, Kim Blackie, said: “As part of our commitment to remain at the forefront of legal education, we wanted to enhance our online learning and make our knowledge accessible to those who may not otherwise have access to these resources.

“These sector-leading webcasts are far from being just a series of recorded lectures. They are an integrated, high quality web-based learning package which enables students, using their preferred method of learning, to really engage with a subject.

“This recognises the increasing desire of students to blend mobile and face-to-face learning and uses technology to fully engage with that new culture. Feedback from our students is hugely positive, they view these innovations as an enhancement to their learning. ”

Sixth form tutors, who piloted the project with their students, have been universally positive about the resource. Former solicitor Clare Kirton who teaches A level law at York College, said: “Our upper sixth form students took part in the pilot and reacted really well. They found the webcasts very informative, straightforward and accessible. We also found them useful as an introduction to what study will be like at university.”