| Aristotle e-Learning: Instructional Methodology |
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In the spirit of Sir Isaac Newton's famous quotation, "If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants," at the Aristotle University College of Law, we believe that in order for our institution to develop great minds within our students and Faculty, so that they may one day become the giants of the future, with their academic, scholarly and research achievements serving as the platform upon which others might metaphorically "stand", and in order to ensure their meaningful contribution to critical and analytical thinking for the improvement of our society as a whole, we must provide a solid, enriching educational foundation upon which they can flourish. Much of that foundation involves a review and consideration of what others have already discovered, analyzed and discussed.
Accordingly, the Aristotle University College of Law has built a foundation of e-learning and instructional methodologies based upon four pillars: Scholar360, The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI), LexisNexis, and Internet Business Law Services (IBLS). These four pillars utilize what is believed at the Aristotle University College of Law to be of primordial importance in the successful study and practice of law - the utilization of innovative teaching methodologies, integration of knowledge and content, and collaboration amongst Faculty and student Peers. Because in today's world, it is difficult to achieve the utmost level of scholarly success and contribution without superb and instantaneous access to knowledge and information through electronic and digital means, the Aristotle University College of Law has grounded its traditional jurisprudential legal education on vigorous and robust online research techniques and technologies coupled with critical legal thinking skills and abilities. The Foundational Pillars of Aristotle e-Learning Scholar360 The Aristotle University College of Law has selected and partnered with the most premier learning management system available for its students and Faculty. Scholar360 is the next-generation learner management system which works closely with the Aristotle University College of Law to offer unparalleled customization, flexibility and service so that we can deliver cutting-edge online programs to law students in the classroom and across the globe. Aristotle University College of Law is the first university in California to implement Scholar360, and we are the first law school in the nation to incorporate Scholar360 as its exclusive learner management system. Aristotle's Scholar360 learner management system empowers students, faculty, and administrators through its unique ability of creating not just a Learner Management System, but a Social Networking System as well. In this way, our students and Faculty feel connected, “plugged-in,” and aware of their role in the larger academic and social community. By Scholar360's unique ability to permit students and Faculty, either independently or in concert, to create various social digital networks and communities, students actively engage in their education because they feel "connected" to Faculty - and to Peers as well Students, their Peers, and Faculty, thereby become invested in legal education because Aristotle's Scholar360 helps them to see how their education fits into their larger life - this is a feature which most commercial blackboard systems are incapable of delivering and most online educational programs are totally remise about mandating. Similarly, Faculty and students feel supported because the intuitive Scholar360 interface stimulates learning and helps them easily organize course material and track progress. Faculty save vast amounts of time by using practical tools to distribute information efficiently and with assurance - thus student-Faculty interaction, and student-student interaction, becomes collaborative, meaningful and productive. Because Aristotle's Scholar360 is the first true Learner based networking platform that enhances learning by recreating the real-world educational experience online, and because experience informs us that true learning occurs not only by completing assignments and taking tests, but through relationships with student Peers and with our Faculty, Aristotle University College of Law provides the missing link of existing online and traditional legal educational programs. Aristotle University College of Law and Scholar360 unlock the learning potential through combining learner management systems with social networking systems by providing students and Faculty the ability to permit:
Importantly, Aristotle's Scholar360 allows Students and Faculty to create and maintain a course Web site without knowledge of HTML or Web programming languages, and provides a central location for Aristotle University College of Law students to access their course materials. Other less sophisticated competitive blackboard systems are whole fully insufficient - they simply lack the ability to create Faculty/Student personal home sites; Faculty/Student synchronized calendars; Faculty/Student Journals/Blogs; Faculty/Student digital file storage areas; lack a Network collaborative function; lack internal messaging systems, lack a RSS Readers; lack the ability of Faculty/Student course subscription, and even lack simple search functionalities. Indeed, Aristotle University College of Law has invested wisely and thoughtfully in the foundational future for the legal minds and contributive thinkers of tomorrow - its students and Faculty. CALI The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction As its second pillar of the Aristotle e-learning instructional methodologies, the Aristotle University College of Law has joined The Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) - thereby providing its students the most modernly integrated system of compertized legal instruction available within the entire universe. CALI is a U.S. 501(c)(3) non-profit consortium of law schools (Harvard Law School was a foundational member) that researches and develops computer-mediated legal instruction and supports educational institutions and students using technology and distance learning in legal education. CALI lessons in law are interactive, computer-based tutorials, and consist of over 600+ lessons available in 32 different legal subject areas. Lessons are free to all Aristotle University College of Law students because we are a CALI member. Law student usage and faculty adoption of CALI lessons (throughout the United States) continue to steadily rise each year because our new generation of law students respond well to the interactive/computer elements of instructional lessons - in fact, many [rightfully] demand it. Law professors throughout the world are discovering that the interactive law lessons on narrow areas of law can be powerful teaching tools. Our Faculty of Law at the Aristotle University College of Law assign CALI lessons as an integral part of both our legal education programs. Additionally, CALI permits our Faculty to create a podcasts - in this way, Aristotle University College of Law Faculty may record their lectures and post them as podcasts - for students to list to on their own MP3 players - any time and any where. Alternatively, Aristotle University College of Law Faculty may create a video and store it within the course materials on our Scholar360 learner system. These podcast and video abilities are highly helpful to students - especially as the provide a recorded lecture which may be used in emergency absentee situations. CALI's law lessons are authored by experienced and recognized law Faculty from throughout the United States, who teach in the subject area in which their law lessons are written (mostly from ABA accredited law schools). The law lessons run in Macromedia Flash, are interactive with branches and feedback for every question - thus students can take the lessons multiple times and see different questions or different learning paths through the legal lesson material. Additionally, CALI law lessons are multimedia using text, video, audio, flowcharts, graphics and photos to teach complex areas of law. A critically important feature of the CALI law lessons is that they break down complex legal topics into short, focused “lessonette® exercises” that are attractive to students (and Faculty) as a concise-short time investment per lesson. CALI lessons are available to currently enrolled Aristotle University College of Law students via a variety of options: (1) Students may request their own personal CALI CD-ROM from the Dean of Students and run the lessons directly from the CD or install the lessons on the CD to their own personal computer (CD's are available on a first-come, first-served basis); (2) download the lessons for free from the CALI web site via our own Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system; or (3) access and run the lessons on the CALI website. Utilizing either approach, Aristotle University College of Law students are provided the widest range of possibilities to study law - any where in the world, at any point in time. By having an interactive armamentarium consisting of interactive, computer-based tutorials, consisting of over 600+ lessons available in 32 different legal subject areas, Aristotle University College of Law students will be well prepared to undertake the serious and scholarly study and practice of law. LexisNexis As its third pillar of the Aristotle e-learning instructional methodologies, the Aristotle University College of Law has selected LexisNexis® as its online legal research data base. LexisNexis is a member of the Reed Elsevier Group plc, and provides legal research capabilities in 100 countries through 13,000 employees - LexisNexis is deeply committed to providing law students every assistance in learning the skills of legal research and knowledge of substantive law. LexisNexis provides our students with access to 5 billion searchable documents from more than 32,000 legal, news and business sources. The Aristotle University College of Law believe that because its students are knowledge-driven, they need this kind of access to legal research data bases to achieve new levels of excellence for the embitterment of their service to society. In additional to having the largest legal digital research base in the universe, LexisNexis provides the students of Aristotle University College of Law with numerous tools to augment their learning of substantive law. Faculty members may include some of these aids within our Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system as course materials, or students may access them independently. These tools include Study Aids, Understanding Series, Questions and Answers; and textbooks. The LexisNexis Study Aids, and Understanding Series, are available in every substantive area of law taught at the Aristotle University College of Law. The Study Aids help a student's preparation for class, assist in the organization of notes and outlines, and provides assistance in the preparation and study for law Examinations. The Understanding Series provides a comprehensive treatise-like coverage of legal topics - which is presented in a logical, comprehensive and manageable manner. The LexisNexis Questions and Answers include the common questions of which students ought to be aware - and in this way they may be used to augment scholarly Socratic dialectic used during class and in online Aristotle Scholar360 discussion boards. Answers provide the sum and substance of the substantive legal principles and crystallize the substance an d principles of law so for the ease of student learning and collaboration. Lastly, LexisNexis provides its own selection of texts and updates which are useful for supplemental and more in-depth study in a particular substantive area of law. These type of study aids and tools, coupled with the course material, syllabi and assignments will provide our law students the proper foundation and confidence they need to succeed and function at a level of excellence. IBLS Internet Business Law Services As the fourth pillar of the Aristotle e-Learning instructional methodologies, the Aristotle University College of Law has partnered with Internet Business Law Services (IBLS). The partnership is for the development of various online internet technology platforms, courses, seminars and presentations, and for access to the IBLS educational materials for the law students of Aristotle University College of Law. Professor Ana Penn, Professor of Law, Aristotle University College of Law, and Adjunct Professor of Law, St. Thomas University School of Law, LL.M. International Tax Program, is the CEO of IBLS. Dean Thomas A. Gionis and Professor Penn worked together as Faculty members at St. Thomas University School of Law International Tax Program. Ms.Penn has an LL.M. (International banking and financial law) from Boston University School of Law and a LL.M. (Taxation) from Golden Gate University School of Law; a J.D. from Western State University College of Law, California. She also studied European Community Law at Cambridge University in England. IBLS has evolved as a world leader in e-commerce, internet law and the law of international taxation; it already serves as an online publisher and distributor of legal materials for Google, Amazon.com, Oxford University Press, and Thompson-Gale publishers. IBLS serves as an online publisher of all e-commerce and internet law educational course materials for all courses required in obtaining the LL.M. in International Taxation at the St. Thomas University School of Law. Additionally, IBLS maintains a Digital Library which provides insightful articles on internet law, e-commerce law, international taxation law, and reference to source material, which law students at the Aristotle University College of Law will have full access to. IBLS delivers legal educational knowledge through innovative learning programs, both online and in person. Education solutions are presented through a variety of customized programs which utilize the content of the IBLS legal digital database as well as expert instruction from IBLS Faculty. The IBLS educational materials are currently used by St. Thomas University School of Law (ABA accredited), Thomas Jefferson School of Law (ABA accredited); Western State University College of Law (ABA accredited), Nova Southeastern University (Huizenga School of Business), the Warnboroug University Faculty of Business and Management (Oxford); and Semple Piggot Rochez (the first legal training firm in the world to deliver a full law degree program online over the internet). Faculty members at Aristotle University College of Law may include any of the IBLS educational law materials within our Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system as course materials, syllabi, or course documents, or our students may access them independently. Faculty Interaction All courses at the Aristotle University College of Law will cover a 16 week time period. Each week has two forms of interactivity: a seminar-style asynchronous discussion board room and one-on-one communications via regional network communities, emails and possible telephone tutorials. Some Faculty employ synchronous chats as well. Professors pose weekly questions to the class as well as to individual students and / open leading questions. These questions relate to the studied legal substantive materials. Generally, students answer these questions by posting their response within two days to the Faculty within the Aristotle Scholar360 discussion board classroom (though sometimes answers may be emailed individually to the Faculty). Each Faculty member at the Aristotle University College of Law is skilled in teaching, course management, and adult and professional course facilitation. A Faculty member may also employ model student answers to text questions, thereupon opening or widening discussions. Students often debate answers with one another in a Peer relationship or community found on Aristotle Scholar360 (and created on the Scholar360 system by either students or Faculty), and present interesting perspectives on the discussion boards based on professional or environmental backgrounds. Student Interaction In the onsite program each student will interact with Faculty in conventional Socratic dialectic inquiry utilizing traditional legal educational methodologies (case presentation, case analysis, etc.) Our legal educational programs require that each student will interact with Faculty in conventional Socratic dialectic inquiry utilizing traditional legal educational methodologies (case presentation, case analysis, etc.). This may take the form of either personal or online interaction – depending on which methods is most effective and is best suited for the student. Generally, J.D. and LL.M. students will be required to post an answer to an inquiry posted by the Professor teaching a course on our Aristotle Scholare360 learning management system. These responses will be recorded, logged and tracked on the Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system. On an average, a student will post one answer per week, and be required to respond to their Peer postings as well (e.g., one or two posts in response to another student's post). This again will occur on the Aristotle Scholar360 discussion board and tracked, logged and recorded. Frequently, J.D. students will have additional weekly independent legal research assignments which will be assigned with required timelines for completion; these will consist of either case briefs or short answers to questions reviewing the substantive law material being discussed. Additionally, CALI lessons will be assigned and integrated in all Bar required courses. Course Delivery The onsite J.D. degree granting programs are delivered at Aristotle University College of Law - Carlsbad.
Courseware - Aristotle Scholar360 LMS The courseware to be utilized at the Aristotle University College of Law involves multiple forms of internet technologies as included above: LexisNexis research materials, CALI, IBLS educational materials, in addition to casebook material, course syllabus, course materials and documents, study aids, commercial outlines, commercial reviews, Legal Research Assignments, questions and answers, Posting / Answering on the discussion board - most of which will include interactivity and collaboration which will occur through the Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system. A student will read the Professor's syllabus posted in Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system, as well as on the Faculty member's webpage and the course community web site (as may created in a particular course at either the law students or Faculty option). The Aristotle e-learning courseware further includes the ability of a Professor to post his personal information and syllabus, course documents, course materials, view a course roster, and interact with students, via the Aristotle Scholar360 discussion board. The course syllabus, posted on Scholar360, contains the broad weekly study schedule, a list of assignments, deadlines and grading policies. Questions posted by the Faculty will occur either in the asynchronous discussion board of Aristotle Scholar360, or of their chosen synchronous platform. Access to LexisNexis materials will be provided upon student matriculation (payment of semester tuition and fees) whereupon the student shall receive a LexisNexis password. Chat-ware Some Faculty members of the Aristotle University College of Law may desire to implement chat software to organize synchronous discussions with students; some may include the use of webcams and video. The software which will be used for this type of chat will either be from the Aristotle Scholar360 platform; Skype (www.skype.com to communicate computer-to-computer, or via conference call) with the Aristotle University College of Law staff, Faculty, and other students); or through free Paltalk (www.paltalk.com; for webcam/audio enabled real time classroom discussions), depending on the preference of the particular Faculty member. Such integrated technology as Paltalk is free to students and Faculty, and, in the case of Skype, is available at a nominal cost. Online Research Databases and Books The Aristotle University College of Law has an extensive integrated system of online research databases and books available to its students which incorporated through the Aristotle Scholar360 learner management system. These services may be accessed directly from the Aristotle University College of Law web site and include: LexisNexis; IBLS; CALI; Google Book Library; Google Scholar Search; Google Advanced Scholar Search; Scirus; Caltech Collection of Open Digital Archives (CODA); BioMed Central (portfolio of 176 journals) and PubMed. This combination provides a extra-ordinary access to information for the students of the Aristotle University College of Law. For instance, while LexisNexis provides our students access to 5 billion searchable documents from more than 32,000 legal, news and business sources, Scirus currently covers over 415 million science-related web pages, including 147 million .edu sites, 50 million .org sites, 6 million .ac.uk sites, 36 million .com sites, 10 million .gov sites, and over 118 million relevant University sites from around the worlds. Additionally, Scirus indexes 19,000 full-text articles from BioMed Central, 736,000 documents from Digital Archives, 21.2 million patent data from LexisNexis, 16.7 million Medline citations from PubMed, 61,000 documents from MIT OpenCourseWare, 2,200 technical reports from NASA, 309,000 full-text theses and dissertations via NDLTD, 658,000 articles from PubMed Central, 7.1 million full-text articles from and ScienceDirect. Patents in Scirus are obtained via a partnership with LexisNexis and include those from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the European Patent Office (EPO), the Japanese Patent Office (JPO), the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and the UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO). Full-text information for recent USPTO, EPO, WIPO's PCT and UKIPO patents is searchable on Scirus, as well as bibliographical information in English for JPO patents. |
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