Why do I like Learner-Centered Teaching? Mainly because it’s impact on learning is so much greater than its traditional alternatives. Both learners and teacher reap many benefits from this instruction style: time, money and pleasure oh yes and learning results. Legal…
Why go to legal courses? New faces!
A lawyer told me “It is not the grades you make but the hands you shake”. Increasingly, I meet lawyers who admit having given up on learning anything worthwile from their legal training. But they found another use. The internal big…
Biglaw Training Gap
Shocking! I refer to the “above the law” results from a research on the quality of L&D in 60 big US legal firms. The researchers asked the opinion of associates in legal firm to rate their training in legal and business…
TrainWell 2015: Activating Minds
Observing legal lecturers in 2014 I reached a conclusion: Legal lecturers are in love with their own voice. Enough is never enough. They love being the center of action in the classroom. Showing their stuff gives them a sense of…
2015: will Europe stop snoring?
In 2014 innovative legal learning enjoyed substantial success. US and Asian legal organizations put their money where their mouth was: innovative legal competence development was introduced on a wide scale. In clear contrast, European law firms were difficult to nudge…
15 Minutes for a how-to on good learning technology
If you have 15 minutes to waste, have a look at the TED-talk on how to use learning technology in a good way. No waste of time.
What works? – the sobering truth
I recently read Thomas Friedman’s column in the New York Times on what is it in a school that produces engaged employees on a fulfilling career track. He refers to the outcome of a Gallup study indicating two things stand out. Successful…
Report: innovate lawyer education – but how?
The Canadian Bar Association’s 2014 Legal Futures report touches upon interesting issues for improving legal education: The how, by whom, what and input/output orientation of legal education. Reading today’s Huffington Post shows these issues are similarly relevant for legal education in other…
Teaching to blog
Teaching law students to blog Blogging is a lawyer’s jogging. Just look at a website like Real Lawyers Have Blogs. Writing a blog keeps the legal brain sharp, expands one’s network and stimulates inventiveness. Yesterday however, I read an interview…
Law professor: use humor in class
“You’re a high-priced lawyer! If I give you $500, will you answer two questions for me?” “Sure”, says the attorney. “What’s the second question?”. Should law schools become funnier? Prof. Stephen Reed at Northwestern argues that humor is an excellent pedagogical tool.…