Experiential Education in the Law School Curriculum

Experiential Education in the Law School Curriculum

Rachel A. Van Cleave, Golden Gate University School of Law

Description

Author of Chapter: Genius Loci: How Place Can Guide Strategic Planning That Enhances Student Engagement. Co-Authored with Anthony W. Crowell and Valerie K. Couch.

The mandate for more experiential education raises a fundamental question for law teachers: how do we design and provide these learning opportunities for our students? This book offers answers to that question. Organized into four sections, it discusses specific techniques for incorporating various forms of experiential education into the law school curriculum, ranging from discrete modules of experiential instruction to complete curriculum reform. Section I provides the foundation for making curricular changes, with chapters providing guidance on building both institutional and student support for experiential education. Section II explores the spectrum of experiential education, starting with chapters that explain experiential modules and classroom exercises that can be included in first-year and upper-level courses before moving to chapters that describe and explain immersive learning experiences such as course-long simulations and semester-in-practice programs, culminating in chapters focusing on complete curriculum reform. Section III describes programs that offer experiential learning opportunities outside of the regular curriculum. Section IV concludes the book, offering online resources for experiential education and guidance on how to provide experiential education in an online format.