It's Good to Talk: Discussion in Blended Learnng Courses in the Context of Continued Professional Development for Solicitors

• Main Author: Rory O'Boyle
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Technological University Dublin 2012-01-01
• Series: Irish Journal of Academic Practice
• Subjects: blended learning; CPD for solicitors; online asynchronous discussion
• Online Access: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijap/vol1/iss1/7/

This paper evaluates (a) student perceptions of blended learning in the context of continued professional development courses for solicitors and (b) student experience of discussion in such a blended learning course. Students in the Law Society of Ireland‟s Diploma in Employment Law partook in a blended learning course that contained face-to-face discussion and both asynchronous and synchronous online discussion as an essential feature of their learning experience. Students were asked to respond to self-completion interim and final questionnaires. The results suggest that „time poor‟ solicitors strongly approve of blended learning and their characteristics as independent, self-motivated learners mean they are well placed to fully participate in this form of learning; each method of discussion is valued by such students; the forms of such discussion, whether face-to-face, asynchronous or synchronous online discussion, can be complementary; the method of assessment has an important impact on student perceptions of the value of online discussion; and particular attention must be paid to framing synchronous discussion for it to be effective. With respect to implications for practice, the study confirms that blended learning is a valid means of course delivery in respect of continued professional development courses for solicitors and that such "time-poor" learners respond well to structured online discussion requiring mandatory postings. Key