It's Not Easy Being Green: Bringing Real Life to the Undergraduate Legal Environment of Business Classroom

Abstract

In the Legal Environment of Business course in a traditional undergraduate business curriculum, students are expected to acquire knowledge about many areas of the law and the application of law to business, society, and the international marketplace. Current concepts in undergraduate business education, such as ethics and sustainability, must also be included in our classrooms. Some texts highlight issues with landmark cases or feature articles about businesses that have experienced high-profile legal and/ or ethical dilemmas. Using high-profile cases and newsworthy business situations are useful in stimulating discussions. However, professors often struggle with keeping students engaged while in the classroom. Most of our students are of Generation Y or the Millennial Generation, young adults who expect to be entertained in the classroom. Students often find it difficult to relate to some of the traditional cases used in the textbooks to illustrate the legal principles relevant to their studies and the underlying curriculum. Real-world examples in the classroom have the best pedagogical value because of their appeal to traditional college students.