Student and Staff Experiences of Online Learning: Lessons from Covid-19 in an Australian Law School

Abstract

This article explores the experiences of UWA Law School students and staff of the fully online learning and teaching environment introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It commences with a literature review which identifies several key themes in relation to the emergency remote teaching (ERT) response effected by universities across the globe. It then sets out the results of surveys of Juris Doctor students and teaching staff on their experiences of pre-COVID education in semester 2 of 2019, during the period of ERT in semester one 2020, and in semester 2 of 2020 when classes and assessment had resumed largely face-to-face. The overarching aim of this study was to gather information and data to help guide and inform the development of future learning and teaching strategy at UWA Law School. The survey responses indicate a clear correlation between rates of student and staff satisfaction and the nature of the learning and teaching environment. The authors draw on the theory of connectivism in their analysis of the survey, concluding that the key message is that there is an ongoing need for flexibility and adaptability in the learning and teaching of law, particularly with assessments.