Online Teaching: The Importance of Pedagogy, Place and Presence in Legal Education

Abstract

In light of the increasing number of animal law units being offered by Australian law schools, it is timely to critically reflect upon the objectives of such units. What is it that we seek to achieve when we teach animal law to law students? Is it limited to facilitating a thorough understanding of the law relating to animals? Or are we trying to change the way our students see the world, to inspire them to strive to reform the relationship between animals and the law, and to ultimately modify the relationship between animals and humans? This article examines the desirability and feasibility of teaching animal law to law students with the explicit objective of promoting personal, community and legal transformation, drawing upon the experiences of one of the authors in teaching conservation principles to school children in Africa.