The use of controlled virtual learning environments at a law school : a preliminary study

The last two decades have seen exponential growth in the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) which has led to changes in teaching and learning. Accordingly, universities around the world have been incorporating ICT in their teaching for a number of years. Following this trend, Australian law schools have been encouraging their staff to integrate ICT in their teaching. For example, at the University of Western Sydney (UWS), every subject taught by the Law school is required to have an online presence through a controlled virtual learning environment called 'vUWS'. This article explores the extent to which the controlled virtual learning environments are relied on in teaching and learning at the UWS Law school. The paper discusses my preliminary findings and determines that, in a number of instances, vUWS is being used to distribute information to students and not to engage students with their learning materials.