Augmented Learning: Legal Education in the Era of Generative Artificial Intelligence
The rapid rise of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Co-Pilot, Claude, Grok, and DeepSeek has sparked a transformative debate in higher education, particularly in the field of legal studies. How should universities approach the integration of these tools into teaching and learning? Should they embrace GenAI as a tool for innovation, or ban it outright to protect academic integrity? This blog post explores these questions by examining the divergent approaches of two universities and their impact on teaching practices, student learning outcomes, and academic integrity.
The Research Question and Hypothesis
This study addresses a key question: How do differing approaches to AI tools, specifically ChatGPT, in legal education—particularly in business and commercial law modules—impact teaching practices, student learning outcomes, and academic integrity?
The hypothesis tested is that structured integration of GenAI into teaching enhances critical thinking and ethical understanding in students, while outright bans may lead to unintended consequences, such as unregulated use of the technology. By comparing the experiences of two universities in England—one that embraced GenAI and another that prohibited it—this research sheds light on the opportunities and challenges of integrating AI into legal education.
Two Universities, Two Approaches
The study examines the contrasting approaches of University A and University B in England in integrating GenAI tools like ChatGPT into their legal education programs during the academic year 2023-2024. I keep the names of these universities anonymous.
At University A, faculty members proactively integrated GenAI tools into teaching and learning activities while requiring........
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