In two earlier posts (here and here), I addressed a number of issues and tips related to the emergency remote online teaching that became the norm for most of us in the law academy back in March.  I finished my "classroom teaching" for the semester two weeks ago.  My online timed exam was given last week.  My take-home project in another class is due this week.  I survived; the students survived.  That may be the best I can say for all that. 

However, a larger, long-term issue looms in the background relating to the online teaching we did–and may continue to do–as a result of COVID-19.  That issue?  Whether our current remote teaching will catalyze a movement in higher education, including legal education, to teach more classes online.  If university and law school budgets continue to contract, administrators may see cost-savings in moving more courses online.

This issue has engendered much debate among educators generally.  I bring it to the fore here for consideration in the business law teaching context.  I have mixed feelings about moving clinical, simulation, and standard doctrinal business law courses online. The reasons vary from course to course.  And there is no doubt much that I likely do not see or anticipate that I would want to take into account.  

As a result, I have started reading up on online teaching and online course design, and I have been thinking through my personal experience with remote teaching this semester.  Among the articles I read this past week is this one, which calls on us to push back against central administrative demands to move teaching online.  In fact, I am not opposed to moving some of my teaching online.  But I would want to be able to choose what to move online, when, and how based on quality information and my own assessment of the benefits to and challenges for our learners.

Have you thought about teaching all of your courses online?  If so, I would be interested to know your views . . .  Please share them below, or send me a message.