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Show THE DAILY UTAH CHRONICLE NEWS OPENINGS e New LAW Loggi SCHOOL TWENTY-FIRS- biggest fan. The system, which is called The Western Educational Network, allows professors to post coursework, required readings and discussion groups on the Internet. "It's a very powerful education tool," said Law School Dean Scott Matheson. "It allows students to take advantage of online communication resources." Kogan agrees. High-Tec- h published for decades shift to electronic books. Collections of case law books will begin disappearing." Instead of the law library's cave-lik- e experience where students perform their own manual labor hauling stack According to Greenwood, upon stack of reference technology doesn't change the books a single stint at a nature of the course. "It's the same test that I've always computer can produce the same research results. said. he given," "I can't imagine doing According to Dickey, howevresearch in books now er, students have expressed unless you have to," Papconcerns about taking exams . on computers. pasideris said. "Some students choose to take According to Kogan, a large exams in the blue books and student's part of a first-yea- r is education invested in they still get As. There is no learning how to use online pattern that I see suggesting databases. By the end of that students on computers their law school tenure, stuget better grades," she said. dents are experts at navigatexams Though computer X take more time to save, print ing the databases. advan"Law has the best cross out and grade, the index system of information tages far outweigh the disad- to out ; there," said Law Profesaccording vantages, sor John Flynn. "You can say Jonathan Pappasideris, a I third-yea- r law student. that you arc looking for a "I have taken every one of J case from 1908 and give me the name of one of the parmy exams on the computer. In Online legal databases allow students to quickly search for case information, the context of writing, you are Westlaw and Lexis are the two most popular databases and both are available at ties, and I can find it in two seconds." able to put more information the U law School, out quicker. There is only one Though students can access the databases for free during law school, once glitch that I have heard of, and that was with assistance to education," Kogan said. someone's personal computer," he said. However, not all professors are convinced they get to a law firm, the laws of economics kick in. of power point's virtues. Students are allowed to take computer exams cither in the law school's computer lab "I find it completely useless," Greenwood "The two large publishers, Westlaw and or on their personal laptops. said. "I don't like putting people into televiNexis, charge law schools virtually nothing to sion mode." give every student and faculty member a passA Pointed Presentation word," Kogan said. "But then the students move on to law firms and say that they need to in the Classroom Technology In addition to impacting life beyond the use the databases. The law firm has to then develFor many students at the law school, using classroom, technology has continued to pay for the service." op inside the classroom. technology such as the laptops and the comAccording to Kogan, use of the databases is All of the U law school classrooms except a can natural network cost anywhere between $150 to $200 an progression. puter hour. one are equipped with built-i- n projectors and "I was an undcrgrad at Stanford. It was techoutlets that allow profes"The monthly bill can be tens of thousands computer-friendl- y nologically advanced except with taking sors to teach with power point and students to exams. Email was big for distributing class of dollars," he said. take notes and do research on personal comFor the most part, professors at the law information," Pappasideris said. In their first year of law school at the U, stuschool find that technology helps, but docs puters. "When you use power point slides, you have dents must scale the learning curve by using have the potential to harm. "Like anything else, it can be overdone. You to think through the lecture before. The leconline databases that contain cases and other ture becomes crisper," Kogan said. "It can be past and present legal documents. can overdo it if people become enraptured with much more engaging than looking at the back "What's critical more and more in legal eduinformation," Flynn said. "We try to change and of the professor's head." databasin are law online cation, and general, improve the way people think. It's not the inforProfessors create slides containing neceses," Kogan said. "Over the next 20 years, you mation so much as how you use it." we5s chronicle, utah. edu sary information facts, statistics, etc. but will see many hardcover books that have been finding that the switch has impacted Last semester. Professor Terry Kogan didn't hand out a single piece of paper in his legal philosophy class. "The information students needed was all posted on the computer," he said. Kogan, who teaches at the Quinney College of Law and is the associate dean for academic affairs, calls himself the computer system's CENTURY T On ng U Law School goes LAURA B. WEISS Chronicle Editor in Chief M31 stice THE IN 20022003 test-takin- they can also incorporate more engaging elements like colors and quotes. "We encourage faculty to use power point. It's all related to how people learn and what makes learning easier. Slides are a significant g in a positive way. "I can read their handwriting now," Greenwood said, "and there is no excuse for misspelled words." ?? 'f 5 "This technology really enriches a student's education. And it's incredibly convenient. I can load up a syllabus onto my page and low and behold, it will take students to every case that I want them to read," Kogan said. The network also allows students to turn papers in online, but Kogan has yet to take advantage of that feature. "It's just not my style. I don't like to read papers online because I like to write comments," he said. Kogan also uses the other features of the network religiously, including the program's chatroom. "The network creates opportunities where students can participate in live chatrooms and engage in debates online," he said. However, other professors have found this feature to be unsuccessful. "By and large, students arc not interested. We usually have discussion groups," said law professor Daniel Greenwood. Regardless of whether they use the chat-roofeature, students are actively involved with the law school's technology in other m ways. "About four or five years ago, we experimented with students taking exams on computers. We only did it with one or two exams a semester," said Barbara Dickey, associate dean for student affairs. Now, about 80 percent of law students take their exams on computers. Since the law school only allows students to do so with open-boo- k exams, the other 20 percent are and closed book. And professors are ss at Law School in Fall Mew Professors Arrive LAURA B. WEISS Chronicle Editor in Chief .MM ., ,., . U. ....... UU, ,., In Fall of 2002, the Quinney College of Law will have three new professors: Martha John Tchranian and Manuel Utset. "We have about 30 faculty members, so three new professors is a lot for us," said Law School Dean Scott Matheson. Ertman received her bachelor's degree from Wellcsley College and her juris doctorate from Northwestern University School of Ert-ma- n, Law. She focuses on bridges between commercial law and intimate affiliation, suggesting ways that commercial models can improve family law and feminist and gaylesbian theoryBefore coming to the U, Ertman was an associate professor at the University of Denver. Tehranian, who grew up in Hawaii, graduated magna cum laude from Harvard University and earned his juris doctorate from Yale Law School. the His interests include Internet law, con- University stitutional law corporations, and entertai- nmentmedia law. He has been in private in practice California and served as an proadjunct : fessor at UniChapman v versity School Law. of Tehranian also 3 taught in the scipolitical ence, economics and women's studies departments at Yale. Utset, who comes to the U after 11 years at ! 1 Boston I' School of Law, is interested in bankruptcy and commercial law theory. b I Before teaching, Utset worked in New Yoik City and lectured throughout the United States. the Over last four years, the law school 3 has seen the departure, phased retirement and full retirement of several professors. Most recently, Paul Cassell, a full professor at the law school, was sworn in as a federal judge, but he will still be available to teach one seminar Spring Semester. "Rarely, if ever, do we directly replace someone. Everyone brings a different portfolio," Matheson said. "Fresh expertise is what keeps the place dynamic." Although the law school had to absorb budget cuts, the faculty was minimally affected. "We didn't have to cut positions," Matheson said. "We are a relatively small college, and we arc trying to enhance the program." In November of 2001, the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney Foundation donated a $26 million endowment gift to the law school, which prompted a name switch from the College of Law to the S.J. Quinney College of Law. The money, given out over a 10 year period, will be used for academic programs. This will include funding for scholarships, professorship and improvements to the law school library. lweisschronicle. utah. edu |