Simulations, learning and the metaverse: changing cultures in legal education

Abstract

Simulation is one of the major applications of the web in entertainment and training, but has so far received little attention from HE and FE. It is becoming increasingly clear that simulations can be used for educational purposes, but how can they be used most effectively with students? How do they affect other areas of the legal curriculum? Can all professions use them equally effectively, and if so under which conditions? These and other questions are at centre of a two-year funded project, Transactional Learning Environment (TLE) 2.0, which sets out to create an environment, use it within variety of disciplines and sub-areas within law, and evaluate the results. This article describes the context of the project, sets out the ambitions of the project, and analyses the challenges facing it. It also sets the project within a larger technological context, and argues that such projects are essential not only for the future of legal education but for most professional disciplines in higher education.