Research on authentic learning has been predominantly focussed on skills-based training: there is a paucity of research on models of authentic learning available for adaptation in the humanities undergraduate classroom. In this article, I will seek to address this gap by proposing that legal trials are ideal models for designing authentic learning…

This article looks at a series of university linkages between Canadian and Chinese universities that were supported by the Canadian International Development Agency as a result of a development agreement signed in 1983 between the two governments. It first reviews relevant theoretical literature on higher education in a global context, and…

Law 20, in the Alberta (Canada) educational system, is an introductory course with three core modules: (1) "Nature of Law and Civil Law System," (2) "Contract Law," and (3) "Family Law." Law 30 consists of (1) "Basic Rights and Responsibilities," (2) "Labour Law," and (3) "Property Law."…

Political efforts by feminists in the 1970s and early 1980s resulted in the redefinition of rape as physical assault in Canada's 1983 rape law in the Criminal Code. This paper argues that treating a woman's sexuality as "property," as did the rape law prior to 1983, was correct. Redefining rape as sexual assault, and measuring the…

A study investigated the readability of current laws for Canadian francophones and anglophones. The 63 subjects were asked to read a variety of brief legal texts available in parallel styles in both languages and to answer questions about the texts' content. Subjects were also surveyed about their preference for a formal or vulgarized style of…

Provides an example of a case study brief that pinpoints the major elements of a case, including title, facts, issues, arguments, reasoning and decision. Includes suggestions for utilizing the briefs in the classroom and sources for suitable cases. (LS)

Explores the court structure in the United States and Canada. Explains the consequences of a dual or integrated system and why Canadians are adopting the U.S. system. (DB)

Briefly reviews the purposes of law-related education in social studies and demonstrates how these may be achieved through historical case studies. Illustrates this point with various events surrounding the experience of Japanese Canadians during World War II. Includes primary source documents and two photographs. (JDH)

Addresses the problems of teaching the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982) in secondary schools. The new statute is difficult to teach because courts have only begun to interpret it and textbooks have yet to include it. Presents a list of resources addressing issues related to the Charter, as well as two ways to teach the Charter. (LS)

Argues that the emphasis in law courses on memorizing facts fails to teach the desired concepts of reasoning and problem-solving. Recommends the use of open-book tests. Suggests that because law is an imprecise subject, and there are no right or wrong answers, it should be taught in an open format. (LS)

As indigenous peoples in the Arctic move closer to sovereignty, self-sufficiency in the realm of criminal justice assumes paramount importance. This book outlines initiatives and strategies to improve the delivery of justice services to aboriginal peoples in Canada, Alaska, and Greenland. Topics include: social and spiritual causes of alcoholism…

Discusses the challenges of making a grade 12 law course come alive. Suggests using oral simulation work such as mock trials, moot courts, and adversarial debates. Illustrates the use of the "Grade A Contract" to keep students on task and promote skill support, and presents an outline of a moot court enactment. (LS)

In this article I argue that greater attention should be given to the law-related education dimension of social studies education. I posit that a basic understanding of law and its role in society and in our lives is fundamental to the social studies citizenship mandate. Law-related education may be incorporated in elementary social studies in…

Presents a lesson plan from the Alberta (Canada) Education Curriculum on ethics for upper elementary or middle school students designed to take two class periods. Outlines materials and procedures involved. Identifies these instructional goals: (1) define "code" and relate the concept to standards of behavior; and (2) draft a code of…

These documents are designed to introduce students to some of the fundamental concepts, principles, and values of human rights and to a basic knowledge of human rights legal instruments as they apply to daily lives. Student handbook 1 is a series of lessons and activities that stimulate reading and discussion around the following ideas: What is a…