Policies on Learning & Teaching Culture

• Expectations
• Faculty Guidelines on Workload
• What to Expect of your Lecturers in the Law School
• Academic Rights and Responsibilities
• Lectopia (previously known as iLecture) Policy

Expectations

The University of Melbourne is a campus-based University. This distinguishes it from universities where distance education is a feature of the curriculum. The Melbourne LLB’s learning and teaching objectives are therefore designed assuming student attendance.  Students are expected to prepare for and attend classes. Technologies that may be used by some lecturers should not be regarded as substitutes for classroom-based teaching. 

Faculty Guidelines on Workload

The University of Melbourne’s Academic Board and Academic Programmes Committee resolved that every subject description should include a statement of the work expected of students to complete a 12.5 point subjects.  The following statement translates the central university formula to the LLB context: 

Melbourne Law School expects the dedicated student who reads and writes effectively in a text-based discipline at the undergraduate level to work 120+/-24 hours over the semester, in every 12.5 point law subject she or he undertakes. This includes contact hours.

The work load estimate includes some time that students are expected to spend on assessment: for example, if the subject is assessed by examination, the time spent effectively reading, note-taking and preparing for class; summarising and reflecting on materials and arguments after class; and planning and practising writing answers throughout the semester is directly linked to successful completion of exams.

The work load estimate also includes time devoted to studying material and principles for class that underlie and are necessary to completing research assignments. This work load estimate does not, however, include time spent writing up assignments, time spent on examination revision and the like.

The Law School recognises that students have disparate learning attributes and skills, many of which were developed long before they came to the Law School, and that, as a result, preparation time may vary.

What to Expect of your Lecturers in the Law School

Academic Rights and Responsibilities

Lectopia (previously known as iLecture)

Students of the Law School should note the following policy statement governing use of the Lectopia automated audio recording facility.

The Lectopia technology is provided as an additional learning tool by teaching staff who consider this appropriate for their subject. Lecturers are not obliged to use the Lectopia facility, and the provision of recorded lectures in subjects or particular streams in subjects is made available entirely at their discretion. There is an expectation that students attend lectures, tutorials and seminars for all classes in which they are enrolled.

In cases where lecturers do provide Lectopia, and other teaching materials online, this is intended to supplement rather than substitute for regular class attendance. Should lecturers choose to provide teaching materials on-line, these materials will be made available as soon as practicable after the class, subject to Faculty workload constraints.

Students should note that the provision of recorded lectures is not guaranteed as this service may be affected by technical difficulties outside of the lecturer’s and Faculty’s control. 

Students should note that all teaching staff in the Faculty are familiar with the Lectopia facility and its advantages. Those lecturers who choose not to record their classes have made this decision based on their own sound pedagogy and students should refrain from asking lecturers to provide taping of lectures or additional teaching materials online.

Students must seek approval from individual lecturers before making recordings of classes via personal recording devices or any other medium.