Recently, a class of mine engaged in a debate regarding whether video games have a place in libraries, and in education generally. While most law students would agree that law school is no game, that needn't be the case. In fact, Gregory Silverman, the writer of a chapter for Legal Education in the Digital Age, argues that Law Games might be just the way to save an endangered legal education system. Games are already used to train "doctors, engineers, military commanders, troops, firefighters, first responders, police, policy analysts, airline pilots, fighter pilots, restaurant and wait staff, and business managers." Professor Silverman argues that games can help to solve the following four criticisms of legal education in its current form:
(Edward
L. Rubin ed., Cambridge University Press 2012).
Classified Stacks, Call Number K100.L45 2012.
PlaySmarter recently created an app called Law Dojo to help law students learn essential subjects such as: civil procedure, torts, contracts, evidence, international law, criminal law, and federal income tax. There are also modes of play focusing on Federal Rights and famous Supreme Court precedent. One reviewer, called this game "addicting." She explains: "I downloaded it thinking I might play on occasion to review for finals. However, the semester is over and I am still playing the Dojo, trying to beat my high scores. It is a fun and fast-paced way to test your knowledge."
Just last month, Lexis Advance launched Evidence Challenge, while it is
marketed as an "eBook[] of linked interactive capabilities" this platform in which the “user
is prompted to assess evidence and respond to questions at various decision
points in a realistic courtroom scenario” takes on the form of a simulation, or
role-playing game. This game
provides information on evidence in a courtroom setup with court procedure
built in to the game so the player is required to respond to objections at the appropriate time and given opportunities to provide an argument prior to the judge's ruling. The game also offers
internal motivators, like rank, score, and achievements. The creator of Lexis’ new game explains why Evidence
Challenge is likely to work well for law students:
While
Evidence Challenge requires a purchase to play, there is a free
test problem online for those who are curious about testing out this new
legal education tool.
iCivics,
an organization “founded and led by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor,” produced
a number of law games to help teach civics to students in grades 6-12. For the law student mourning the fact that
they’re unlikely to be picked for jury duty We the Jury is a game that is free to play online where you
will hear evidence about a case from the defense and prosecution, then you must
get your fellow jurors to agree on a verdict within five days or face a hung
jury.
In
addition, it is well accepted that many law students suffer from stress,
anxiety, depression, and substance abuse in greater numbers than the general
population. Lawrence S. Kreiger describes this phenomenon as the production of “students who feel insecure,
disregarded, and fatalistic about the world and their future” and Dr. Andrew
Benjamin seeks to explain
why. While gaming is not a solution
in and of itself, it may help to reframe experience of students in law school
by providing positive feedback that doesn’t come from the traditional law
school sources. Two games in particular
seem particularly conducive to improving the lives of law students:
- EpicWin (Available for iPhone) – If you’re looking for additional motivation to conquer that final paper or section of your outline, EpicWin is a platform that provides streamlined to-do lists with a roleplaying game spin. With EpicWin you can convert your calendar to a Quest, and receive rewards, experience points, and power ups for completing your assignments (or even doing those chores that were put off until after finals). This app is a nice way to keep motivated, because as enjoyable as law school can be, professors rarely drop loot and provide inspiring background music as you study.
- SuperBetter – For the law student struggling with stress, this game allows users to tackle life challenges the way gamers like best, by adopting a secret identity and going to battle. The game design is based on “neuroscience, positive psychology, and medicine.” It helps players to put their best efforts forward and focus attention on an achievable goal, with predesigned challenges related to achieving personal objectives, and a social networking component to build a group of allies.
Want
to check out interesting scholarship on introducing gaming into legal
education? Here are a few places to get
started:
- Legal Education in the Digital Age, 130-157 (Edward L. Rubin ed., Cambridge University Press 2012). Classified Stacks, Call Number K100.L45 2012.
- Bryan Adamson, Lisa Brodoff, Marilyn Berger, Anne Enquist, Paula Lustbuster, & John B. Mitchell, Can the Professor Come Out and Play? - Scholarship, Teaching and Theories of Play, 58 J. Legal Educ. 481 (2008).
- Paul Maharg & Martin Owen, Simulations Learning and the Megaverse, J. of Info. Law & Tech. (2007).
- Nancy B. Rapoport, Rethinking U.S. Legal Education: No More ‘Same Old, Same Old,’ 45 Conn. L. Rev. 1409 (May 2013).
- Sara de Freitas, Learning in Immersive Worlds: A Review of Game-Based Learning, Joint Information Systems Committee.
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