This project includes the creation, by leading experts in the legal profession, of interactive e-learning modules, as well a high-quality, virtual, “choose-your-own-adventure”-type simulation of a client interaction informed by real-world experiences. As a learner, you will be learning about the importance of emotional and cultural intelligence through educational texts, short video lectures, audio overviews, questions, and simulations available via open online access, anytime and anywhere.

The content in this Pressbook enables learners to acquire experiential training in emotional and cultural intelligence and competencies within the safety of a virtual law firm environment. Learners are exposed to a series of information, images, and immersive videos representing stages of a client interaction, and to different client profiles. The path of a particular client’s response depends on the user action taken at each stage, making the project highly interactive.

We are providing law learners with an interactive resource to learn directly from practising lawyers. This resource allows learners at all levels of their educational and professional journey to engage with real-life scenarios, interactive elements, readings, lectures and quizzes to deepen and enhance their learning. This resource allows practice components to be combined with the substantive aspects of law primarily taught in law schools. As the creators of these resource, we encourage fellow educators and law practitioners to may use aspects of the created content in a standalone course, or as a complement to a professional development offering.

Resource Objectives

This project involves the development of online materials to support a virtual law firm in which law students, acting in the role of lawyers, are trained in EMOTIONAL AND CULTURAL COMPETENCIES (EQ/CQ) in the practice of law. We will use the terms emotional and cultural intelligence and competencies interchangably through these materials. All materials will be delivered and/or made accessible electronically, reducing the need for classroom space and providing maximum flexibility in delivery. The content and course will be new, original, and developed by leading experts in the legal profession to ensure the media is current, practical, and of high-quality. This project fulfills the mandate of eCampusOntario by not only prioritizing hybrid learning for those in law school but also serving those seeking to access information about Canadian legal systems and processes. There is a pressing need for openly accessible legal resources for service providers given the high cost of formal programs and lack of affordable alternatives. Accordingly, this project addresses key objectives of eCampusOntario—to make knowledge in higher education less expensive and more accessible.