Storytelling

An Alternative Teaching Methodology

Teaching Methods

• Lecture

• Lecture and Tutorial

• Seminar

• Case Law Method

• Other innovations??

Storytelling

• Storytelling as a Teaching Method

• What is it?

• What is the pedagogical basis for Storytelling?

• Whose stories? Teacher insights?

• Student Stories?

Storytelling and Student Engagement

• Literature suggests a need to move away from teacher led instruction to student centred learning.

• Student centred learning to emphasise learner activity rather than mere passive learning.

• Attention to what lawyers do on a daily basis.

Innovative Teaching Method

• 2007-2009 period I have used storytelling to teach Revenue Law.

• Using Final Appellate Court decisions as the foundation for introducing students to the concept of legal stories.

• Students see the legal decision by the presiding judge from the perspective of a story about the facts of the case.

What Cases to Use

• Final appellate decision – no furtehr avenue of review.

• A case that has stood for a legal principle for a number of years.

• Judicial decision has not been overturned through legislative action.

• Students need to see the case from the perspective of binding legal authority.

Case Example

• The issue of a gift given in a personal friendship point of view (not assessable) and a gift given in relation to the provision of professional services (assessable).

• Scott v FCT (1966) 117 CLR 514.

• Full decision to be read.

• Stduents to work in groups of 4-5.

Digging up information

• Groups were required to investigate beyond the facts stated in the reported appellate judgment.

• Look to the background personal traits of the donor of the gift, including generous nature involving other payments to others.

• See the human aspects of the matter and appreciate the point of view being expressed by the parties involved.

• Use of the World Wide Web

Application across the Curriculum

• This teaching method used in conjunction with existing teaching approaches, mainly the case book method.

• Use across the curriculum – common law subjects – deconstruct stories and provide a platform for particular points of view.

• Subjects emphasising oral argument – use the facts to construct a story.

• Subjects that emphasise clinical class setting – students can use the practical experience to reproduce stories told to them concerning the particular circumstances of their clients.