Today's Tech: How An Associate Dean Uses Social Media In His Classroom

How can law students use social media in a professional context? This professor has an idea or two.

In my last two columns, I focused on how law school professors are using technology in their classrooms and preparing their students for the practice of law in today’s technology-saturated business world. One professor focused on teaching students how to use trial presentation software, while the other focused on using web-based tools to create a more engaging learning experience for her students.

In today’s post, we’ll hear from another professor who incorporates technology into his classroom: Thaddeus Hoffmeister, Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Professor of Law at the University of Dayton Law School.

Thaddeus is the author of Social Media in the Courtroom (affiliate link) and blogs regularly about the impact of social media on the courtroom, so teaching a course about social media and the law, aptly titled “Social Media Law,” seemed a natural fit. But he does more than teach his students about how social media affects the practice of law; he also teaches his students how to use social media in a professional context.

“When I was writing my book I realized that social media law is an area that is underserved, so I created this course. Not only do my students study law and social media — we also use social media throughout the course,” he explains. “For example, I blog a lot and I think it’s important for my students to learn how to blog as well.”

Thaddeus believes that by teaching his students how to blog and use social media effectively, he is preparing his students to better compete in a marketplace that is increasingly influenced by online interactions:

“I want my students to be able to use what I teach them as soon as they pass the bar, so I focus on practical skills. Blogging is important skill set in today’s economy. It’s a way to create an online niche and it allows you to create a significant body of work in a given area of practice making it easier for potential clients to find you. That’s why you see so many firms — big and small–go that route. Today’s practitioner needs to have a presence online because tomorrow’s clients will rely on Yelp and social media to find lawyers.”

He encourages his students to use many different types of online tools and formats as part of the requirements for his class. Thaddeus explains that when he teaches the course online, web-based tools become particularly important. “I’ve taught the course two ways — completely online and offline. Students in my online course create a video to introduce themselves and as part of the introduction they have to choose a social media platform and explain how it works. Students also write blog posts about hot button social media law issues for an internal classroom blog and I grade the post based on its content and the amount of comments from other students since it’s important for them to be able to write interesting, engaging posts.”

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Thaddeus stresses to his students the importance of building a professional digital footprint while still in law school. “Students need to understand that employers will research them so they need to control the information available online about them. Create positive, useful information and you control the message that employers receive.”

But for Thaddeus, technology is about more than teaching his students how to use social media in their professional lives. He also uses it as a tool to keep his students engaged and interested. “When I teach the class I use a lot of video, Prezi or Powerpoint, and podcasts. I do this because I find my students better comprehend information in this format—whether I’m teaching online or offline. Some professors think they can use the same approach that worked 10-20 years ago but you have a different student today. Just look at the courtroom — how many attorneys use visuals when presenting to jurors? It’s a very different world. You’ve got to keep your students’ attention and keep them engaged. Otherwise you’ll lose them.”

Of course, Thaddeus recognizes that technology isn’t a perfect fit for every situation and sometimes old-school methods must necessarily prevail.  “There are certainly drawbacks to using too much technology in the classroom and one I worry about is that we may be simplifying things too much and if we do that they may lose out on the analytical process that young lawyers need to learn. In some cases, is the use of technology reducing their ability to focus? I sometimes wonder if this generation can sit down and read a novel and does it have to have hyperlinks to keep it interesting? I think the key is that someone in each law school should be exposing the students to these concepts and new ways of using technology, but not every class is amenable to the incorporation of technology as a learning device.”

His advice to law students, professors, and lawyers who are reticent about technology? “Don’t fear the unknown. The ethical rules require you to stay abreast of changes in technology and the best way to be familiar with it is to actually use it. But don’t jump right in — wade in. Learn about technology at your own pace, but make learning about it a priority.”

So that’s how one law professor uses technology, with a focus on social media, in his classroom. As always, if you or an attorney you know is using technology in a creative or unusual way in your law firm, drop me an email at niki.black@mycase.com. I’m always looking for new attorneys — or judges — to feature in this column.

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Nicole Black is a Rochester, New York attorney and Director of Business and Community Relations at MyCase, web-based law practice management software. She’s been blogging since 2005, has written a weekly column for the Daily Record since 2007, is the author of Cloud Computing for Lawyers, co-authors Social Media for Lawyers: the Next Frontier, and co-authors Criminal Law in New York. She’s easily distracted by the potential of bright and shiny tech gadgets, along with good food and wine. You can follow her on Twitter at @nikiblack and she can be reached atniki.black@mycase.com.

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