Legal Studies focuses on 'legal awareness'. It has been designed for students who, whatever their post-school destinations, wish to develop their wider education in understandings, skills, abilities, and attitudes about legal situations and issues so as to be better able to participate in the social process of local communities. Legal Studies focuses on studies of legal issues arising out of common social situations and community matters and resulting consequences for the individual and society, rather than a knowledge of the law as such.
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Citizens should develop a basis understanding of the operation of our legal system in order to understand the interplay of 'law in a society'. Students need to be equipped to act responsibly in situations that necessitate balanced approaches to rights and responsibilities. As a subject, Legal Studies provides students with basic legal knowledge and awareness of the range of regulatory rules (laws) and the empowering procedures for students' contribution to and participation in responsible citizenship.
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In Legal Studies, students examine the nature and functions of our legal system, the processes of law making and its implementation, especially in relation to issues and situations that are likely to have an impact on their daily lives. This subject will be of benefit to those students who have an interest in:
Topics in the course include:
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Students need to be involved in a wide range of learing activities to achieve the aims and objectives of this course. Together with many of the more traditional teaching and learning activities, students will be involved in activities that include case studies, mock trials, debates and discussions, interviews and polls, community investigations, field trips, statistical analyses, simulation activities, guest speakers and audiovisual presentations. These will often relate to particular issues and situations in local communities involving 'real life' learnings.
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A wide range of assessment techniques is often used by schools to determine the relationships between student achievement and the exit criteria of the course. These include factual knowledge and understanding of the legal system, identification and resolution of legal issues encountered in society, evaluation of the social relevance of legal outcomes, and expression and language competence. Assessment techniques used by schools often include short answer tests, essays, assignments, practical exercises, real or simulated problem solving, seminar and media presentations as well as reports on field experiences.
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By showing interest and encouraging students in their work, parents will support them in their learnings. Discussing current and interesting legal and social issues among family members provides students with valuable social perspectives as the subject relates to social contexts and situations, not to an academic law subject. Students should be encouraged to watch and discuss televsion programs that are educational as well as entertaining in order to recognise situations where legal implications emerge. Providing access to radio programs, newspapers and journals assists the students to consider a variety of opinions on legal and social issues and situations. Use ought to be made of community and school information centres and personnel to supplement those learning resources available in the home. Frequent communication between the home and the school should also provide support for students. Parents can help by: perusing the Legal Studies syllabus form which schools plan their programs of work
discussing the school work program with the teacher
discussing legal and social issues in the context of everyday family life
openly expressing personal and social views about selected issues and situations
discussing alternative propositions and points of view about selected issues and situations in an open-minded manner, and debating
the implications of these
seeking professional advice on particular issues or in certain circumstances.
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