Context and connection

Abstract

Over a quarter of a century ago, Alldridge criticised the dominant approach to teaching criminal law, in large part due to its narrowly doctrinal focus (1990; see also Farmer 1995). In the years since, pedagogy in law schools has been influenced by a more widespread awareness and acceptance of educational theory and an increasing attention on the quality of university teaching (Norton et al. 2013). The aspirations, and in many cases the practice, of teaching have progressed beyond the simple conveying oflegal doctrine to passive learners Qames 2004; if. Johnstone 1992). James (2004) points to a phenomenon that he terms 'pedagogicalism'; an orthodoxy that has built up in recent decades around the nature of what constitutes 'good teaching', and the development of institutional auditing methods by which to encourage or enforce its adoption in law schools.