Monterey College of Law in Seaside, California is the first accredited law school, among the 220 or so in the U.S., to provide students with iPads as part of a BARBRI supplemental curriculum program. During the second phase of the program, iPads will be given to members of the law school faculty who are interested in using the tool to enhance their course materials.
Monterey College of Law, which is a four-year evening J.D. program, is a suitable testing ground for the iPad pilot program given the fact that the median age of enrolled students is 38, many of whom hold full-time jobs. The aim of dispensing iPads to current law students is to give them up to 700 additional study hours over the course of their J.D. studies, according to the President and Dean of the law school Mitchel Winick. With access to an iPad while on-the-go, it is the administration’s hope that students can add an additional 30 to 45 minutes of studying each day. Ultimately, success with the program would lead to improved performance in class and a stronger showing on the California bar exam.
By the time of yesterday’s press release, Winick reported that all 1Ls and roughly 70% of returning students opted to enroll in the program. As classes have only been underway for a little over one week, Winick anticipates that many of the remaining students will sign up in several week’s time.
To learn more about the adoption of the iPad at Monterey College of Law, read the school’s press release.
Putting the iPad in a classroom sounds like a good idea. I would imagine that it would be much easier for law student to get their reading done when the books are in the palm of their hand. With the way technology is progressing going to law school may be much easier than it was in the past.