Lai Mun Onn*
Abstract:
Mooting is a simulated court hearing in which law students argue the legal merits of a fictitious case before a panel of mock judges. When the Control Movement Order (MCO) came into force in March 2020 due to the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, a decision was made to conduct law modules fully online. However, there were concerns whether the Mooting module can be conducted fully online –and if yes, whether the module’s learning outcomes could be achieved, and whether students could benefit from the module. This paper will deal with both questions and the author will be sharing his experience on how the module was carried out and how it benefitted his students. In response to the first question, as to whether the module can be conducted fully online, the findings show that the lectures and tutorials were all conducted online using pre-recorded lectures, online submission of tutorial exercises as well as ‘live’ briefing sessions for the students. As for the actual moot assessment, it was carried out online using the Zoom platform. With regard to the second question if students benefitted from it, the paper will show that all the learning outcomes of the module were achieved. As Malaysian courts were also carrying out online hearings, students were able to experience how a real lawyer conducts an online hearing. The students’ feedback reveal that they found the module to be useful and that they have achieved to varying degrees, some of Taylor’s Graduate Capabilities after taking this module. The conclusion is that the Mooting module can in fact be carried out fully online and that by doing so, the Module Learning Outcomes can still be met and the students can obtain maximum benefit.
Keywords: Moot, online, graduate capabilities