BSL101 Outline for 2020 Academic Year PDF

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this is for the 2020 academic year. it is for first year students doing this module that requires them to pass....

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UNIVERSITY OF THE WES WESTERN TERN CAPE FACULTY OF LAW

BASIC SKILLS FOR LAW [BSL101]

Module Outline and Lecture Plan

2020

GENERAL MODULE INFORMATION

1.

INTRODUCTION

Welcome to the module of Basic Skills for Law 101. As the name suggests, this module focuses on teaching you the fundamental skills that you will require during your law studies and beyond. The information and skills that you will learn in this module, will serve as a foundation for more complex legal content that you will encounter throughout this law degree. If you can learn and develop the skills in this module, then you will be able to use them in all other modules. An example of such a skill, is reading and understanding a judgment from a court case. This is a blended learning module. This means that this module will be presented with traditional face-to-face lectures, and through several components that are digital in nature. Therefore, this module uses the following mediums:  Lectures that require your physical attendance in the classroom, where you will be required to take diligent lecture notes;  Face-to-face lectures will be accompanied by PowerPoint slides, but will also include student participation through discussion, activities and revision.  Selected material may be taught through narrated slides and voices recordings. You are required to download these items, and all other module and study material (lecture PowerPoint slides, content and material, assessment documents), which will be available on the iKamva website, accessible at http://ikamva.uwc.ac.za/portal  The assessments and tasks will be digital in nature. This means that you must either submit an assessment online (eg the assignments drafts); you must use digital tools to complete the assessment itself (eg the video); or you must be online to complete certain tasks (eg discussion forums). You will receive continuous face-to-face and email announcements updating you about the module. However, you are ultimately responsible for checking your student email, and visiting the BSL101 iKamva page for all the module content. We will use this document frequently, so you must ensure that you have a copy of it when we have lectures.

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2.

CREDIT VALUE AND LEARNING HOURS Duration of module

Year module

Credit value of this module

15 credits

Total learning time for this module

150 hours, based on:  lecture time  tutorial classes  preparation for activities  self-study

Break-down of learning time

3.

A. Lectures  Semester 1 – two periods per week  Semester 2 – one period per week

39 hours

B. Tutorials 1 every second week in semester 1

12 hours

C. Assignments and tasks Preparation for lectures, tutorials, computer literacy and research for the assignment

40 hours

D. Assessments Assignments, video, reflection and e-Portfolio

9 hours

E. Self-study Working on the module independently, inside and outside of the assessment periods

50 hours

THE OUTCOMES OF THIS MODULE

“Outcomes” refer to the objectives of the module. This means that there several skills that you must attain and master to successfully complete this module. On completion of the module you should be able to: ● demonstrate effective note-taking skills and the application of study methods enabling an understanding of law studies in the context of Africanisation. ● apply basic information technology skills in finding law sources and developing information literacy learning management system skills.

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describe the structure of statutes, case law and unwritten customs as well as demonstrate the ability to find, read, summarise and explain these legal texts. solve legal problems by applying primary and secondary legal sources and use effective communication skills through essay writing. effectively develop legal arguments and writing legal essays while applying referencing techniques, recognising academic integrity and ethical considerations. demonstrate effective use of legal concepts through verbal communication. execute basic numerical calculations in the context of law incorporate ethics into research and writing tasks by practicing academic honesty.

● ● ● ● ● ●

4.

THE STAFF INVOLVED IN THE MODULE NAME

OFFICE

TEL. NO.

E-MAIL

LECTURER + CO-ORDINATOR

Dr K Chinnian (semester 1)

Room 20, Ground Floor

(021) 959 3285

[email protected]

LECTURER

Ms A Petersen (semester 1)

Room 18, Ground Floor

(021) 959 3322

[email protected]

LECTURER

Mr G Pillay (Numeracy semester 2)

Law Clinic

(021) 959 2756

GLA

Lawrence

Law Clinic Building

_

GLA

Thuli

Law Clinic Building

_

GLA

Liam

Law Clinic Building

–

[email protected]

ADMINISTRATOR

Ms Witten

Room 24, Ground Floor

(021) 959 3299

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

 The consultation hours of the lecturer GLAs will be posted on our office doors. Student queries will only be considered during these consultation hours.  Should you wish to consult with a lecturer or GLA outside these hours, an appointment must be made with either the lecturer, GLA or the administrator of the module.

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5.

LECTURE HOURS AND CLASS ATTENDANCE

There are two lectures per week for this module. Therefore, it is vital that you attend lectures and participate in class discussions. If you are absent from a lecture or tutorial, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary handouts, lecture notes and information from announcements. The lecture periods and venues for BSL101 are: SEMESTER

FIRST SEMESTER LECTURE PERIODS

SECOND SEMESTER LECTURE PERIODS (NUMERACY)

6.

GROUP A LECTURES AND VENUES

GROUP B LECTURES AND VENUES

Monday, Period 7 14h55 – 15h40

Friday, Period 4 11h15 – 12h00

Venue: SC4 Thursday, Period 6 14h00 – 14h45

Venue: A1 Friday Period 5 12h10 – 12h55

Venue: A2 Monday, Period 7 14h55 – 15h40

Venue: A1 Friday, Period 4 11h15 – 12h00

Venue: SC4

Venue: A1

PRESCRIBED TEXTBOOK AND READINGS

There is a prescribed book for this module. Select material from this book is referred to in the lecture plan. You will also be required to find and read additional legal texts such as cases, statutes and journal articles. The lecture plan will provide you with the information on these readings. Please note that you must read the relevant readings before the lectures as you will be asked questions on this in the classroom. The prescribed book is: Meintjies-Van Der Walt, et al Introduction to South African Law: Fresh Perspectives (2nd edition), 2011, Pearsons Education and Prentice Hall. You should use this book to prepare for lectures.

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7.

COMPONENTS OF THE MODULE

There are several components to BSL101, and you must complete the activities for all the components. If you do not attend the lectures, tutorials or other activities, then you might risk failing this module. All the components are discussed below. You will receive more details about each component during the lecture periods.

7.1

Law lectures (excluding Numeracy) – semester 1

The law lectures are facilitated by Dr Chinnian and Ms Petersen. These lectures take place in the first semester only, with two lecture periods per week. It is important that you attend these lectures, because other module components, activities and assessments are based on them. For example, the tutorials are directly linked to the content covered in the law lectures. Therefore, if you do not attend the lectures, then you will most likely be unable to complete the tutorial exercises. This component of the module does not contain tests and an examination. Instead, the continuous assessment will require you to complete assignments, collaborate with your peers to create video recordings and submit a self-reflection paper. The final assessment will be in the form of an e-Portfolio that you will submit around the June/July examination period.

7.2

Numeracy lectures – semester 2

The numeracy lectures are facilitated by Mr Pillay in the second semester only. There is only one lecture period per week for this component of the module. These lectures are practical in nature and requires you to complete exercises in the classroom. There are tests and an examination for this component of the module. Mr Pillay will provide you with the topics and test dates when the second semester commences.

7.3

Tutorials – semester 1 semester 2

The tutorial programme forms an integral part of the continuous assessment mark (CAM). You are expected to attend tutorials once every two weeks. Your active participation during these tutorials is vital and will form part of your CAM. During the tutorial, you will be evaluated in terms of your contribution to the discussion in the tutorial and written tutorial exercises. GLAs facilitate the tutorials and are under the supervision of the lecturers. Details about the tutorial exercises will be provided in class. BASIC SKILLS/OUTLINE/2020

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7.4

Digital Academic Literacy (DAL) – semester 1

DAL is presented by the Centre for Innovative Educational and Communication Technologies (CIECT). Here, you will learn about basic computer skills, as well as the digital tools that you will need for this module and all your law modules. This component of the module has its own sessions that will take place in addition to the law lectures. The co-ordinator for DAL will provide you with all the information for this component. There will be an information session about DAL during the first week of lectures. It is vital that you attend the DAL classes, because you are required to apply the skills that you acquire in those classes, to complete tasks and assessments for other components of this module. There is an assessment for DAL, and this date will be provided by the DAL lecturer.

8.

ASSESSMENTS

The evaluation of this module consists of two parts, namely, the continuous assessment and the final assessment.

8.1 Continuous assessment mark (CAM) The CAM forms part of the continuous evaluation system. This means that there are various types of evaluation throughout the module. Marks will be allocated to all these forms of assessment. All the forms of assessment (except the final assessment for the module) will be calculated to form the continuous assessment mark. The continuous assessment involves evaluation through:  Assignment (draft 1 and final draft);  Tutorials;  Digital academic literacy assessments;  Group video presentation and written reflection; and  Numeracy tests. Each of these assessments is discussed in more detail below.

Rule A.5.2.3 (c) of the UWC Academic Rules: YOU MUST OBTAIN A CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT MARK OF 40% TO QUALIFY TO WRITE THE FINAL ASSESSMENT.

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CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TYPE 1:

ASSIGNMENT

There is one written assignment for this module and it will be in the form of an essay. The assignment will have strict instructions and guidelines that you must follow. The assignment question will be posted on iKamva during the first term. You may consult lecturers and GLAs about the assignment. The assignment will be marked according to the list of assessment criteria explained in class and posted on iKamva. The assignment has a two-stage submission process STAGE 1: Submission of draft 1 (10%) on Wednesday 13 May 2020 This draft will be marked and you will receive feedback about the strengths of your answer, and the areas where you must improve your essay. The marked essay will be returned to you. You must implement the instructions in the feedback to improve your essay. STAGE 2: Submission of final draft (20%) on Wednesday 16 September 2020 This is the final draft and must include the corrections and guidance provided in the first draft. You must attach the first draft to this final draft as well. This final essay must demonstrate your ability to use the guidance provided, to improve your own work. Draft 1 and the final draft will be submitted online, and you will receive your feedback in digital format too. The assignment question and its criteria, together with all the details about the submission of both drafts, will be uploaded on iKamva and sent to your student email.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TYPE 2:

TUTORIALS

The tutorials take place every second week for the duration of the year. Note the following:  There are 10 tutorials scheduled for the semester.  You MUST complete 8 of the 10 tutorials. There will not be make-up tutorials scheduled for the module. Please refer to the lecture and tutorial timetable for the tutorial schedule.  You must always attend the tutorial that you were allocated to on your timetable, unless otherwise instructed by the lecturers.  Only students who attend the tutorials will be eligible for the marks awarded in the specific tutorial concerned. If you are unable to attend your tutorial or unable to arrange with your tutor to attend an alternative tutorial, prior to missing your tutorial, you WILL FORFEIT the mark. You must always attend the tutorial that you were allocated on your timetable or by your GLA. BASIC SKILLS/OUTLINE/2020

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CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TYPE 3: DIGITAL ACADEMIC LITERACY This component of the course is taught by a lecturer from the DAL unit. You will be introduced to word processing programmes, iKamva as a learning management system, e-mail and the internet as a research tool. NOTE:  You will receive a separate DAL outline from the DAL co-ordinator. It will also be uploaded to iKamva.  You must sign up for the DAL classes in B18 and B20.  Attendance is compulsory  An exemption test is available for you to complete if you believe that you have sufficient computer literacy. If you pass the test, then you do not need to attend the DAL classes, nor complete the assessments. If you fail the exemption test, then you must proceed with the DAL component.  All material and instructions will be provided by the DAL co-ordinator and tutors.  The DAL final assessment date will be provided by the DAL co-ordinator and tutors.  DAL constitutes 10% of the CAM.

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TYPE 4:

VIDEO + SELF-REFLECTION

Collaboration with peers is an important part of studying and the working environment. You will work in your tutorial groups for this assessment. The collaborative video and the individual reflection must be submitted on Wednesday 7 October 2020. Collaborative video (5%) You will receive instructions about a legal problem. Using your communication skills, you must work in your group to role-play the incorrect and correct way to resolve this legal problem. You must use a cell-phone to record the role-play scenarios and submit it on iKamva. The scenario and detailed instructions will be uploaded to iKamva. Individual reflection (5%) After the submission of the video, you must submit a one-page reflection of: (i) the process of working in a group with your peers, and (ii) the communications skills that a legal professional is required to demonstrate. You will be given detailed instructions about proceeding with this reflection. You will submit the reflection on iKamva. BASIC SKILLS/OUTLINE/2020

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CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TYPE 5:

NUMERACY TESTS

You must attend numeracy classes with Mr. G Pillay during the second semester. You must attend one numeracy lecture per week. There are three tests scheduled for numeracy and you must complete two tests. If you complete all three tests, then the best two out of three tests will be used to calculate your CAM. There are no sick tests scheduled for this module. The numeracy tests and examination will take the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQS) and will be venue-based. Mr Pillay will provide you will all the test dates at the beginning of the second semester. The numeracy component is calculated as:  35 % of the continuous assessment mark (best two out of three tests) and  35 % of the final assessment mark.

9.2

Final assessment

The final assessment for this module consists of two separate parts. Final Assessment Part A: ePortfolio – due on Tuesday 27 October 2020 You must submit an online portfolio for the law component of this module. The portfolio is evidence of the knowledge and skills that you have developed over the semester. It will contain all the marked assignments, tutorial exercises and reflections that you completed during the semester. In addition, you will have additional exercises that you must complete and upload into your portfolio. You will receive training on how to create and submit your portfolio. You will receive detailed instructions about this final assessment during the first term. Final assessment Part B: Numeracy Examination One numeracy examination is written in October/November, covering the entire semester’s numeracy syllabus. You must consult your student email and the iKamva announcements to determine the dates, times and venues of the examination. You will receive thorough preparation and information for the examination during the lectures.  If you do not pass the final assessments for Part A and Part B, you may qualify to write a supplementary assessment.  A list of students who qualify to write a supplementary assessment will be published before the supplementary assessment date.  You must consult your student email and the iKamva announcements to ascertain whether you qualify for a supplementary assessment. BASIC SKILLS/OUTLINE/2020

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10. CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT MARK CALCULATION

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT TYPE

CONTRIBUTION TO CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT MARK

Assignment draft 1 (10%) and final draft (20%)

30%

Computer literacy assessments

10%

Tutorial exercises (best 8 out of 10)

15%

Group video and reflection

10%

Numeracy tests (best 2 out of 3)

35%

TOTAL

100%

The final mark for this module is constituted in the following way: Continuous assessment ……….50% Final assessment ………………..…… 50%

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11.

CHARTER OF GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES AND SKILLS

The Charter of Graduate Attributes is a UWC document which provides an overview of the skills and characteristics with which a UWC graduate should leave this campus. All the module content, activities and assessments are aimed at contributing to you developing some of these attributes and skills. Below is an overview of the graduate attributes GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE 1:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE 2:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE 3:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE 4: