Syllabus

A. The law of cyberspace may be a misnomer since there is no coherent body of law currently. There certainly are laws that apply, but most were not developed for this rich new environment. Many questions remain unanswered at present.

1. What law should apply to govern the Internet? Or is it too soon to decide? Should the Net be governed at all?

2. Will a body of cyberspace law develop? Or will Internet issues simply be lumped into relevant substantive laws?

3. How can the United States (or any country) expect to govern such an international medium?

B. These and other important issues are the crux of this cyberspace law seminar. Subject coverage and possible webproject topics include:

A. Substantive law - Certainly students need to master a variety of subjects in order to have an overview of cyberspace law.

1. To identify problems relative to the Internet and World Wide Web and to propose policy solutions.

2. To explore the difference between the expectations of content providers and users in cyberspace and to recommend legal solutions.

3. To research one area in depth and share the knowledge gained with the class and the world through the web.

4. To consider whether there are issues that will move out of the realm of cyberspace law and into a more general area of the law.

B. Team work - Law students complete little of their law school work as collaborative projects, yet the real world of law practice often is based on a team concept of work.

1. To learn collaborative skills by working in teams to produce a policy that will be shared with the class and critiqued by class members.

2. To work in pairs to produce a website on a cyberspace law topic that will serve the function of a research paper but in a webpage format and that includes pre-assigned readings for the class.

3. To develop communications skills both oral skills and presentation skills by making a class presentation.

4. To share these work products beyond the class via the course website.

C. Technology goals - Many current law students have never created websites, multimedia and the like.

1. To utilize materials from the web for reading assignments.

2. To create a more collaborative learning environment through a virtual classroom on the web.
        
3. To maintain and participate in a discussion list on Blackboard.

4. To assist students to use educational technology to facilitate class presentations.

5. To post on the course website student final webprojects so that others have access to the research and analysis that each pair of students produces.

A. The course is divided into three segments:

        1. Speakers including Professor Gasaway

        2.  Internet policy development in teams and                      presentation.

        3.   Website project with an assigned  partner.

B.    Students also participate in four tutorials with                 Professor Gasaway during the semester.