Professor William Byrnes, Associate Dean for Graduate and Distance Education Programs at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, released remarks in the form of a white paper about 
distance education methodologies called Alternative Methods of Teaching and The Effectiveness of Distance Learning For Legal Education. The white paper makes the case for combining traditional classroom learning with online education because it is cost effective, accessible, flexible, and addresses the biggest criticism of legal education today, the lack of law school graduates who can think and practice law. The white paper covers such topics as –
- U.S. Department of Education’s Review of the Effectiveness of Distance Learning
- Developing Learning Outcomes
- Occupational Outcomes Framing Learning Outcomes
- Information Acquisition
- Information Delivery
- Learning Communities
- Learning Media
- Learner Motivation
- Knowledge Acquisition
- Learning Tools
In his white paper, Professor Byrnes argues that a challenge for institutions and faculty for the pedagogical development of distance learning is to facilitate deep learning and understanding through the creation of learning materials and opportunities for various learning experiences.
Professor Byrnes explains, “The goal is to implement best practices in law schools across the country to the benefit of our esteemed institutions, our law students and the legal system at large.” To this end, he is a primary driver of the invitation-only Work Group for Distance Learning in Legal Education that will finalize its Best Practice Report at its 10th development meeting (see https://www.eventbrite.com/e/working-group-for-distance-learning-in-legal-education-fall-2014-meeting-registration-12051364957).
White Paper: Byrnes, William H., Alternative Methods of Teaching and the Effectiveness of Distance Learning for Legal Education (August 27, 2014). Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2487679
William Byrnes' Tax, Wealth, and Risk Intelligence 