Judicial Education and Training at Digital Platform: Digital Simulation, Video Games and Virtual Reality

Abstract

Judicial education is an emerging field in Pakistan. It aims at training and education of judges, magistrates, law officers and court personnel. Over the last 25 years, five judicial academies have been established through federal and provincial statutes. Judges, law officers and court personnel have different dimensions and requirements of pre- and in-service training and education. They have to be provided judicial education through adult learning methods. The existing curricula of judicial education at federal level encourages teaching method of lecture supported by discussion, participation, mock trial, Q&A, brain storming and experience sharing or heuristics, among others. Though there is significant information technology explosion (or revolution), the justice sector usually lags behind. Engaging its learners through use of innovative teaching tools, i.e., digital simulation, video games and virtual reality is still a dream.

This paper will explore the digital simulation, video games and virtual reality’s power to transfer information and knowledge through engaging the learner at greater level throughout the simulation exercises (on- and off-line video games or virtual reality). But as no such judicial education tool has been conceived or developed here in Pakistan to test or experiment the same for future development, the study will use effectiveness of these tools from other fields of knowledge or levels of studies to highlight the importance of digital simulation on learner’s level of engagement. Use of information technology will also help in performance evaluation and getting feedbacks instantly.

The paper will further propose development of digital platform for judicial education simulation exercises and video games to bring revolution in judicial learning. Judges and others may be educated and trained through use of these proposed tools and platforms at much lesser cost but with greater interest and engagement. Thus, the quality of justice administered will improve.

Keywords: JE digital platform, digital simulation, judicial education, video game, online learning tools, offline learning tools, digital feedbacks, virtual reality mock trials, engaging the learner, quality of justice administered, judges, magistrates, law officers, court personnel, judicial academy, iJE

JEL Classification: K40