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Becoming an Online Teacher, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (with commendation) (polyu.edu.hk)
This semester-long course provides a blended learning opportunity that has a direct impact on teaching. This training has three modules combining theory with application, allowing the teacher to focus on his/her experience on teaching and learning practice.
All three modules provide the teacher with an opportunity to:
Certificate in University Teaching, Hong Kong Polytechnic University (polyu.edu.hk)
The Course in University Teaching is an advanced level extended programme. It is aimed at teachers who are keen to learn alongside other PolyU colleagues who want to develop and excel.
Participation provides opportunities to:
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Introduction to Business Law (legal systems, contract law, tort law, and anti-corruption law — Common law), Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants/Institute of Advanced Executive Education (IAEE) of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong — From 17 to 24 July 2014 —(Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu).
Introduction to Business Law (legal systems, contract law, and tort law — Common law), as a tutor, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Faculty of Business, Hong Kong — 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years — 250 students/semester.
Legal Aspects of E-Commerce (in a comparative perspective: Hong Kong and major markets), as a lecturer, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong — 2013-2014 Academic year — 50 students/semester.
Protection of European Brands in Asia, Guest lecturer, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong — 4 October 2013 — Lecture delivered to students from the Department of Business Administration College of Governance and Business University of Southeastern Philippines — 40 students.
Arbitrability of Intellectual Property Disputes, Guest Lecturer, Cornell University, School of Law School, U.S.A. — 16 April 2013 — 10 students.
Arbitrability in China, Guest Lecturer, Chinese University of Hong Kong, School of Law — 18 April 2012 — 50 students.
Domain Names and Internet Governance, Guest Lecturer, Master of laws “Intangible Creations” (master “Droit des Créations Immatérielles”), Montpellier University, School of Law, France — From 2005 to 2011 — 25 students.
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I have taught a course on the “Domain Names Law and Governance” for the Master Program “IP and IT Law” at the University Montpellier 1 from 2006-2011. I have also been invited to give lectures in various jurisdictions, including Cornell Law School and Chinese University of Hong Kong, as well as a number of seminars and public trainings within the framework of the European Union Academic Program of Hong Kong. I am also engaged in distance education, including webinars and distance courses.
I became a full-time teacher in 2014, when I taught at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU). I taught the law of obligations in a compulsory course entitled “Introduction to Business Law” (common law) for undergraduate students and an elective course on digital law entitled “Legal Aspects of E-Commerce” for postgraduate students. The students at all levels gave extremely positive feedbacks for both courses.
In order to explore innovative teaching methods, I voluntarily followed two six-month theoretical and practical courses on the application of cognitive science at the university level. The first one laid the foundation for teaching at the university while the second one focused exclusively on the use of digital tools. In this context, I held a personal journal concerning teaching in a “blended learning” environment, including some of the following subjects:
The outcome of the BOT training led to a personal reflection and to the writing of a case study which was itself the subject of an article (“Legal Quizzes for Non- Law Students” and a presentation at the PolyU symposium entitled “Blended Learning Symposium: Teaching Beyond the Classroom” (pecha-kucha). I have also proposed to PolyU the development of a mobile application aimed at promoting the learning of Hong Kong law.
My teaching is inspired by Bloom’s taxonomy and the flipped classroom method I use with the digital tools. I have adopted the “flipped classroom” method, in which I invert the typical cycle of content acquisition and application so that students gain necessary knowledge before class (1) and I guide them to actively and interactively clarify and apply that knowledge during class (2).
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Before each class, my students are required to first self-study and acquire knowledge from relevant reading materials, and then test their understanding and discuss among their peers through the online study tools.
As an illustration, my students will collaborate via wiki. This activity has many advantages: on the one hand, it promotes proactive learning; on the other hand, it produces a remarkable effervescence which, in addition to being incredibly inclusive, encourages quality collaborative work. It is also the product of peer-to-peer criticism, and my students are invited, on many occasions, to make constructive judgments about the contributions of their peers.
It also seems essential to me to put at their disposal a series of weekly quizzes, available both on computers and on the mobile application provided by the platform, and whose entries can give access to a legal dictionary, expanded revision sheets, and bibliographical references. The quiz function involves engaging students in an assessment of the knowledge they have acquired. In this respect, they are free to repeat the exercise as many times as they deem necessary.
I do not dictate their discussions, but frequently check the students’ interactions on wiki, and deliver my observations and comments regularly.
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As students have already familiarized themselves with the reading materials before class, I dedicate the time spent in class to make sure that everyone has acquired the necessary knowledge and, if necessary, to make some clarifications and address their questions. Knowledge verification can take many forms, including the analysis of the results of the weekly quiz, which makes it possible to insist on the difficulties encountered; and/or writing solutions to case studies.
In class, I expect my students to be proactive. My students are learning in a group. In addition to encouraging collaborative work and the socializing virtues of this method, there is no better way of knowing students, identifying their strengths and weaknesses, but also their level of inclusion/exclusion.This favors a teaching based on the personality of the students with the view of building self-confidence.
My students recognize my didactic commitment and my efforts to make learning fun and enjoyable.
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I taught information technology law at PolyU. The course was part of a comparative law perspective on Hong Kong, Chinese, European, and American laws. As for the substance, it dealt in particular with personal data and the legal consequences of online content, including the implications in terms of cybercrime, on freedom of expression (such as defamation, and hate speech), or in intellectual property law (copyright, trademark law, and domain name law).
Previously, from 2006 to 2011, I had delivered the course on domain name and Internet governance to postgraduates students specializing in IP/IT law at the University of Montpellier 1 (France).
Of course, technology law is not just about IT law. We are witnessing a pivotal period in the evolution of humanity, occasioned by inexorable acceleration of technological innovations. Stimulated by a Prometheus-scale sharing of knowledge, the fourth industrial revolution is under way, which is built on the foundations of digital, robotics, quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and/or biotechnology knowledge. Our cultural, economic and social foundations are challenged. In this context, complex ethical and legal questions arise. The future generation of lawyers must question and, if not to predict, at least consider the impact that emerging technologies could have. Some ideas include the following:
Such teaching is intended to stimulate in technology-loving students the ethical and legal reflexes that are required as soon as a disruptive invention comes out. Teaching technology law is at the crossroads of many other legal disciplines, namely:
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IP is inextricably linked to several legal disciplines. Therefore, a proper understanding of the scope and the stakes of IP is not conceivable without a certain apprehension of its philosophical, economical and social foundations:
Philosophy of IP
Economics of IP
Sociology and IP
Once acquired these foundational knowledge, students will be able to study IP from a pragmatic perspective, and to resolve issues in relation with the following:
IP legal framework
International level
Regional level
Domestic level
IP protection strategies
Secret
Filing applications
Exclusion strategy and antitrust
Knowledge development contracts
Research & development
Pool of knowledge
Conditions for obtaining IP rights
Substantive conditions
Formal conditions
IP valorization
Assignment
Licensing
Franchise
Joint venture
Contract for creators
Employees
Freelance
Dispute resolution
Judicial systems
ADR
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In 2013, I was a visiting scholar in the European Union Academic Program of Hong Kong (“EUAP”). My mission was, among other things, to organize an awareness campaign on intellectual property and counterfeiting, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Baptist University, and the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong.
This awareness campaign on respect for intellectual property and the fight against counterfeiting took the form of a competition organized at universities in Hong Kong. The candidates were invited to produce visual works (short films, posters and mascots) on the theme of the protection of intellectual property rights. This competition was very successful among the students who, as part of this operation, had the opportunity to become more familiar with the value of intellectual property.
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In the trend of globalization, arbitration has developed significantly in recent years as the preferred method of dispute resolution for international commercial disputes. This course aims to introduce the students to the use of arbitration to resolve international commercial disputes.
Students will gain a thorough understanding of the theory and practice of international commercial arbitration, through theoretical analysis, case study and role-playing exercises. The course will cover the fundamental principles of international commercial arbitration, ad hoc and institutional arbitration, as well as core issues relating to the arbitral proceeding, including the arbitration agreement, the constitution of the arbitral tribunal, arbitrability of disputes, the arbitral process and evidence, and the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. Students will also develop practical skills from drafting effective arbitration clauses before the disputes arise, to effectively using arbitration to resolve existing disputes (i.e. drafting a request and answer for arbitration, appointing arbitrators, preparing for a hearing, and enforcing the arbitral award in national courts).
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© Emmanuel Gillet