The University of Ottawa's Faculty of Law and its audiovisual platform Jurivision are launching a multimedia learning experience in both French and English that will offer an unprecedented immersion in the Court's activities and the daily lives of its justices. The project will explore the evolution of the institution from its modest origins and its influence on the lives of Canadians.
For more than a year, a team of professors, lawyers, documentary filmmakers, students and an expert in educational technology have been working at the intersection of research, education and media production to build an educational ecosystem that will be freely accessible online.
“This knowledge mobilization project bridges the legal, creative and academic worlds to produce innovative digital tools that will enable all Canadians to discover Canada's highest court in an accessible and engaging way,” says Étienne Trépanier, Director of Jurivision, which is leading the project.
“Our Faculty is proud to support the democratization of knowledge about the Supreme Court of Canada, an institution vital to our democracy and the rule of law in Canada,” says Marie-Eve Sylvestre, Dean of the Faculty of Law's Civil Law Section.
The first component of this ecosystem is massive open online course consisting of documentary capsules on the workings, history and impact of the Court on Canadian society. This course is intended not only for law students, but for anyone interested in Canadian politics, the history of Canada and its institutions, and the evolution of Canadian society.
Chief Justice Richard Wagner, former Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin, Justices Mary Moreau and Mahmud Jamal will provide behind-the-scenes insights into the workings of the Court and the daily lives of justices. Learners will discover more about the relationship between politics and the Court with former federal Justice Minister David Lametti. Experienced litigators will recount the experience of taking a case to the pinnacle of the judicial system and arguing it before nine judges. University researchers will dissect the history of the institution and the challenges it faces.
Aimed more specifically at young people, an interactive virtual experience akin to a video game is being developed in collaboration with developer Affordance Studio. A realistic virtual reconstruction of the iconic Supreme Court building has been created for the occasion.
“It's going to be an immersive adventure at the Supreme Court, in which we explore all sorts of places within the building, while learning about the judicial system and the history of the Court,” explains Jamie Dorval Caya, production manager at Affordance. “We'll be able to bring the experience of the building to those who don't have the chance to come on site.”
The virtual experience will be available on computer, via the Steam platform, and on mobile.
The entire project is made possible through the collaboration and funding of law foundations across the country and Canadian Heritage. To learn more, visit the project page on the Jurivision website.
