VCE Legal Studies: A focus on committees
18 August 2021
On Wednesday 28 July, the Parliament of Victoria hosted a professional learning webinar for 70 VCE Legal Studies teachers, students and preservice teachers. This was an opportunity for teachers and students to step outside the textbook and expand their knowledge of parliamentary committees in the law-making process.
With the support of Parliamentary Committee Managers Yuki Simmonds and Patrick O’Brien, the online discussion explored the role of committees in the law-making process and provided insights on how individuals, organisations, courts and the media can influence and affect this process.
Attendees were interested to learn about current and recent examples from committees, discussing the reasons for law reform, the process of forming recommendations, and how committees enable Parliament’s ability to respond to law reform.
Teachers were then able to engage in an interactive discussion facilitated by an expert VCE Legal Studies teacher Adam Brodie-McKenzie, where they reflected on key discussion points from the panel and explored how they related to Unit 4 Legal Studies curriculum.
Upskilling teachers and students in the form of professional learning and educational resources, is an area of focus for Carolyn Scott and Narelle Wood our Community Projects Coordinators. Over the next 12 months, they will be working to develop of a range of educational resources and professional learning opportunities in civics and citizenship education, for both primary and secondary school students and teachers.
The following notes provide a useful overview of parliamentary committees in Victoria, including an explanation of the kinds of committees in operation, a printable infographic that describes the committee process, and a listing of current inquiries (as at July 2021).
Download notes from this session