LAW5411 · Mediation A: Foundations of mediation

Overview

This unit provides you with an opportunity to learn via practice, the essential negotiation, mediation and communication skills required to become a mediator and which are valuable for legal practitioners when assisting clients in mediations. You will learn practical skills by participating in a range of conflict scenarios and receive individual feedback on your style and overall performance by the lecturer who is a qualified practitioner. Working with the mediation model, you will learn alternative approaches to deal with varying circumstances and will also investigate theoretical issues and relevant empirical studies in mediation ethics, inter-cultural context, contingent 3rd party interventions, power and empowerment, as well as other topics. This interactive workshop has been developed to assist students to meet part of the Australian Mediation and Dispute Resolution Accreditation System requirements.

Offerings

The Handbook publishes no offerings for this unit.

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Apply knowledge of, and understanding of, the facilitative mediation model and the purpose of each stage in the process, with creativity and initiative, to new situations in professional practice.
2. Demonstrate an ability to explain the different approaches to negotiation and when each might be appropriate.
3. Investigate, analyse and reflect meaningfully on complex information and problems in relation to the facilitative mediation model.
4. Demonstrate a range of skills and techniques in communication, negotiation and mediation.
5. Conduct research in current issues in conflict resolution based on knowledge of appropriate research principles and methods.
6. Use cognitive, technical and creative skills to generate and evaluate, at an abstract level, complex ideas and concepts relevant to the facilitative mediation model.

Workload

24 contact hours per teaching period (either intensive, semi-intensive or semester long, depending on the Faculty resources, timetabling and requirements). You will be expected to do reading set for class, and to undertake additional research and reading applicable to a 6 credit point unit.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.