Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future

This study introduces a context-sensitive pedagogical model that integrates legal culture with digital competencies, developed and piloted in higher education institutions across Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The research responds to the urgent need to modernize legal education by embedding digital fl...

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Main Authors: Guzal Ergasheva, Rustam Khursanov, Dildora Bazarova, Razzoq Altiyev, Albina Tadjibaeva, Gulnoza Yusupdzhanova, Zaynabjon Madatova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Qubahan 2025-06-01
Series:Qubahan Academic Journal
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Online Access:https://journal.qubahan.com/index.php/qaj/article/view/1709
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author Guzal Ergasheva
Rustam Khursanov
Dildora Bazarova
Razzoq Altiyev
Albina Tadjibaeva
Gulnoza Yusupdzhanova
Zaynabjon Madatova
author_facet Guzal Ergasheva
Rustam Khursanov
Dildora Bazarova
Razzoq Altiyev
Albina Tadjibaeva
Gulnoza Yusupdzhanova
Zaynabjon Madatova
author_sort Guzal Ergasheva
collection DOAJ
description This study introduces a context-sensitive pedagogical model that integrates legal culture with digital competencies, developed and piloted in higher education institutions across Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The research responds to the urgent need to modernize legal education by embedding digital fluency such as AI-assisted legal research, legal informatics, and data ethics within the traditional framework of legal training. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining pre- and post-intervention surveys, six focus group interviews, and non-participant classroom observations across twelve teaching sessions in three institutions. Additionally, ten detailed case studies and a review of over 50 academic sources were analyzed to strengthen theoretical grounding. Quantitative data from 191 students revealed a 35% increase in digital competency scores and a statistically significant 1.0 SD improvement in legal writing proficiency (p < 0.05) after the intervention. Reflective portfolios, in conjunction with NVivo-aided thematic analysis of qualitative data, highlighted substantial increases in student engagement, critical thinking skills, and identity formation as professionals. The proposed model was scalable both in high-resource and low-resource scenarios. Moreover, the study revealed persistent institutional barriers, notably the reluctance of faculty towards educational technologies and infrastructure deficiencies. To address these challenges the study suggests evidence-based interventions such as the use of modular toolkits; a pivot to blended learning; and targeted faculty training and development initiatives. The conducted research is a considerable advancement in the sphere of legal education because it offers the validated and flexible model allowing considering the traditional practice of education, along with the novel approaches to the legal sphere and taking into consideration the interdisciplinary competencies which the students of law faculty require to impress the digital reality in the legal profession.
format Article
id doaj-art-c482d17039264db786ae15fcf5843630
institution Kabale University
issn 2709-8206
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Qubahan
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series Qubahan Academic Journal
spelling doaj-art-c482d17039264db786ae15fcf58436302025-08-20T03:29:58ZengQubahanQubahan Academic Journal2709-82062025-06-015210.48161/qaj.v5n2a1709Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the FutureGuzal Ergasheva0Rustam Khursanov 1Dildora Bazarova 2Razzoq Altiyev 3Albina Tadjibaeva 4Gulnoza Yusupdzhanova 5Zaynabjon Madatova6Department of Psychology and Pedagogy, ISFT Institute, Tashkent City, 100140, Uzbekistan;Department of Department of Business Law, Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent City, 100000, Uzbekistan;Department of Criminal Procedure Law, Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent City, 100000, Uzbekistan;Department of Criminal Law, Criminology and Anti-Corruption, Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent City, 100000, Uzbekistan;Department of Criminal Procedure Law, Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent City, 100000, Uzbekistan;Department of Criminal Procedure Law, Tashkent State University of Law, Tashkent City, 100000, Uzbekistan;Department of Pedagogics, Tashkent state Alfraganus university, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Uzbekistan. This study introduces a context-sensitive pedagogical model that integrates legal culture with digital competencies, developed and piloted in higher education institutions across Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. The research responds to the urgent need to modernize legal education by embedding digital fluency such as AI-assisted legal research, legal informatics, and data ethics within the traditional framework of legal training. A mixed-methods design was employed, combining pre- and post-intervention surveys, six focus group interviews, and non-participant classroom observations across twelve teaching sessions in three institutions. Additionally, ten detailed case studies and a review of over 50 academic sources were analyzed to strengthen theoretical grounding. Quantitative data from 191 students revealed a 35% increase in digital competency scores and a statistically significant 1.0 SD improvement in legal writing proficiency (p < 0.05) after the intervention. Reflective portfolios, in conjunction with NVivo-aided thematic analysis of qualitative data, highlighted substantial increases in student engagement, critical thinking skills, and identity formation as professionals. The proposed model was scalable both in high-resource and low-resource scenarios. Moreover, the study revealed persistent institutional barriers, notably the reluctance of faculty towards educational technologies and infrastructure deficiencies. To address these challenges the study suggests evidence-based interventions such as the use of modular toolkits; a pivot to blended learning; and targeted faculty training and development initiatives. The conducted research is a considerable advancement in the sphere of legal education because it offers the validated and flexible model allowing considering the traditional practice of education, along with the novel approaches to the legal sphere and taking into consideration the interdisciplinary competencies which the students of law faculty require to impress the digital reality in the legal profession. https://journal.qubahan.com/index.php/qaj/article/view/1709legal education, digital competencies in legal studies; digital legal culture; pedagogical framework for legal education; digital transformation in legal education.
spellingShingle Guzal Ergasheva
Rustam Khursanov
Dildora Bazarova
Razzoq Altiyev
Albina Tadjibaeva
Gulnoza Yusupdzhanova
Zaynabjon Madatova
Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future
Qubahan Academic Journal
legal education, digital competencies in legal studies; digital legal culture; pedagogical framework for legal education; digital transformation in legal education.
title Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future
title_full Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future
title_fullStr Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future
title_full_unstemmed Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future
title_short Integrating Digital Competencies into Legal Education: A Pedagogical Framework for the Future
title_sort integrating digital competencies into legal education a pedagogical framework for the future
topic legal education, digital competencies in legal studies; digital legal culture; pedagogical framework for legal education; digital transformation in legal education.
url https://journal.qubahan.com/index.php/qaj/article/view/1709
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