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Overview

Course Overview

Focus & Scope:This course provides a deep dive into the intersection of law and disruptive technologies, emphasising the legal, ethical, and societal challenges posed by innovations like artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, quantum computing, and beyond. The aim is to equip students with a foundational understanding of these technologies, not just their applications, but the principles behind how they are built, and how computational thinking shapes their design and function. By understanding computational thinking, students can also reflect on the similarities and differences with legal thinking and improve their understanding of their own analytical thinking. By doing so, students will be better prepared to critically analyse how these innovations intersect with existing legal frameworks and propose appropriate legal, ethical, and regulatory responses.
Key focus areas include:

  • Computational Thinking & Core Technological Concepts – Students begin by learning the fundamentals of computational logic, data structures, algorithms, and the architecture behind disruptive technologies. This knowledge is crucial for grasping how technologies operate at a deeper level.
  • Case Studies & Legal Frameworks – The course utilises comparative legal methods and explores national and international legal cases and frameworks, demonstrating how legal systems attempt to regulate or respond to disruptive innovations, often in a reactive rather than proactive manner. Students will critically assess the effectiveness of current approaches and explore gaps in governance.
  • Technological Impact on Society – By examining how technologies reshape industries, economies, and societal norms, students will explore questions of justice, equality, privacy, and innovation, considering the legal responsibilities to protect individual rights while promoting responsible technological advancement. What is important, in the course, we will also consider those companies that are leading the development of these technologies, their control and potential power vis-a-vis us (the users).
  • Regulatory & Ethical Challenges – The course concludes by discussing whether and how these technologies should be regulated. Students will debate emerging legal frameworks and propose solutions that balance innovation, societal good, and individual freedoms.
Design of the Course:The course's design is interdisciplinary and highly interactive. Throughout the course, students will be expected to participate in discussions, prepare presentations, submit written assessments, and work collaboratively on projects. The course will be a blend of theoretical discussions, practical technology sessions, case study analyses, and interactive problem-solving workshops. Students will also interact with guest lecturers from both the tech and legal industries.
This structure ensures that students not only grasp the technological underpinnings but also acquire the skills needed to bridge the gap between law and technology, ultimately preparing them to shape legal responses to a rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Workload Expectations

This is a 30-point post-graduate course. Attendance is expected over the Summer School intensive delivery and the class proceeds with student presentations and discussions in a seminar style. Because the course is designed to be participatory, it depends upon students being personally present and contributing.  The guideline for the total workload for this course is 300 hours.

Advice on Course Limits

This is a limited entry course: there is a limit on the number of enrolments due to staff or space capacity. In cases where the courses is taught under two separate codes (e.g. concurrently taught courses, general education courses) the course limit specified is the total across both versions of the course. For more information, please see the Programme and Course Limitations section of the University Academic and General Statutes and Regulations.

Locations and Semesters Offered

LocationSemester
City

Teaching and Learning

Campus Experience

Attendance is expected at scheduled activities including tutorials to complete components of the course.


Learning Resources

Taught courses use a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas to provide students with learning materials including reading lists and lecture recordings (where available). Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Additional Information on Learning Resources

The reading list for this course offers a diverse range of resources, designed to expose students to both academic and real-world perspectives on the intersection of law and technology. Students will engage with a mix of scholarly articles, book chapters, blogs, news articles, podcasts, and videos to enhance their understanding of how law responds to technological innovation.

  • Academic Articles: these will include foundational texts on AI, blockchain, and quantum computing's impact on legal systems, offering students a theoretical background for understanding legal complexities.
  • Book Chapters: from books on law and technology, innovation policy, and legal governance will give students comprehensive insights into both historical and contemporary issues in regulating disruptive technologies.
  • Blogs & News Articles: on current events and developments in tech law. These will include accessible commentaries and up-to-date reports on technological advancements.
  • Podcasts: insights and Interviews with experts in law, technology, and regulation. These audio resources will offer students a chance to hear directly from practitioners discussing practical challenges.
  • Videos: offering visual explanations of core technologies and their legal implications.

Copyright

The content and delivery of content in this course are protected by copyright. Material belonging to others may have been used in this course and copied by and solely for the educational purposes of the University under license. You may copy the course content for the purposes of private study or research, but you may not upload onto any third-party site, make a further copy or sell, alter or further reproduce or distribute any part of the course content to another person.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption, we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and course assessment continues to meet the principles of the University’s assessment policy. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator/director, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the university website for information about how to proceed.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed for potential plagiarism or other forms of academic misconduct, using computerised detection mechanisms.

Similarly, research students must meet the University’s expectations of good research practice. This requires:

  • Honesty - in all aspects of research work
  • Accountability - in the conduct of research
  • Professional courtesy and fairness – in working with others
  • Good stewardship – on behalf of others
  • Transparency – of research process and presentation of results
  • Clarity - communication to be understandable, explainable and accessible

For more information on the University’s expectations of academic integrity, please see the Academic Conduct section of the University policy hub.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about taught courses is made available to enrolled students in Canvas.

Students may be asked to submit assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. In exceptional circumstances changes to elements of this course may be necessary at short notice. Students enrolled in this course will be informed of any such changes and the reasons for them, as soon as possible, through Canvas.


Assessment and Learning Outcomes

Course Learning Outcomes

CLO #OutcomeProgramme Capability Link
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9

Assessments

Assessment TypeAssessment PercentageAssessment Classification

Assessment to CLO Mapping

Assessment Type123456789

Student Feedback, Support and Charter

Student Feedback

Feedback on taught courses is gathered from students at the end of each semester through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions. Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students. In addition, class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Class representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Tuākana

Tuākana is a multi-faceted programme for Māori and Pacific students providing topic specific tutorials, one-on-one sessions, test and exam preparation and more. Explore your options at Tuakana Learning Communities.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor. Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website.

Wellbeing

We all go through tough times during the semester, or see our friends struggling. There is lots of help out there - please see the Support Services page for information on support services in the University and the wider community.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed work is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due. If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page. This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter.

Student Academic Complaints and Disputes

Students with concerns about teaching including how a course is delivered, the resources provided, or supervision arrangements, have the right to express their concerns and seek resolution. The university encourages informal resolution where possible, as this is quicker and less stressful. For information on the informal and formal complaints processes, please refer to the Student Academic Complaints Statute in the Student Policies and Guidelines section of the Policy Hub.