Learning the law

About Learning the law

Learning the law is a free online suite of teaching tools for secondary specialist school teachers. It is suitable for students with a mild intellectual disability in years 8 to 12. It is legally accurate, engaging and easy to use. Teachers in mainstream schools who want simplified materials on these topics may also find Learning the law useful.

We conducted a research project that found this kit improved young people's understanding of the law. For more information, see our Evaluation below.

Learning the law covers four topics:

• Sexting looks at the laws to do with sexting, getting help and how to prevent problems.
• Consent looks at the laws to do with consent and sexual assault, where to get help and prevention.
• Fines looks at public transport and myki, Authorised Officers and what a young person can do if they get a public transport fine.
• Driving looks at laws for drivers on learner permits, police powers, and what can happen at court.

Each topic includes:

• a short film
• a teachers’ resource with legal information, lesson plans, discussion questions and a list of additional resources
• activities in an online module that teachers can lead students through to unpack the legal issues raised in the film. The online module also contains links to download the teachers’ resources and view the films.

Sexting

Read the teachers' resource

This resource includes legal information, lesson plans, discussion questions and additional resources about sexting.

Watch the film

Watch the film on YouTube and read the transcript

Use the activities in the online module

The activities in the online module unpack the legal issues raised in the sexting film. Access the Sexting online module.

Consent

Read the teachers' resource

This resource includes legal information, lesson plans, discussion questions and additional resources about consent.

Watch the film

Watch the film on YouTube and read the transcript

Use the activities in the online module

The activities in the online module unpack the legal issues raised in the consent film. Access the Consent online module.

Changes to the law

Laws about sex and consent and about image-based offences have changed in Victoria. A new, affirmative consent model emphasises that:

• everyone has a responsibility to get consent before engaging in sexual activity
• everyone engaging in sexual activity must actively take steps to check that anyone else involved consents.

There are new ‘stealthing’ offences including:

• removal of or tampering with a condom during sexual activity without the other person’s consent
• intentionally not using a condom if the other person has given consent on the basis that a condom will be used.

There are also changes to Victorian laws about image-based abuse. In Victoria, you cannot take, send or share an intimate or sexual image or video of someone without their consent. You also cannot threaten to send or share an intimate image of someone. This includes images or videos that are digitally altered.

These editions of our Learning the law teachers' resource notes on consent and sexting contain information about these legal changes, plus resources and activities for educators to use to inform young people about laws on consent, age of consent, sexting and cyberbullying.

Fines

Read the teachers' resource

This resource includes legal information, lesson plans, discussion questions and additional resources about fines.

Watch the film

Watch this film on YouTube and read the transcript

Use the activities in the online module

The activities in the online module unpack the legal issues raised in both the Fines and Driving films. Access the Fines online module(opens in a new window).

Driving

Read the teachers' resource

This resource includes legal information, lesson plans, discussion questions and additional resources about driving and the law.

Watch the film

Watch this film on You Tube and read the transcript.

Use the activities in the online module

The activities in the online module unpack the legal issues raised in both the fines and driving films. Access the Driving online module(opens in a new window).

Changes to the law

• There are new rules for young drivers about using mobile phones. For more information, visit Device rules for new and young drivers and motorcyclists on Transport Victoria's website.
• Laws about hoon driving have changed. For more information, visit hoon driving on our website.
• You can now apply for learner and probationary licences online. For more information, visit Licences on VicRoads' website.

Professional development for teachers

We offer free professional development for specialist school teachers on Learning the law. We can introduce teachers to the various tools in the kit and answer legal questions. For more information, please contact our Community Legal Education team. See Contact us, below.

How we developed this kit

We developed this kit in partnership with the Victorian Department of Education and Training. We also worked with an advisory group of principals and teachers. We acknowledge the contribution of teachers and students at Berendale, Ashwood, Heatherwood, Marnebek, Naranga and Warringa Park schools.

Evaluation

In 2018, we conducted a research project with RMIT University that found this kit improved young people's understanding of the law.

Contact us

For more information about Learning the law or to request a professional development session, please contact:

Community Legal Education
Email: cle@vla.vic.gov.au
Phone: (03) 9269 0234 and ask for Community Legal Education

For updates on our resources and activities, subsribe to our Community Legal Education Update.