I am very proud to present the roster of faculty who are using Stone Soup in their courses this year to help students learn about actual cases.  This features 52 faculty members, including about 22 who are starting to use it this year.  They come from 37 schools, including about 14 where it is being used for the first time.  Colleagues are using it in 64 course offerings this year in 16 subjects, including about 6 courses for the first time.  The numbers of new faculty, schools, and courses are approximate because a number of colleagues have been using interview and observations for quite a while and weren’t included in last year’s roster as I didn’t know about them at the time.

Although the Stone Soup Project did not invent the idea of using interviews and observations as course assignments, we have made an important contribution by systematically sharing ideas, materials, assessments of pedagogical experiences by a wide range of colleagues, including some of the most respected members of our community.  By publicizing this information, we have encouraged colleagues to try it this year.

In addition to the increase in quantity of Stone Soup this year, we have expanded the reach in and out of law schools.  Maria Volpe (John Jay) and Pam Struss (George Mason and University of North Carolina Greensboro) are using Stone Soup in their undergraduate courses.  Ken Fox (Hamline) has been using it in his business school courses for a long time.

Although most of the Stone Soup assignments are in traditional law school ADR courses, colleagues are using it in a range of other courses.  I have particularly encouraged folks to use it in 1L courses.  Amy Schmitz (Missouri) is using it in her contracts course and Yael Efron (Zefat) is using it in her civil procedure course.  Yael is going to use the “focus group class” format of systematically asking questions of guest speakers.

Colleagues also are using it in Conflicts and Legal Crisis Management (Leilani Marshall, Utah), Facilitating Inclusive Community (Pam Struss, George Mason), Legal Profession (Carol Needham, Saint Louis), Psychology and Lawyering (Jean Sternlight, UNLV), Theory and Principles of Conflict Resolution (Charlie Irvine, Strathclyde), and Trusts & Estates (Stacey-Rae Simcox, Stetson).

Our community is indebted to all the colleagues who are innovating pedagogically and sharing their experiences in helping students learn about actual practice.