Western Sydney University law academics explore new approaches to legal education using generative AI

Academics at Western Sydney University’s School of Law are exploring how generative AI can be used to design research-led educational games that support learning.

Led by Dr Armin Alimardani, the project group have produced tools that are low-cost, fully customisable, and built from the ground up with a focus on student wellbeing and privacy.

The initiative represents a shift in how educators can design, own, and customise learning technology on their own terms.

“Legal educators are often required to work within the constraints of commercial platforms that don’t fully align with how or what we teach,” said Dr Alimardani.

“This project is exploring what becomes possible when academics are able to design learning tools themselves, guided by research and classroom experience rather than fixed software designs.”

The work responds to longstanding challenges associated with gamified learning technologies, including high subscription costs and limited customisation.

“Many platforms offer polished interfaces, but they don’t always reflect the pedagogical or ethical priorities of a law classroom,” said Dr Alimardani.

“Our aim is not to replace existing tools, but to investigate whether generative AI allows educators to build alternatives that better serve students and teaching objectives.”

As part of the project, three prototype educational games are being examined in teaching contexts.

• Hallucination Lab is a platform where teachers design gamified activities that challenge students to identify AI-generated hallucinations, sharpening the critical thinking skills essential for working alongside artificial intelligence.
• The Arena invites students into learning through debate. For example, learners apply a philosopher’s perspective to a legal case scenario, then receive personalised feedback delivered in the philosopher’s own distinctive voice and style.
• HomeRun brings competitive energy to the classroom through a multiplayer game in which students race to move a character toward the correct answer, competing head-to-head with classmates in real time.

According to Dr Alimardani, the flexibility to modify these tools is central to the project’s value.

“Given these games are developed internally, they can be refined in response to student feedback and evolving curriculum needs.”

“This research is about understanding how generative AI can function as a technical collaborator. It allows academics to take a more active role in shaping educational technologies.”

The project contributes to ongoing discussions about the responsible and effective use of AI in universities, highlighting the potential for research led, educator driven approaches to teaching innovation.

Dr Alimardani leads this project alongside colleagues Dr Jacinta Sassine, Dr Sophia Bai, Dr Bradley Gooding, Dr Shreeya Smith, Dr Kaitlyn Poole, and Professor Juliette Overland.

ENDS.

21 April 2026
Lauren Coskerie, Senior Media and PR Advisor