Transformación de metodologías tradicionales para el aprendizaje virtual efectivo en programas académicos de derecho: desarrollo de un simulador jurídico con inteligencia artificial para el fortalecimiento de las habilidades de interpretación y argumentación jurídica en estudiantes del curso lógica jurídica del programa de derecho, modalidad virtual, de la UNAB.

Abstract

This research aimed to design an artificial intelligence-based legal simulator focused on strengthening legal interpretation and argumentation skills among students enrolled in the virtual Law program at Universidad Autónoma de Bucaramanga(UNAB). The proposal emerged from the identification of difficulties in the practical application of legal knowledge within virtual learningenvironments, particularly in activities related to case analysis, legal interpretation, and the construction of legal arguments. In contemporary legal education, it became evident that education cannot be limited solely to the transmission of normative content or the memorization of laws; instead, it requires the development of skills related to legal interpretation, decision-making, and the ability to support positions coherently and argumentatively. However, in virtual learning modalities, challenges persist due to the lack of practical scenarios that allow students to interact with situations similar to professional legal practice, creating a gap between theory and the practical application of legal knowledge. Methodologically, the study was developed under a mixed-methods approach, as it integrates quantitative and qualitative information to understand the difficulties associated with the development of legal interpretation and argumentation skills among students enrolled in the Legal Logic course of the virtual Law program at UNAB. Data collection techniques included student surveys, semi-structured interviews with professors, and analysis of academic activities developed within the Legal Logic course. Preliminary findings reveal difficulties in legal interpretation, limitations in the structuring of legal arguments, and limited transfer of theoretical knowledge into practice. Therefore, in response to this issue, the design of an artificial intelligence-based legal simulator was proposed, in which students assume professional roles such as defense attorney or prosecutor and must face legal situations requiring legal interpretation, factual analysis, and argumentative construction. The system incorporates natural language processing tools capable of analyzing student responses, formulating questions, presenting objections, and generating automated feedback aimed at strengthening interpretation and argumentation skills. The proposal was theoretically grounded in approaches related to legal education, virtual legal education, interpretation skills, argumentation skills, and simulation and simulators in legal education, integrating contributions from authors such as David Kolb, Manuel Atienza, Robert Alexy, Ronald Dworkin, and Paul Maharg, among others. Likewise, the project adopted the Design Thinking innovation model as a methodology for designing solutions centered on students’ needs and the specific dynamics of virtual education.