Case Studies
Faculty used real world cases or examples to ground student learning.
About
Using case studies allows faculty to bring real world examples into the class to help students see the relevance and application of various theories. These examples can help show the complexity and ambiguity of real world problem solving, which students enjoy wrestling with, and which improves their own analytic abilities. Faculty struggle with finding the right case studies, as they can be either overly simplistic or overly complex, or more or less suited to students interests and abilities. Though they often lament the varied levels of student preparation, case studies seem to be an engaging and enjoyable way to motivate this preparation. If measures are taken to select cases of the right-size, they are a short and useful way to integrate active learning into a class and help concretize key points.
The original study's data and analysis for "Case Studies" can be found on this link.
What Faculty Have To Say
Strengths (9)
- Connects theories and models of discipline to actual real world examples
- Shows real world complexity and ambiguity
- Requires and teaches open-ended problem solving
- Makes finding and debating solutions enjoyable
- Builds their confidence through practicing application
- Encourages active learning
- Concretizes key topics or points
- Helps students in their own analyses and designs
- Helps transition students from getting details right, to communicating those details
Weaknesses (8)
- Good analysis eats up multiple classes
- Requires significant preparation/reading
- Varied relevance to student interests
- Case may bring all the focus onto itself, and not the underlying theories
- Written responses are needed to internalize the lessons learned
- Shared cases can make cheating/plagiarism easier
- They are hard to grade
- Requires significant effort, but may teach only a limited concept
Pedagogy Usage
Bucknell faculty was asked their best estimate for how often in the semester they used Case Studies and the average class time it took.
Average Duration: 20 min (mode=10)
Remote Suggestions
Case studies are a time-honored way to bring real-life examples into the classroom. In a remote classroom, they can still be used, though the structure for investigating them might have to be more rigid. For example, students can still read the sudies, but they should also be required to write their responses and questions in some deliverable format in advance of the class, A good extesion of his would then be to assign roles from the case study to a small group of students, and use a fishbowl or a role playing scenario to have those studens interact around a specific aspect of the case.
Resources for Additional Learning
Articles & Books
- Case Studies and the Flipped Classroom, Clyde Freeman Herreid and Nancy A. Schiller Journal of College Science Teaching
- Classroom assessment techniques: A handbook for faculty. Cross & Angelo (1988).
- Case study research in education: A qualitative approach. Sharan B. Merriam.
Websites
- Boston University Center for Teaching and Learning
- University at Buffalo National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science