TEACHING WITH CASES- Experiences at the University of Kentucky

Although the case method has been most closely associated with professional schools, it can be used in any discipline when the objective is to develop analytical thinking about complex issues. The following suggestions for effective case teaching are based on our experiences integrating cases into UK courses for both new and experienced teachers and our observations of case teaching in several professional schools at various universities.

There is no formula for when to use cases in a course except the need for a purposeful and carefully crafted fit with the key topics and issues. The case must be a vehicle for introducing new topics in the course, or for extending the learning that is already occurring. This is essential to avoid contrived connections and the use of cases as mere adjuncts to existing curriculum. The importance of the well-conceived, planned fit between the case and the course cannot be overemphasized: whether in hardcopy or CD-ROM format, there is limited value in a stand alone case.

The use of a skillfully designed teaching note or guide accompanying the case enables the case facilitator to stay focused on significant issues within a basic framework for discussion. The basic framework we use typically consists of the following:

  1. What factors help explain the main character's chosen course of action?
  2. What are alternative courses of action?
  3. What are the possible consequences of each course of action?
When using cases that depict the dilemmas and achievements of accomplished teachers in the context of educational reform, we involve students in a considerable amount of inquiry about the pedagogy depicted in the case: In what ways does this teaching relate to philosophies of reform, to Kentucky's teacher performance standards, to national standards? What issues emerge about transforming practice? Has practice changed? Such specific discussion questions within the basic framework are what makes a case work well and can be adjusted according to the facilitator's desired emphasis.

Students need to know what is expected of them in case discussions and the reward system must be commensurate with the expectations. Students should come to class fully prepared to discuss the assigned case which often includes a prior written assignment. Each student will be called upon during a case discussion and is expected to support a position with case facts and/or other material from the course. (With classes under thirty, each student is called upon; for larger classes all students should be aware that they may be called upon.) We strongly emphasize using various readings to examine issues in the case, underscoring that a case is part of the overall progression of the class; often cases will be revisited at later points during the course. Class participation is 35% of the grade but certainly not limited to case discussions. The case method is one component of an instructional mix that includes lecture/discussions, cooperative learning, group presentations, and in-class performance events.

In offering these suggestions we are well aware there is no one right way to teach a case: each time we teach a case, the approach is refined3. As we expand our use of the case method, to multimedia cases, the possibilities for creative teaching applications are limited only by the boundaries of one's imagination.

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