USE OF CASE STUDIES FOR TEACHING GEOGRAPHY

N.AWALDIEN & H.SMITH: CURICULLUM ADVISORS

WESTERN CAPE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

IN-DEPTH EXAMINATION OF USING CASE STUDIES

◦What are case studies? Goals of using case studies. What makes a good case study? Underlying procedures for using case studies. How to choose and use case studies Preparing to use case studies Keeping discussion alive

WHAT IS A CASE STUDY?

The term ‘case study’ covers a wide range of

problems posed for analysis, but most types

include several key elements:

THE FOUR BIG IDEAS ? (HOW DOES IT FIT IN ?)

based on real events, or are a construction of events which could reasonably take place.

WHAT IS A CASE STUDY?

Case studies tell a story involving issues or conflicts that need to be resolved—though most case studies do not have/provide one obvious or clear solution.

The information contained in a case study might be complex (including charts, graphs, and relevant historical background materials) or simple—a human story that illustrates a difficult situation requiring a decision.

Personal perspectives, involving real characters in actual situations.

GOALS OF USING CASE STUDIES

Effective use of case studies requires teachers to determine the specific goals they hope to accomplish.

In general terms, cases can assess the application of concepts to complex real world situations, including building analytic skills that distinguish high priority from low priority elements.

Working in groups on case studies also helps learners develop interpersonal skills and the capacity to working a team— viewing different perspectives or interpretations.

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CASE STUDY

The case has emotional power.The case entails difficult choices.The case is open-ended, allowing multiple

interpretations and solutions.The case has fundamental/underlying value

conflicts. Speaks to important aspects of your goals for your student learning.

Gets at issues that require or benefit collegial discussions.

Is related to the important curricular and pedagogical aims of the syllabus.

  

IN SHORT

It must be relevant!• Match Content• Suitable for learners• Fit the context

UNDERLYING PROCEDURES FOR USING CASE STUDIES (WHAT IS THE BEST WAY) Introduce case studies by working in groups.The size of the group should allow for free exchange among all

participants. (Groups larger than 4 tend to exclude members from participating.)

Combined contributions of members of different discussion groups improve the learning experience.

Group leaders should prevent sub-groups from either controlling the situation or distracting others.

Teachers need to be objective without being emotionally invested in the case. They should be aware of the larger goals of the case.

HOW TO CHOOSE AND USE A CASE

Teachers should ask carefully designed questions. They should not let the discussion get submerged in the details of the case, but rather ensure that discussion focuses on the ways to solve the problem.

Cases also help learners make connections between what they might otherwise consider to be separate disciplines—allows for the integration of disciplines.

HOW TO CHOOSE AND USE A CASE

Identify clear learning objectives.Know your learners...Understand how the concepts of the case, it

must fit into the overall objectives and content for the unit.

Choose the best strategy for using the case materials.

PROCESS-

◦ Determine the facts of the case.◦ Understand the dynamics of the situation.◦ Define the presenting problem.◦ Determine the problem to be solved/emphasis.◦ Generate a possible course of action or generate, assess, and

propose a number of possible solutions.Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses,

opportunities, and threats to each course of action.Make a decision regarding a satisfactory or at least workable

plan of action.

LEARNERS WILL NEED CLEAR INSTRUCTIONSCan they depend entirely on the

information present in the case study to develop solutions / provide answers (or if extra research is necessary). Let them know. Give directions on what might be appropriate sources of information.

Prepare a set of questions ahead of time, and pass these out in order to give learners a general sense of the major issues .

IMPORTANT:

The teacher must know the directions the discussion might take. A goal of teaching with a case study is to monitor learners’ ability to apply knowledge to real experiences, it’s useful to identify the major concepts that learners should be relying on.

It’s also important to ask exploratory and relational questions— since some learners may want to jump quickly to a solution without carefully examining the evidence or their assumptions.

As a teacher, you can organize the discussion by seeing if the class is satisfied that each of the answers/recommendations is discussed understood and if the content is covered before moving on.

` As in all discussion leading, it’s important to listen to learners’ responses, paraphrase when necessary, and give learners sufficient time to reflect on questions or issues that are raised.

REMEMBER:

Students are uncomfortable with ambiguity and interested solely in having the teacher offer appropriate facts and truths.

Some learners may also fear suggesting inadequate solutions, and so wait until someone else figures out ‘the right’ answer.

Even if the discussion is lively, the open-ended nature of a case study can sometimes lead the discussion on tangents that are inappropriate.

ACTIVITY

SUMMARY1. They can be short (a few paragraphs) or long

(e.g. 20+ pages).

2. They can be used in lecture or discussion-based classes.

3. They can be real, with all the detail drawn from actual people and circumstances, or simply realistic.

4. YES, They can provide all the relevant data students need to discuss and resolve the central issue, or only some of it, requiring students to identify, and possibly fill in (via outside research), the missing information.

5. (The educator) teacher goals.

PROCESS: 6• Give students ample time to read and think about the case. If

the case is long, assign it as homework with a set of questions .

• Introduce the case briefly and provide some guidelines for how to approach it. Break down the steps you want students to take in analyzing the case

• Evaluate the decisions each character made and their implications. Explain what should be done differently and why. Specify what you would like students to disregard or focus on.

• Create groups and monitor them to make sure everyone is involved. Give individual students opportunities for participation and interaction. Provide structure. Eg (

• Designate roles within each group: watching the time, recording the group’s thoughts and reporting their decision to the class. 

• Have groups present their solutions/reasoning: they will approach the discussion with greater focus and seriousness.

• Write their conclusions on the board to discuss afterwards.

•  Ask questions for clarification and to move discussion to another level.

• Synthesize issues raised. Be sure to bring the various strands of the discussion back together at the end,

INFORMATION PRESENTED IS ADAPTED FROM: Teaching With Case Studies, Speaking of Teaching, Stanford University Newsletter on

Teaching, Winter 1994, Vol. 5 No. 2

Michael H. Romanowski, Ph.D. Associate Professor College of Education

Christensen, C. R. (1981) Teaching By the Case Method. Boston: Harvard Business School.

Davis, B. G. (1993) Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. http://www.cmu.edu/teaching/designteach/teach/instructionalstrategies/casestudies.html