Pedagogical Approaches With Canvas

Case Studies

How to Use Case Studies
Impact on Learning
Assessment Strategies
Case Studies With Canvas
Relevant Technologies
Things to Consider
Bibliography

The case study is an active learning approach where students recall prior knowledge and experience (including recently learned information from a course) and apply it to assess new information or situations. Students may make recommendations on future outcomes based on their previous experience. Typically, case studies revolve around a situation where people are involved in a complex scenario and are faced with making a decision on how to deal with the issue or challenge at hand.

The case study encourages practical thinking and assists learners in identifying key ideologies or rules. After examining the facts of the case, students apply those rules to new situations. Used in problem-­based learning, case studies place the student in the role of a problem solver who must analyze the issue as well as potential outcomes based on recommended actions.

How to Use Case Studies

The following are some of the ways this teaching approach is used to engage students:

  • independent activities
  • small group activities, which can take the form of several different approaches as listed by Nilson (2010, p. 185):
    • All groups can work on the same case with the proviso that each group reach a consensus on its answers (otherwise majority rules). This format works well only with cases that can generate widely different interpretations.
    • All groups can work on the same case, but with each group addressing different questions.
    • After a general class discussion identifying the problems in the case, half the groups address solutions and the other half preventions.
    • Each group works on a different case and presents a descriptive summary and debriefing to the rest of the class.
  • develop new cases by class groups as collaborative projects
  • review of cases and their solutions that includes analysis of why the solution worked or not

Impact on Learning

Using case studies in instruction can impact learning through:

  • actively engaging students in doing specific tasks and in thinking about those tasks
  • allowing students to analyze and solve relevant real­-world practical problems
  • challenging students’ higher order thinking skills through practice and application using problem solving and interpretation that builds on knowledge recall
  • promoting transfer of knowledge from abstract, classroom contexts to real-world contexts
  • promoting the development of “meta-skills” or skills that enable students to learn things more quickly, including discernment, bias recognition, and curiosity (Nohria, 2021)
  • increasing students’ engagement and feelings of inclusion by organizing their work around the same narrative (Ni Chochlain, 2021)

Assessment Strategies

The Center for Teaching and Learning at Columbia University provides the following insight on the assessment of learning outcomes when using case studies.

Determine how you will know if the learning objectives were met and develop a plan for evaluating the effectiveness of the case method to inform future case teaching.

  • What assessments and criteria will you use to evaluate student work or participation in case discussion?
  • How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the case method? What feedback will you collect from students?
  • How might you leverage technology for assessment purposes? For example, could you quiz students about the case online before class, accept assignment submissions online, use audience response systems (e.g., Poll Everywhere) for formative assessment during class?

Learn more on the Case Method Teaching and Learning website.

Case Studies With Canvas

In Canvas, discussions can be used for in­-depth exploration of case studies. Students can discuss their thoughts, insights, comments, and concerns with the whole class or they can be split into small groups to work through the particulars of each case in a more manageable forum.

Information on how to use discussions in Canvas. You can learn more about how to create a group discussion for your course from Instructure.

Relevant Technologies

Web pages: Web authoring tools such as Sites at Penn State can be used to present case studies and discuss via comments.

Web search: Have students conduct web research to locate data, information, and expert advice related to a similar case as the one assigned.

Microsoft 365: Includes a number of tools, like Word, PowerPoint, and Teams, that are useful for students to collaborate on reports and presentations related to a case study.

Things to Consider

For successful implementation of case study activities, you should consider the following strategies:

  • Select problem situations that are appropriate for both the concepts being taught and for your learners.
  • Use cases that are relevant to students’ interests and experience levels.
  • Case studies should include factual information as well as opinions and views of the people involved.
  • Students should have problem solutions but not until after they have come to their own conclusions. This will enable them to compare their results with the actual decision used to resolve the problem.

Bibliography

Center for Teaching and Learning. (n.d.). Case method teaching and learning. Columbia University. https://ctl.columbia.edu/resources-and-technology/resources/case-method/

Lane, J. L. (2007, July 10). Case writing guide. Penn State Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence. https://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/pdf/casewritingguide.pdf

National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. (n.d.). NCCSTS case studies. NSTA. https://www.nsta.org/case-studies

Ni Chochlain, L. (2021, November 17). Case study pedagogy as a method for improving learning outcomes and fostering inclusivity. University of Maryland, Department of Entomology. https://entomology.umd.edu/news/seminar-blog-case-study-pedagogy-as-a-method-for-improving-learning-outcomes-and-fostering-inclusivity

Nilson, L. B. (2010). The case method. In Teaching at its best: A research-based resource for college instructors (3rd ed., pp. 181–186). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. https://wp.stolaf.edu/cila/files/2020/09/Teaching-at-Its-Best.pdf

Nohria, N. (2021, December 21). What the case study method really teaches. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/12/what-the-case-study-method-really-teaches

Orey, M. (2010). Case-based learning. In M. Blackmon, Y. Hong, & I. Choi (Eds.), Emerging Perspectives on Learning, Teaching, and Technology (pp. 174–182). CreateSpace. https://textbookequity.org/Textbooks/Orey_Emergin_Perspectives_Learning.pdf

Schiano, B., & Andersen, E. (2017, May 25). Teaching with cases online. Harvard Business Publishing. https://s3.amazonaws.com/he-product-images/docs/Article_Teaching_With_Cases_Online.pdf

Trujillo-Jenks, L. (2014, February 21). Guiding students to think critically using case studies. Faculty Focus, Higher Ed Teaching & Learning. https://www.facultyfocus.com/articles/effective-teaching-strategies/guiding-students-think-critically-using-case-studies/

Skip to toolbar