PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE DEVELOPMENT THROUGH
INNOVATIONS IN STUDYING / TEACHING METHODS: CASE STUDY
METHOD APPLICATION IN ENGLISH LESSON - STUDENTS’ POINT OF
VIEW
Vidmantas Košys, Jokūbas Žadeikis, Aivaras Dankis, Audrius Vainauskas
Scientific supervisor Vilma Bazarienė
West Lithuania Business College
Key words: case study, professional competence development, speaking skills, self-confidence, English
Language improvement, analysis.
Introduction. Learning a language is a complex and long process as anyone who has tried
will agree. One of the most difficult and challenging thing is making the change from the classroom
to the 'real' world. In the classroom, everyone knows you are a participant and mistakes are allowed,
and the environment is safe. Speaking another language outside the classroom, especially in business
environment, is completely different and often we are lost as soon as we step outside the door. Lists
of memorized words are suddenly useless when applying for the job or possibility to study abroad.
This problem is especially relevant nowadays when European universities and labor markets are
open to Lithuanians and many young people want to study or work in Western world. Sometimes the
only one obstacle to reach the aim is lack of English skills, especially oral. So case study method
application in English lectures helps us not only to improve language skills, but also to develop
professional qualifications allowing young generation to be able to compete for good study or work
positions not only abroad, but also here, in Lithuania.
The purpose of the article is to show how innovative for English (especially business)
language studying and teaching case study method helps students not only to improve their language
skills, but also to deepen professional knowledge.
Objectives:
1. Present case study method approach and practical application in English lectures.
2. Show its positive impact on study quality.
3. To introduce students’ position.
4. To encourage lecturers and students to apply this method within the process of
language skills development.
Methods: problem causes and scientific resources analysis, survey presentation.
Causes of the problem. Reasons, by which we feel uncomfortable speaking, especially on
business topics, are fear of mistakes which is perhaps the biggest block to fluency. But also it is
important to note, that this is psychological problem too, as we are not trained to speak in public
much being at school as school leaving English examination is mainly performed in written, so
teachers concentrate their attention while being in the classroom on grammar drilling, reading,
writing. Speaking skills development, which is so important for feeling confident in real life
situations, is “out of game”. Business language is not presented at all, so everybody, who steps into
English classroom in College, hopes to be helped with this problem.
Solution. One of the ways, which reduce our non-confidence while speaking English,
especially business, is case study method application. According to R.Yin analysis is a critical factor
in the case study. We are given a case which has to be analyzed and the recommendations how to
tackle a problem have to be presented.
While Feagin, Orum&Sjoberg recommend to combine elements of analysis with acting. Any
teacher-practician will notice here an element of role play method, which is widely used at schools.
So this combination makes process of studying/teaching very attractive for us, but also requires
much efforts and gives good results as we have to analyze case, find solution, play role, which is
set in business environment, so we base on professional knowledge and transfer everything into
English. Not easy.
Procedure. So, how we start? I present it on example of business plan presentation to the
Managing Board case. First of all, there is presented specific vocabulary, which can be useful in case
study situation. For instance, before starting our business plan presentations we had been covering
such topics as “Setting Business”, “Employment”, “Financing Business”, “Business Plan”. Then we
share roles. One of us is a businessman, who needs money to set a business, the rest are Bank
Managing Board Members. These roles define our tasks. The business man has to make a good
business plan, what means he has to analyze market, find good business idea, foresee profit terms
and at least find ways of financing…and make a perfect business plan. While bankers have to
analyze this plan, give as many as possible questions to the business man and make a conclusion, if
this idea worth to be financed. We have to base on our professional knowledge now, as plan itself
and its evaluation is a part our study process. So analysis, which is the corner stone of case study
methodology, is widely presented here. But we are forced to communicate while discussing this
business plan. We do it in English, using specific business English vocabulary. So we work really
hard to achieve our goals, but that is interesting. Much more interesting, than to do exercises. And
we feel well, when our plan is approved by Bank Managing Board Members, as we were
understood.
Evaluation. After the case is done, class has to say what they found out while listening to
friends, but no correction is given. Those, who were speaking have to correct their mistakes
themselves. If they cannot do this, they are “punished” - receive “penalty points” or in the other
words - worse mark. Our “teachers” are rewarded with credits which they can use at any convenient
for them time: test, ordinary checking or even exam. So that is why they are really strict and
unmerciful to us. But they also have to “work”, so there are no passive listeners among us. Then
English lecturer summarizes everything, presenting the rest of mistakes, which were not pointed out
by classmates. And then follows the least pleasant moment- final evaluation. We all are aware with
speaking presentation evaluation criterion and know what is evaluated after role-play is done: F –
speaking fluentness ( how fast we speak, if we do breaks while speaking, if lack confidence, but
mistakes are not taken into account); A- accuracy ( all mistakes we did while speaking), L – lexis ( if
we use specific vocabulary, relevant to topic). All points are summarized and divided by three. In
such way we know our final score.
Feedback. Case study method as foreign language speaking skills development means is
quite unknown subject for us. But in college we are trained to use it in specific, mainly related to our
future occupation, environment. For me it was quite interesting to know College students’ attitude
towards this study method. In order to explore their opinion I have asked them to complete presented
below questionnaire, where they were asked to tick the appropriate answer.
Results are presented in tables below.
Seldom
Never
Role-play teaching/learning method, applied in English lectures helps me:
1.
Better understand use of English language in everyday life
2.
Improve my communicational and social skills
3.
Overcome the fear of speaking in public
4.
Better understand different English language aspects
5.
Find a way to a good party (communicate )
6.
Guarantee good career
7.
Make banking or on-line operations (booking flight, hotel)
8.
Make friends being abroad
9.
Improve professional language
10. Become a better student in my English class
11. Increase self-confidence while communicating in English reality
This method makes me feel not comfortable as:
1.
I am afraid to speak in public
2.
I feel bad, as I do not know enough English words
3.
I do not feel enough self-confidence for such a task
4.
I am not planning to study/work abroad
Method works
17
21
23
10
21
11
18
14
0
17
15
9
7
3
14
2
10
9
5
0
8
5
3
1
2
5
6
7
0
9
0
2
9
0
0
1
0
0
1
2
1
0
1
0
3
2
1
0
3
9
6
0
11
12
6
0
12
6
16
0
Always
Statement
Sometimes
Table 1
No
Always
Sometimes
Seldom
Table 2
Never
63.37%
52.77%
10.6%
1.8%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
3-D Column 1
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
Always
Sometimes
Seldom
Never
Picture 1. Students’ positive attitude towards role-play influence on their speaking skills development
Table 3
Does not work
Always
Sometimes
Seldom
Never
2.1 %
4.3 %
6.1 %
87.5 %
90.00%
80.00%
70.00%
60.00%
50.00%
40.00%
30.00%
20.00%
10.00%
0.00%
3-D Column 1
Always
Sometimes
Seldom
Never
Picture 2. Students’ negative or neutral attitude towards role-play application
According to this survey 63.7% of students stated, that this method always helps to improve
different aspects of English speaking skills development. 52.77% agree that it sometimes works,
10.6% admit that it is seldom useful and just 1.85% rejected it. Also only 2.1% of respondents noted
method’s inactivity. Such results demonstrate positive students’ attitude towards this method
application during English lectures.
Conclusion. Case study is really an effective learning experience for both the students and
the teacher. We can have more opportunities to "act" and "interact" with our partners while
communicating in business English, improving our specific speaking skills, but also are forced to
analyze situation, taken from business world, so have to remember everything what we were taught
in Micro-, Macro- economics and other subjects. This method also lightens up the atmospheres and
brings liveliness in the classes. We learn to use the language in more realistic, more practical way,
which forces us to work hard, to analyze much, to find solutions and to speak perfect English.
References
1.
2.
Feagin, J.; Orum, A. & Sjoberg, G. (Eds.). (1991). A case for case study. Chapel Hill, NC: University of
North Carolina Press.
Yin, R. (1993). Applications of case study research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publishing.
PROFESINIŲ KOMPETENCIJŲ UGDYMAS TAIKANT INOVATYVIUS MOKYMOSI / DĖSTYMO
METODUS: ATVEJO ANALIZĖS METODO TAIKYMAS ANGLŲ KALBOS PASKAITOSE STUDENTŲ
POŽIŪRIO ASPEKTU
Santrauka
Straipsnyje analizuojamas atvejo studijos metodo taikymo anglų kalbos paskaitose poveikis bei pristatomas
studentų požiūris į tokią kalbinę veiklą. Analizė grindžiama studentų nuomonės, pateiktos anketavimo metu,
duomenimis.
Įžangoje supažindinama su tokio kalbos lavinimo metodo taikymo užsienio kalbos paskaitose būtinybe, sekiant
ne tik tobulinti specifinę (profesinę) anglų kalbą, bet ir lavinti analitinius studentų įgūdžius bei tobulinti profesines
kompetencijas.
Toliau pateikiamas mokslinis metodo apibūdinimas bei praktinio jo taikymo paskaitose eiga. Metodo
efektyvumas bei silpnosios pusės analizuojamos remiantis studentų apklausos duomenimis.
Straipsnio gale pateikiamos tyrimo išvados (teigiamas studentų požiūris į tokį kalbos lavinimo metodą) bei
rekomendacijos dėstytojui: dažniau suteikti studentams galimybę „įsijausti“, analizuoti, ieškoti sprendimų specifinėje
situacijoje, komunikuojant joje anglų kalba.
Pagrindiniai žodžiai: analizė, atvejo studija, profesinių kompetencijų ugdymas, kalbėjimo įgūdžiai,
pasitikėjimas savimi, anglų kalbos tobulinimas.