Overview
 What are Teaching Cases?
 The Different Parts to Teaching Cases
 Learning Outcomes
 The Steps to Creating Teaching Cases
 Online Delivery
 Augmentations to Online Teaching Cases
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What are Teaching Cases?
 An engaging situation (non-fictional or imaginary)
with narrative elements that promote learner
discourse, experiential learning, and complex
divergent analysis and problem-solving
 “…a story with an educational message” (Smith, Mar. 18,
2007, Early draft…, n.p.)
 Undergirded by theories (Yin, 1993)
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What are Teaching Cases? (cont.)
 “A teaching case is a story describing, or based on,
actual events, that justifies careful study and analysis
by students. In other words, a teaching case is a story
about the ‘real world’ told with a definite teaching
purpose in mind. A teaching case is a way of bringing
the real world into a classroom so that students can
‘practice’ on actual or realistic problems under the
guidance of their teacher. Case teaching, unlike
conventional lecturing, is discussion-based and
experiential” (Lynn, 1996; Rangan, 1995, as cited by Ip & Naidu,
2001, p. 5).
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Types of
Teaching Case Studies
 Area-focused (business, medicine, law, engineering)
(Garvin, 2003; Williams, 1992, as cited by Carroll & Rosson, 2005, p. 1)
 Exploratory, descriptive, explanatory (Yin, Mar. 1981, p. 59)
 Decision or dilemma cases, appraisal / issue
(analytical) cases, case histories / largely finished
stories as “illustrative models” (Herreid, Case studies…, 1994,
n.p.)
 “Interrupted cases” / “progressive disclosure” (slow
revelation of selected information)
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Limitations to Case Studies
 An n = 1, a “singularity” or “unique case” with
limited transferability or generalizability
 Challenges re: academic respectability
 Definitions of objectivity vs. subjectivity, with the
need for triangulation of data for verification and
“representativeness”; high level of qualitative
researcher skill needed
 Difficult cross-case tabulation and comparison
without like cases (need for research rigor)
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Limitations to Case Studies (cont.)
 Higher demands on instructional faculty to be flexible
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and skilled
Generalizable to theoretical propositions but not
populations (Tripp, 1985, p. 40)
Replication logic, not sampling logic (Yin, 1994)
Exemplification logic (Carroll & Rosson, 2005, p. 2)
Difficult “population validity” and “ecological validity”
(Crossley & Vulliamy, 1984, p. 194)
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The Different Parts
to Teaching Cases
Typical Elements
Optional Add-Ons
 Priming
 Role plays
 The case (including
 Simulations
discussions, research,
simulations, role plays,
scenarios, and / or guest
speakers)
 Debriefing (of the case)
 Learner Notes
 Assignments
 Augmentations (like videos)
 Guest speakers
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Learning Outcomes
 Empowerment in problem-solving real-world
problems through case analysis, and macro and micro
perspectives
 Creative and open-ended possibilities / stochastic,
non-predictive, and highly dependent on participant
contributions
 Emergent and evolving cases with more digital
artifacts, complementary WWW-based cases
 The importance of capturing new research for the
historical record and learning (through researching
and writing online teaching case studies)
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(Optimal and General)
Learner Takeaways
 “The skills of negotiation, mediation and
collaboration” as applied to their respective
communities (Strumpff, Teaching cases…, 2006, p. 2)
 Deeper engagement in the applied problem-solving
learning (Lynn, 1996 / 1999, p. 4)
 Higher order critical thinking skills
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Improved Learner Engagement and
Retention
 Higher engagement for learners through less
traditional learning
 A more progressive method of learner assessment
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The Steps to Creating Teaching
Cases
 Some Formal Standards
 Case Study Competencies
 The Process
 Types of Research
 Teaching Case Authoring
 Legal Concerns
 Field Testing
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Some Formal Standards
Yin’s five criteria:
 A case …
(1) should be significant;
(2) must be complete regarding analytical
boundaries and collection of evidence;
(3) must consider alternative perspectives;
(4) must display sufficient evidence with latitude to
take a variety of stances, and
(5) be engaging. (1994)
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Some Formal Standards (cont.)
“The Star Quality Case” (Lynn, 1996 / 1999, p. 8)
 “Poses a problem that has no obvious right answer;
 Identifies actor(s) who must solve the problem,
make decisions;
 Requires the reader to use the information in the
case to address the problem;
 Evaluating the problem or potential solutions
requires the reader to think critically and
analytically; and
 Has enough information for a good analysis”
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Some Formal Standards (cont.)
 Solid research and
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citation
Verisimilitude to the
topic
Applicability to lived
and current situations
Decision-forcing
Learning value
Conflict provocation
 Clear provenance of
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Creating Online Teaching Case Studies
information and
research citations
Generalizability
Brevity
Writing style
Multi-media richness,
full sensory wrap (via
information and digital
experiences)
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Case Study Competencies
Knowledge
Attitudes
Skills
Subject Matter
Competencies
(Domain
Knowledge)
Strategic
Competencies
Social
Competencies
Self
Competencies
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The
Process
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Culturally
sensitive
Legal
Academically
sound
Thorough
Recursive
Multi-sourced
User tested
The image here shows four phases to the creation of a
teaching case study: research; design and writing;
multimedia design and technology uploading, and
instructional deployment (and information collection).
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Types of Research
PRIMARY
 Live interviews (F2F,
telephone, email)
 Email queries
 Online survey creation
and deployment
 Face-to-face conferences
 Visits to relevant
physical sites
 “Hidden literature”
pursuit
Creating Online Teaching Case Studies
SECONDARY
 Academic literature via
databases, open-source
publications
 Pre-published case
studies
 In-house curricular
materials, documents,
and others
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Teaching Case Authoring
 Documentation: Handling of researched
information
 Writing: Point-of-view (first, second or third person;
author presence or absence; limited narrator or
omniscient narrator), tone, terminology, segmenting,
logic, source citations, legal concerns
 Learning Object Design: Multimedia creation of
digital “learning objects” and delivery in the LMS
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Teaching Case Authoring (cont.)
 Pedagogical Approach: defined roles for role plays,
pre-briefing and post-debriefing, pacing, interactivity
design, discussion questions, assignments, research
proposals
 Simplification: Writing initially targeted to upperlevel college learners and simplified to upper-level
high-school and lower-level college students for F2F
delivery
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Legal Concerns
 Intellectual property ownership / joint copyright
 Privacy rights
 Defamation / libel / slander (subtext and possible
implications)
 Cultural, political, and other implications
 Avoidance of stereotypes
 Accessibility
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Field Testing
 Alpha testing regarding the technologies and contents
 Field testing in face-to-face (F2F) and online
classrooms, with learner feedback (beta testing)
 Solicitation of commentary from participating faculty,
administrators and subject matter experts (SMEs)
 Double checks from the sources (of the interviews)
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Online Delivery
 “Multimedia and web-based teaching cases” emerged
in the 1990s (Orngreen, Feb. 2004, p. 167)
 Building and writing based on “single sourcing” for
reusability / transferability
 Regionally dispersed participants; communications
and interactive synergies (synchronous and / or
asynchronous communications)
 Supported via digital learning objects (DLOs) and
WWW resources
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Digital Resources Design
for Case Studies
 Types: Slideshows, flashcards, Q&As with headshots
of interview subjects, diagrams, timelines, interactive
image maps, photo essays and simple games
 Standards: Learning value, accessibility, platformindependence, consistency in word and look-and-feel
style, accuracy, interactive, latest technologies, various
approaches for different learning styles
accommodations, reusability and fun
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The Time Elements
 Chronological: Linear chronological (with
branching paths), major collaborative events (for
interactivity and sharing—as in digital galleries)
 Non-Linear: Non-linear, non-chronological, learning
community, and volunteer group efforts to address
various aspects of the cases
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Combining Cases for Learning
Value
 Research various cases on the WWW
 Combine the various digital learning objects (DLOs)
into a coherent study
 Add learning items for prefacing, segue-ing, and
concluding
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Augmentations to Online Teaching
Cases
 Ancillary activities
 Roleplay backstories /
 Field trips / travel
histories
 Professional feedback
and critiques
 Projects
 Research and writing
 Presentations
 Interviews
 Guest speakers
 Digital gallery shows of
digital artifacts
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Building New Add-ons to Cases
 Have learners add value to an existing case through
their own research (and while following all the rules of
ethical research, especially anything related to
humans, informed consent and professional ethical
oversight)
 Student presentations, slideshows, research (primary
and secondary), and papers (with copyright releases
from the learners)
 Student interactivity (richness of contributions)
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E-Learning Strategies
with Teaching Case Studies
 Pre-role play / discussion preparation (context and
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concepts)
Post- role play / discussion preparation
Customizable for different learning situations
Archival for analytical review, debriefing and
discussions (post-teaching case work / activities /
sims)
Potential tracking and “save progress” of case
discussions for further discussion and analysis
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Learning Ecologies
 Human-mediated
guides
 Digital learning
objects
 Interactivity
 WWW
resources
The image here shows that learners animate the learning
ecology of a case study. There is value-added with
interactivity, WWW resources, digital learning objects,
and human (often expert) facilitation.
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Role Play Simulations
 Contrived but authentic
 Based on real-world situations, stories and role
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positions
Require clear stances and strategies (embodied in
language and communications)
A focus on practical and real-world problemsolving
Pre-sim preparation: prior study, prior research,
prior preparation
Immersive and engaging, full-sensory
Synchronous and asynchronous interactions
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Role Play Simulations (cont.)
“The essential ingredients of a web-based RPS (role-play
simulation) are
a) dynamic goal-based learning;
b) role-play simulation; and
c) online web-based communication and collaboration”
(Ip & Naidu, 2001, p. 3)
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Teaching Notes Design
 Assumption of range of instructional and co
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learning approaches
Potential awkwardness with teaching and learning
in the online space
Offering of various online resources
Additional resources to help instructors add value
to the learning
Support to allow instructors to choose what to
emphasize / de-emphasize in their teaching
Ancillary supports for learner reflections on the
learning (“hot seat” for individuals, dyads, and
groups)
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Teaching Notes Design (cont.)
 Flexibility and openness to apply their own
perspectives, ideas, research and unique learner
audience
 The need to bring in an “abstraction” piece in order
to create more transferable learning (Albano, Iovane,
Salerno, & Viglione, Mar. 15 – 16, 2005, n.p.)
 Ideas for use of the cases for lead-up learning to
other activities or “anchor learning” to conclude
other learning activities
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Teaching Notes Design (cont.)
Teaching Case Debriefing Strategies
1. Lewinian model of relating observations to
larger issues (generalization, transference)
2. Piagetian model of having intuitive knowledge
challenged by new beliefs and modes of thinking
(a change from naïve understandings to more
sophisticated ones), a constructive reaction to
“perturbation”
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The Evaluation of
Learning Efficacy
 Measures of learning objectives and learning
outcomes
 Anonymous online learner / participant
surveys
 F2F learner debriefings / learner datamining
 Pre- and post- assessments
 Instructor insights
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References
 Albano, G., Iovane, G., Salerno, S. & Viglione, S. (n.d.)
Web based simulations for virtual scientific experiment:
Methodology and tools. 1st International EleGI Conference
on Advanced Technology for Enhanced Learning. 1 – 9.
 Carroll, J.M. & Rosson, M.B. (2005). A case library for
teaching usability engineering: Design rationale,
development, and classroom experience. Journal on
Educational Resources in Computing: 5(1).
 Crossley, M. & Vulliamy, G. (1984). Case-study research
methods and comparative education. Comparative
Education: 193 – 207.
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References (cont.)
 Herreid, C. (1994). Case studies in science—A novel method of
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science education. Journal of College Science Teaching: 23(4).
Ip, A. and Naidu, S. (2001). Experienced (sic)-based pedagogical
designs for elearning. Education Technology: Vol. XLI, No. 5. 53
– 58.
Orngreen, R. (n.d.) CaseMaker: An environment for case-based
e-learning. Academic Conferences Limited. 167 – 180.
Smith, B. (2007, Mar. 18). Early draft notes… Enduring Legacies
Project.
Tripp, D.H. (1985). Case study generalisation: An agenda for
action. British Educational Research Journal: 11(1), 33 – 43.
Yin, R.K. (1981). The case study as a serious research strategy.
Science Communication. Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion,
Utilization: 3(1), 97 -114.
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