Case Based Learning
Description:
This design helps students to develop knowledge and skills relevant to their future professional practice. They begin by analysing relevant cases and then apply what they have learned to solving an industry-based problem. At the end of the project they reflect on their experiences. The design as described is implemented in a face-to-face setting with online support.
This sequence of tasks aims to help students link theory to practice in two ways. One is by analysing cases relevant to the knowledge and skills to be developed. Cases provide detailed descriptions of realistic situations, dilemmas and their outcomes. By analysing a known problem and its solution, students come to appreciate the complexity of real-life situations and derive conclusions that they can take into their own future practice. In this design the cases should be chosen to be relevant to the later project task, so that analysis of the cases provide students with useful insights into real world practice. The purpose of the project is to enable students to begin to put their ideas into practice, bring together component skills already learned and deal with complex situations. This is based on the premise that learners develop their skills and knowledge through engagement with realistic (or authentic) problems. The final tasks provide students with an opportunity to look back on their experiences and extract lessons for the future.
Intended Learning Outcomes:
- to develop specific knowledge and skills related to the project
- to develop understanding of how theory relates to practice
- to develop skills in case analysis and reflection
- to develop teamwork and project skills
| Resources | Tasks | Supports | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Two related cases |
→ |
Analyse cases individually. |
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|
Focus questions |
→ |
Discuss the cases in project teams ↓ |
← |
Small group discussion |
|
| ← |
List of key points |
← | ↓ | ||
|
Discuss Emerging concepts as a whole class ↓ |
← |
Teacher facilitation of discussion |
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|
Past student projects |
→ |
Develop the project proposal (team) ↓ |
← |
Group discussion & collaboration |
|
|
Develop the project ↓ |
← |
Feedback on proposal |
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|
Reflection Template |
Reflect on the outcome both individually and as a project team |
Additional information
This design can be customised to suit any project, but particularly those for which there might not be a single correct answer, but a range of options (eg. design projects). The design can be used to add case analysis as preparation for an existing problem-based task, or to add problem/project and reflection tasks to case-based learning.
This design is likely to be more appropriate for students with relevant prior knowledge on which they can draw (ie., the design is more appropriate for students in later years of undergraduate study who have developed content knowledge or students with relevant work experience such as those at postgraduate level). The design can be adapted with a different mix of individual and group work, and with or without online technologies.
All of the resources and supports should be prepared prior to the implementation of the learning design. If no suitable cases exist, then time needs to be allocated for case preparation. Student teams can be established at the beginning of the teaching session
Suggestions for Assessment:
There are four key outputs which can be assessed:
- case analyses (individual)
- proposal (group)
- project (group)
- reflections (individual and/or group)
Other assessment opportunities are:
- small group discussion participation
- project updates (if used)
Original design:
Bennett, S. (2002). Description of A technology-supported constructivist learning environment that uses real-life cases to support collaborative project work. Retrieved November 5, 2009 , from Learning Designs Web site: http://www.learningdesigns.uow.edu.au/exemplars/info/LD1/index.html