Difference between revisions of "Case Study"

This type of activity is suitable for both face-to-face and e-Learning contexts.^[2]

Structure

Case studies generally have four sections:

1. Situation
2. Problem
3. Solution
4. Evaluation

General guidelines

An effective case study is one that:

• tells an engaging and compelling story to learners
• raises thought-provoking issues
• provides meaningful insights about the characters and the context
• features elements of conflict and portrays actors in moments of decision
• encourages students to think, express their opinions and find potential solutions to problems

Step by step

Planning stage

• Determine the area and/or issues you want to address
• Plan your analysis techniques and data gathering
• Whenever required, collect field data and carry out interviews
• Carry out evaluation and analysis of the collected data.

Writing stage

• Structure your case into different sections (e.g. introduction, background, description of problem or conflict situation, indication of possible solutions)
• Use a compelling style and present information so that learners are in a position to form their own opinion freely and are not bound by pre-determined solutions.

Implementation

• Introduce the case and provide learners with guidelines on how to approach it
• Make sure you break down the steps you want learners to take when analyzing the case
• Create groups and ensure everyone is involved
• Have groups present their solutions and opinions about the case; ask questions and encourage communication in order to stimulate a lively discussion
• Synthesize the issues raised and bring the strands of the discussion together so that learners can visualize the bigger picture of what they learnt.

Common problems with Case Study writing

• Lack of clear objectives
• Poor organization of content
• Lack of conciseness and presence of irrelevant/unnecessary information
• Lack of clarity or writing style that puts too much strain on the reader

Practical tips

• When planning your case study keep your audience in mind: consider what their interests are and what their knowledge of the subject is
• Try to formulate the case problem in a few sentences: if it takes longer than that, it might be too complicated and therefore not easily understandable by learners
• Present your ideas logically
• Prepare thoroughly in order to be able to anticipate where students might encounter problems
• Write your case study using a compelling writing style and draw from short-story writing techniques: this will help keeping learners interested and involved
• Including conflicting situations or scenes is the most effective way to depict a problem: portraying characters in situations of contrast or disagreement stimulates learners to find potential solutions
• Describe characters who learners can empathize with and provide insights into their personality and reasons for behaving in a certain way
• If you present potential solutions, avoid suggesting that one might be preferred to the others
• Leave some questions open and keep readers challenged to find their own path and solutions.