Case Study Best Practices Guide

Case studies are an effective and powerful pedagogical tool. They present realistic narratives to students and require them to analyze possible outcomes or solve a dilemma or challenge associated with the narrative, and they are often followed by a series of questions or prompts that ask students to demonstrate their learning. Case studies can be based on real-world situations or fictional scenarios modeled on authentic occurrences. Regardless of the source and format, case studies provide students an opportunity to practice solving problems that they might encounter in the future.

Case studies provide an opportunity for high engagement: when engaging with a case study, students are invited to take control of their learning, rather than rely on their instructors for answers. The instructor’s role is to lead students with guiding questions and challenge students’ arguments (Watson & Sutton, 2012). When thoughtfully designed, case studies encourage students to use higher-level thinking skills to solve the problems presented in the case (Missett et al., 2010). They can also help students connect theoretical knowledge to real-world applications (Sanders-Smith, et al., 2016). Students are more likely to be engaged when they clearly see the relationship between the classroom and their future professional goals, and case studies make this connection both evident and significant.

As an online instructor, you can use case studies to support learning objectives and outcomes. Consider how and when you want students to access case study information and design the learning experience accordingly. The following questions can help inform the set up of your case study assignments.

• Is interacting with the case study more impactful before or after students have viewed traditional lecture material?
• Should students have access to all of the details of the case study at once, or should the details of the case study be interspersed between student activities?
• Should students work individually on the case study, or is group work appropriate for this assignment?
• Would it be beneficial for students to share their insights with their classmates?
• How does the case study connect to an authentic real-world application?

Case studies also have the potential to establish a unifying theme throughout a course. For instance, you can introduce one case study at the beginning of the course and ask students to interact with the case study multiple times. This will help students deepen their understanding since they will approach the case study differently as they gain new knowledge and skills. You might also present information related to the case study in intervals to encourage students to shift their thinking or re-evaluate prior conceptions. Another way to use case studies as a unifying course element is to present a different case study in each module. Students will become familiar with the expectations and structure of the course, allowing them to focus on deepening their skills and expanding their knowledge. The real-world application of case studies can also enrich engagement, as students come to recognize the relevance and importance of course activities.

The following strategies can help you to optimize the case study experience for students and instructors alike.

Make it authentic. Case study experiences should emulate how students would navigate a similar situation in the real world. For instance, rather than requiring students to write a paper to answer case study questions, you might ask them to write a memo or prepare a presentation for relevant stakeholders.

Communicate expectations. If a case study (or case studies) are used throughout the course, clearly communicate your expectations for student deliverables on introductory pages. You might also consider including a rubric for any deliverables associated with the case study, as this helps students to understand where to focus their attention.

Establish grading criteria. Including a rubric for case study deliverables will not only create structure for students, but also help instructors provide timely and targeted feedback.

Situate other instructors. It can be beneficial to provide details about the formatting of the case study for other instructors, especially if students will receive information or details about the case study in between activities. A course guide is a good place to include instructions to support effective facilitation of case study work.

Missett, T.C., Reed, C.B., Scot, T.P., Callahan, C.M., & Slade, M. (2010). Describing learning in an advanced online case- based course in environmental science. Journal of Advanced Academics, 22(1), 10-50.

Sanders-Smith, S.C., Smith-Bonahue, T.M., & Soutullo, O.R. (2016). Practicing teachers’ responses to case method of instruction in an online graduate course. Teaching and Teacher Education, 54, 1-11.

Watson, S., & Sutton, J.M. (2012). An examination of the effectiveness of case method teaching online: Does the technology matter? Journal of Management Education, 36(6), 802-821.