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Case
Studies in Education
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The case study method has been
widely used in education as a learning vehicle with specific educational objectives in
mind. It has been highly popular in many disciplines such as economics, social sciences,
psychiatry, and engineering, where the skills of unstructured and complex problem solving
are involved. Case studies have also been welcomed by EFL professionals, especially by
those who are involved in teaching ESP and EOP in the Departmental English courses at
Baskent University English Language School and the English Language Support Unit (ELSU) of
Bilkent University School of English Language. This article aims to describe how case
studies are used when teaching ESP.
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The word "case" comes from Latin
casus. Some of the dictionary definitions from Collins Cobuild which fit into this context
are "1. 1. A particular situation that you are considering on its own or on an
individual basis, especially when you are using it as an example of something, or when you
are comparing it with something else. 1. 2. A particular incident that you are describing
or explaining."
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Cobuild also defines "Case Study,"
which is spelled with or without a hyphen, as: "An account that gives detailed
information about a person, group, or thing and their development over a period of
time...."
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Case studies used in particular educational
institutions describe problems of individuals, couples, groups, social institutions, or
even nations (Easton 1982). For this reason they are highly popular in ESP and EOP.
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Case studies provide students with the
opportunity of reading, understanding, and discussing a specific problem area. Students
are expected to propose logical solutions to the problem presented. Each case is written
to leave the student at a decision point with the manager in the case confronted. It will
usually describe how the current position developed and what problems key personalities in
the case are currently facing. Tables of data, diagrams, and photographs may be added to
help provide a more complete picture. Appendices are normally used to include large
amounts of data that would otherwise clutter the text. Film, video, audiotapes, and slide
sequences have all been used as vehicles for case descriptions. These all make a case more
realistic to the students. They force students to decide on an action under realistic
conditions. Students cannot remain passive observers, but are trained to be
action-oriented and decisive.
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Lane and DiStefano (1992) define a case as a
description of a situation faced by a decision-maker. The case method has been found as an
extremely effective method of accelerating management development.
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Skills developed through case studies
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Learning to listen to each other, respecting
others' views on the same subject, as learning when and how to react and to handle
information are some of the basic skills which are developed through case studies. As a
result, students develop their analytical skills. They also practise applying concepts,
techniques, and principles in analysis. They learn how to judge which techniques are
appropriate and applicable, to plan communication, and to analyse values. In addition,
students learn to use creativity in generating alternative solutions to the problems.
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How students respond to case studies
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The case method cannot be considered as either
tutorial or lecturer-based. Therefore, many students find the method difficult to adapt
to. Critical thinking, creativity, communication skills, as well as attitude,
self-analysis, social skills, and decision-making skills are all involved.
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Easton (1982) proposes the following several
steps for case analysis:
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- Understanding the situation
- Diagnosing problem areas
- Generating alternative solutions
- Predicting outcomes
- Evaluating alternatives
- Rounding out the analysis
- Communicating the results
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Students are highly recommended to follow the
above steps to be able to cope well with a case study. However, they usually complain
about the shortage of time and lack of information, which also applies to a real-life
situation and they cannot tolerate ambiguity.
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Fully understanding the situation and also
diagnosing the problem is difficult for students. They have the tendency to propose only
one solution to the problem instead of putting forward several. Students need to be
encouraged to propose more than one solution and to learn how to tolerate or accept the
solutions offered by others. Any solution may have a cumulative effect or will have some
implications, which need to be considered carefully as well. When students are asked to
analyse the case completely and evaluate alternative solutions, they usually get impatient
and want the single right answer, which does not exist in real life. Because students fear
the criticism of others, they are reluctant to communicate their results.
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The role of the instructor in case studies is
crucial. The instructor is present to keep the discussion moving toward a meaningful goal
with minimum intervention. His/her role is that of a catalyst and to inspire analytical
thinking. The instructor also tries to trigger students' alertness and their ability to
defend an argument.
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Much patience and tolerance is expected from the
instructor to manage a case study successfully. However, it is worth every minute of it.
Materials selection also plays an important role in achieving this. Tailor-made
department-related case study materials design is one of the effective strategies which is
used in ELSU. For example, Tourism and Hotel Management students study tourism and hotel
management related cases, and Computer Technology and Programming Department students
concentrate on cases which concern computer programmers. Students enjoy reading,
understanding the issues, and offering solutions to the problems discussed as long as
these concern their future career. Although it may take a couple of weeks' patience for
the instructor, seeing a group of students discussing cases at the desired level is worth
the effort and the time which is put in to achieve the end result.
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Case studies materials: Selection, adaptation, or creation
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When deciding which materials to include in our
courses, various published case study EFL/ESP textbooks were examined. However, it soon
became clear that most published case studies were unsuitable for our students, owing to
the following issues:
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1. Timing: Courses provided by our
unit are for either two hours or four hours per week. Many case studies appeared to be
either too long or too short to fit in our timetable.
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2. Culturally Specific: Case study
textbooks tend to be written by either British or American authors who tend to base case
studies in their respective countries. As a result, case studies deal with companies,
countries, and concepts that our students would have little previous knowledge of.
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3. Level of Difficulty: Most of
our students are in the first year of their faculty. Many case studies, however, are aimed
at experienced businessmen who may possess the necessary special or technical vocabulary.
In addition, case study writers often presume that students are experienced and proficient
in analysing cases.
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4. Suitability of Tasks: Case
studies often contain a lot of figures and difficult mathematical calculations which may
distract students from discussing the case. Students may also become demotivated by such
tasks.
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5. Topic: Topics covered in case
studies may be difficult or too technical for students. It is important that students are
familiar with the topic to be discussed so that their schemata can be activated.
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6. Course Objectives: Where
possible, case studies should be used to fulfill course objectives. They should, for
example, revise or introduce relevant vocabulary.
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As a result, teachers are left with two options.
First, case studies from textbooks may be adapted so that the problems mentioned above can
be eliminated. Alternatively, teachers may design their own cases. In fact, it soon became
clear in our situation that it was simpler to develop our own cases, catering to our own
students' particular needs and interests. The difficulty of case studies may also be
graded so that cases introduced at the beginning of courses concentrate on developing
students' speaking skills. As students become familiar with case studies, more emphasis
can be placed on designing materials which concentrate on developing students' critical
and analytical thinking skills.
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Steps for case study design
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The following steps were drawn up to help
teachers design case studies. Below is an example of designing a case for first-year
tourism students.
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1. Find or think of a problem that your
students can relate to.
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Problem: Imagine you are the manager of a ski
resort. Today is Wednesday,andthe snow in your resort is melting. The snow conditions are
getting worse by thehour.Your guests are beginning to complain. On Saturday you are
expecting a planeloadof new guests. What will you do?
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2. Mind-map solutions to the problem.
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3. What is the optimum solution? Is there an
optimum solution?
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The best solution to the problem related above
is probably to bus guests to another resort.
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4. Are there any distracters or limitations
to make the case moredifficult to solve? (higher levelstudents)
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Weather forecast could be added showing that
there will be no new snow.
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For higher level student, budgets could be
added.
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5. What exhibits are required to provide the
information needed to solvethe case?
| Exhibit 1: |
Weather forecasts showing no new snow |
| Exhibit 2: |
Advertisements from a newspaper advertising artificial snow-makers |
| Exhibit 3: |
A brochure from the local tourist office showing the excursions available in the area |
| Exhibit 4: |
A local map with other nearby ski resorts |
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6. What information is required in each
exhibit?
| Exhibit 1: |
Weather report for Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday |
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Prediction for the following week |
| Exhibit 2: |
Details of prices of making artificial snow |
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Details of how long it takes to make artificial snow |
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Location of the company |
| Exhibit 3: |
Prices of the excursions |
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Details of which places are visited and their location |
| Exhibit 4: |
Make sure location of artificial snow-maker, local ski resorts, and places mentioned
in excursions are on the map |
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7. Which concepts and language need to be
introduced or discussed beforethe case analysis begins?
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The general topic of skiing could be a class
discussion prior to introducing the case.
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Vocabulary to be revised: resort and piste
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After the material has been designed, the
following checklist can be applied soas toensure that the material will be suitable for
your students.
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- Does the problem emulate a real-life situation?
- Is the problem something that students will be able to grasp?
- Are there at least three exhibits?
- Are the exhibits evident or do they need explaining?
- Are the exhibits real?
- Are the exhibits too explicit?
- Will the case provoke enough discussion?
- Are there a number of possible solutions?
- Is the case challenging?
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By adhering to the case study design steps
and using the checklist, casestudymaterials can be designed quickly and efficiently for
classroom use. Althoughcasestudies we design tend to be for ESP students, more general
problems could actasa stimulus for designing cases for students learning general English.
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| Appendix 1 provides a sample case analysis which has currently been used
at Bilkent University, School of English Language, Tourism Department 3rd year English
Language Support courses. |
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Too little snow on the slopes |
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| Case description: |
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| You are a Resort Manager of Snow
Time Holidays in Uludag (skiing resort near Bursa). Unfortunately, the snow conditions for
skiing are getting worse by the hour. The snow is melting, and you have had no fresh snow.
It is Wednesday, and you are expecting a planeload of passengers to arrive on Saturday. |
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| You are a successful manager of
Snow Time Holidays which has a good image and you should maintain it. With the solution
you suggest to the problem above, make sure that there is not a possibility of negative
knock-on effect. |
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| Exhibit 1: Advertisement from the travel agency |
| Exhibit 2: A copy of the Snow Time holidays Terms of Contract |
| Exhibit 3: Daily weather forecast for that area |
| Exhibit 4: A reply letter of the Resort Manager of the Kartal Hotel
(There are also several other exhibits for the course tutors to select.) |
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| What will you do? |
| Task 1: |
Read the case described carefully: |
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Analyse all the exhibits provided and take notes to justify your solution. |
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Describe the case to the other members of the group to ensure that you all have |
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understood the situation. |
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Suggest the best solution(s) to handle the situation. |
| Task 2: |
Read all the case material to find out the facts by answering the following questions: |
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1. What happened or what was done? |
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2. Who was involved? |
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3. How did things happen? (Cause of the problem) |
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4. How are events/things linked to one another? |
| Task 3: |
Now, identify the issues. |
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Task 4: Propose alternative solutions or courses of action to solve the problem. |
| Task 5: |
Propose alternative solution(s) and argue for it (them) if necessary. |
| Task 6: |
Appoint a group spokesperson to report the best solution(s) discussed. |
| Task 7: |
Submit the best solution to the whole class for evaluation. |
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- Easton, G. 1982. Learning from case studies. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall
Regents.
- Lane, H. and J. DiStefano. 1992. International management behavior: Introduction to the
cases and the case method. PWS-Kent.
- Sinclair, J. 1990. Collins cobuild English language dictionary. Harper-Collins
Publishers.
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Meral
Güçeri is currently working as the Assistant Director at the English Language
School of Bas¸kent University in Ankara, Turkey. Ann Riddell Akin
teaches English at UAE University in Ain. She also taught Freshman English to university
students focusing on ESP and EAP. |
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