The Case Study Method (2017-18)
How might we improve the critical thinking and decision-making skills of our students without sacrificing the learning of content?
Our Goal
We will introduce the case study method to faculty and provide encouragement and support for its use in RCDS classrooms. The case study method teaches students decision-making and critical thinking skills while also covering content. Students grapple with problems, consider ethical dilemmas, and formulate possible solutions. Without realizing it, they solidify their understanding of material, develop leadership and ethical thinking abilities, and practice decision making skills. In addition, it presents a way for students to practice evaluating the reliability of sources, a skill that has become increasingly important in the 21st century with the democratization of information on the internet.
Resources
Articles
- The Atlantic - “A Better Way to Teach History” (Harvard Business School)
- Faculty Focus - “Guiding Students to Think Critically Using Case Studies”
- Social Education - “Making a Case for the Case Study Method”.
- The role of a story or case in case-based learning (CBL) (2 min YouTube video).
Resources
- Carnegie Mellon: Case Studies
- National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
- Stanford History Education Group
- USC: High School Case Teaching Initiative
- BU Center for Teaching and Learning: Using Case Studies to Teach
- Penn State: Pedagogical Approaches: Case Studies
- University of Georgia: Case-Based Learning
- Action Bioscience: Using Case Studies to Teach Science
Fellows
Clemmie Everett
Grade 9 Dean; Upper School Humanities Teacher
Charles Sliter
Upper School Humanities Teacher