Using Case Studies to Teach Biology The Basics

Using Case Studies to Teach Biology: The Basics Susan Starr Washtenaw Community College

What are Case Studies? � Series of interactive methods of teaching and learning � Illustrate, in a holistic way, principles that help students understand how the world works � A story with an educational message ◦ Easy to remember stories and analogies � True ◦ ◦ to life events Could be based on your own experiences Could be based on experiences of friends/family Could be based on articles in news/magazines/journal Could be an imaginary event as long as it is plausible

Why use cases. . . and when? Improve students’ relationship to material � Give students the feeling of actually working in their chosen field � Introduce new course content in a more interesting way � Reinforce course content already presented � Increase student participation & interaction � Build student confidence & critical thinking skills � Build team skills � Weed out slackers or, better yet, engage them in learning! � ◦ Teammates will not stand for someone not doing their part Teach information gathering skills � Teach tolerance or others’ opinions/cultural norms/way of thinking!! � Homework � Tests & quizzes � Group discussions in class; keep class interesting � ◦ Helps break up those LOONNNGGGG lectures! � A different way to assess student progress ◦ Extra credit to reward class attendance? ◦ Good for some students with learning styles that may not do well with standard testing methods

Characteristics of a Good Case � Captures student interest � Teaches important concept ◦ Content or process � Has opposing points of view represented � Illustrates scientific principles ◦ Especially good: scientific method! � Fits into the time allotted in class � Has small enough student groups to ensure everyone participates � Dialog works better than narrative � Requires some, but not too much, research � Stimulates conversation outside of class � Uses terminology correctly � Unifies several themes/ interdisciplinary � Focused

How have Cases been used Historically? � Primary and secondary school ◦ Remember story problems in math? � Law School � Medical school ◦ Especially in hospital training � Apprenticeships in trade school

Types of Cases � Self-Contained Case ◦ Present new material in form of a case �First time seeing this course content �Must be very careful to include all relevant information �May use a follow-up assignment to produce a product (paper, class presentation, skit, poster board, etc. ) for assessment � Extra material case ◦ Outside reading or in-class presentation done prior to case presentation �Good for reinforcing difficult concepts �Rewards students who actually DO the prior assignment!

Categories of Cases � Analysis cases: What happened? ◦ Contemporary: Global warming, gas mileage gains from Cash for Clunkers ◦ Historical: Galileo's Inquisition, Developing Theory of Evolution, Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment � Dilemma (Decision) Cases: What happened AND what should we do about it? ◦ Physician diagnosis and treatment, Teacher’s treatment of cheating, FDA decision on new drug � Closed Cases: One set of ‘right’ answers ◦ Best for some testing situations � Open Cases: several possible answers ◦ In class debates? �Consensus building? �Also useful for some types of testing

Categories of Cases, cont. � Springboard cases: may continue throughout entire course ◦ A single case is introduced at beginning of class with new information and questions for each new unit ◦ Especially well suited for A&P �Introduce a patient at the beginning of class �Example: introduce a diabetic patient who can have complications in many systems over time �For each system, have patient develop some kind of issue that illustrates a major concept �Good for nursing students: understand the importance of taking a good patient history

Categories of Cases, cont. � Jigsaw format ◦ Place students into point-of-view groups ◦ Each group learns one point of view ◦ Reform new groups with one person from each pointof-view group ◦ New groups discuss a case and come to conclusions ◦ Entire class reconvenes with a representative of each new group presenting the conclusions of their group �How many conclusions did different groups reach? �Did everyone agree in each group? �How do you reach consensus?

Case Study Methods � Lecture ◦ Story telling by one individual in first person ◦ May use costumes, props ◦ Presentation usually done by instructor � Discussion: Socratic Method ◦ Directed discussion vs. Free-for-all �Clickers? ◦ Symposium/Debate: students adopt an expert role and discuss a topic �Requires advance preparation by experts/debaters �Rotate students so everyone gets a chance to present ◦ Trial: many characters (defendant, judge, attorneys, witnesses, expert witnesses, bailiff) and the rest of the class is the jury �May take several days to complete trial ◦ Public hearing: less elaborate than trial, but same concept �May be completed in one class period

Case Study Methods � Small Groups (for entire semester? ) ◦ Can be used to create jigsaws ◦ May take several days to complete each unit ◦ Research teams for Problem-Based learning �What do we know �What do we need to know �How do we find out �Who will do what �Produce a product for assessment �Either one for each unit or an overarching product for entire semester

How to Teach a Case � Analyze situation of case ◦ What is happening overall �Who, what, where, why, how: basic journalism approach ◦ If using characters (best cases do!), include background info, point of view, motivation � Decide what action should be taken ◦ Consequences and risks � Summarize … or not ◦ Instructor or student to summarize �Cold call: call on students without warning �Warm call: warn students in advance they may be asked to summarize ◦ Specific information learned ◦ Generalizations

Best Case Resource EVER � National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science juried by the State University of New York at Buffalo ◦ http: //ublib. buffalo. edu/libraries/projects/cases/cas e. html ◦ Huge repository of fully developed cases ◦ Teaching notes ◦ Classroom management suggestions ◦ Assessment suggestions ◦ Summer workshops ◦ Links to other case collections