Challenges of case-based teaching.

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, teacher educators have increasingly turned to case-based instruction with Pre-service, novice, and even experienced teachers. However, advocates of case-based teaching rarely point out the many challenges that might detract from effective case-based instruction. I briefly outline some of the more obvious challenges facing case instructors as they attempt to use the method for improved teacher education. Keywords, case-based teaching, case-method, teacher education, pre-service teachers, novice Teachers For decades, teacher educators have emphasized the importance of devising more effective ways of preparing preservice teachers for the classroom. Generally, these efforts encompass more effective preparation in content area knowledge, teaching methods, interprofessional skills, and classroom management (Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2002). The need for teaching higher levels of professional performance has been exacerbated by numerous calls for teacher education reform and students' academic performance, most recently enshrined in No Child Left Behind (NCLB). These calls for reform imply the need for (a) collaborative team approaches for more effective service delivery, (b) consolidation of organizational configurations requiring increased professional collaboration as school districts strive to become more cost efficient and effective, (c) the move towards including students with special needs in general education classes, (d) an increased understanding that the complex needs of most students require an array of professionals who are able to work together more closely than previously, and (e) that novice teachers, by virtue of these factors, need effective instruction in these areas prior to graduating to their new profession (Cohen & Ball, 1999). Case-Based InstructionGenerally, in research and teaching, case studies have been seen as a precursor to legitimate scientific research or as a way of studying extremely rare, "one shot" phenomena (Campbell & Stanley, 1963). An alternative view, however, suggests that cases can describe real-world contextual problems that are probably too complex and unique to approach experimentally (e.g., Cohen & Ball, 1999;Yin, 1984). The current popularity of the approach began after Shulman's 1985 call for a pedagogy of cases (Floyd & Bodur, 2005) Rationales for incorporating real-world situations in preservice and novice teacher education vary, but generally incorporate the following: First, teacher education research has consistently acknowledged that classroom events are contingent on a host of interrelated contributory factors that are mutually influential, to a greater or lesser extent, in producing teacher and student performance (Wilson, Floden, & Ferrini-Mundy, 2002). Teaching via the case method appears to be an ideal way of communicating the detailed, interrelated, and often densely interrelations necessary to explore the multidimensional nature of what students and teachers do in classrooms.

Collaboration between Faculty Members and School Counselors: An Experience from a Case-based Course

“…This course has enabled students to take responsibility for their learning and to acquire problem solving skills (Desiraju and Gopinath 2001;Kunselman and Johnson 2004;Tärnvik 2007). The experience helped to create an active learning atmosphere in the classroom whereby students benefit from being involved in their own learning process (Kunselman and Johnson 2004;Mostert 2007).…”

“…Case-based teaching in pre-service teacher education programs offers students the opportunity to apply theory to practice (Graham and Cline 2001;Mostert 2007;Rippin et al 2002). The course provided the intersection between theory and practice by providing skills activities and assignments that connected university training and professional practice in school contexts.…”

Cases on Intercultural Communication: New Approach to Design

“…In the context of the modern information society, Case-study, being relatively new method of training (for the first time it became known in the American business schools in the beginning of the 20 th century) is gaining increasing recognition in the sphere of higher education. This is primarily due to the change in the educational paradigm, which is directed not so much at transferring (receiving) specific knowledge, but rather at forming students' professional competence, skills and thinking skills, and developing personal abilities (Mostert, 2007). Simultaneously, the educational paradigm is transformed due to significant increase and drastic change in the requirements for the quality of training of a specialist who must have the ability of optimal behavior in various, including problematic, conflict situations.…”

A case study approach to increasing teachers’ mathematics knowledge for teaching and strategies for building students’ maths self-efficacy

“…An important advantage of case-based instruction is its ability to foster high levels of critical thinking and reflection [22]. Many researchers have identified reflection as playing an important role in learning to teach because it 'affords teachers conscious, deliberate insight to bring about learning and encourages them to become students of their own teaching' [23][24][25].…”