The Case Method: Art and Skill Narrative storytelling for interactive learning February 7, 2012 MDP Summit, Bangladesh

Types of case study Best practicesBest practices Social welfare caseSocial welfare case Academic productAcademic product * “Teaching” case ** “Teaching” case *

Educating professionals across disciplines Harvard Law School (1880s) Harvard Business School (1920s) Kennedy School of Government (1950s) Harvard Medical School (1990s) Journalism, education, public health etc.

Why cases? Beyond the practical basics: using the toolsBeyond the practical basics: using the tools Build skills of critical thinking and judgmentBuild skills of critical thinking and judgment Encourage students to think for themselvesEncourage students to think for themselves Vicarious real world experienceVicarious real world experience

What a “teaching” case is Vehicle for classroom discussionVehicle for classroom discussion Tells a real story, about real peopleTells a real story, about real people Stops at a decision pointStops at a decision point Presents at least two equally compelling potential courses of actionPresents at least two equally compelling potential courses of action Original research into decisionmaking processOriginal research into decisionmaking process Neutral narratorNeutral narrator

What a “teaching” case does Describes situation in sufficient detail to put readers in shoes of protagonistDescribes situation in sufficient detail to put readers in shoes of protagonist Leaves to students hard work of deciding what to do nextLeaves to students hard work of deciding what to do next Describes situation, does not prescribe solutionDescribes situation, does not prescribe solution Reflects reality: never enough information, time, resourcesReflects reality: never enough information, time, resources

What a case class is Participatory, interactiveParticipatory, interactive Based on discussion, not lectureBased on discussion, not lecture Focuses on learning rather than teachingFocuses on learning rather than teaching Instructor is guide, not expertInstructor is guide, not expert Experiential, eg long lastingExperiential, eg long lasting

What a case class does Learning on 3 levels: knowledge, skills, selfLearning on 3 levels: knowledge, skills, self Case subject matterCase subject matter Practice critical thinking skills, judgmentPractice critical thinking skills, judgment Builds skills of negotiation, public speaking, teamworkBuilds skills of negotiation, public speaking, teamwork Gives students chance to discover own preconceptionsGives students chance to discover own preconceptions Invests students in their own learningInvests students in their own learning Demonstrates world is gray, not black & whiteDemonstrates world is gray, not black & white

3 levels of learning: (2) critical thinking  analysis  diagnosis  anticipate consequences  prescription  defend position = JUDGMENT

The case teacher “The discussion teacher is planner, host, moderator, devil’s advocate, fellow student and judge—a potentially confusing set of roles.”“The discussion teacher is planner, host, moderator, devil’s advocate, fellow student and judge—a potentially confusing set of roles.” -- C. Roland Christensen, in Education for Judgment

The case teacher Poses a key opening questionPoses a key opening question Speaks 15% of time (ideally!)Speaks 15% of time (ideally!) Guides group discussionGuides group discussion Plays devil’s advocatePlays devil’s advocate Has a “learning plan” for the discussion (less is more)Has a “learning plan” for the discussion (less is more) Establishes culture of respectEstablishes culture of respect

Student comments “By far the best learning method I've used.”“By far the best learning method I've used.” “For once, we actually thought in class. It's such a nice change from PowerPoint learning. I loved it.”“For once, we actually thought in class. It's such a nice change from PowerPoint learning. I loved it.” “This case study was so useful, to me, because it introduced a conflict that I could ACTUALLY see one of us encountering in our own professional lives.”“This case study was so useful, to me, because it introduced a conflict that I could ACTUALLY see one of us encountering in our own professional lives.”

Faculty comments “I found that this case allowed us to go deep on a number of tactical and strategic … lessons that would otherwise be hard to teach.”“I found that this case allowed us to go deep on a number of tactical and strategic … lessons that would otherwise be hard to teach.” “I'm finding that the cases are working well. They are certainly engaging and it is so much better to work on real-life cases than on hypotheticals.”“I'm finding that the cases are working well. They are certainly engaging and it is so much better to work on real-life cases than on hypotheticals.”

Case focus: leadership, management, ethics Sample topic/case incidents: Topic: public health policy on incarcerated elderly Topic: public health policy on incarcerated elderly Case: Should a California public health doctor recommend that a prisoner with heart and lung disease apply for medical parole? Case: Should a California public health doctor recommend that a prisoner with heart and lung disease apply for medical parole? Topic: challenges of combatting environmental illness Topic: challenges of combatting environmental illness Case: How should doctors running the BEST arsenicosis clinical trial in Laksam, Bangladesh respond to local press attacks? Case: How should doctors running the BEST arsenicosis clinical trial in Laksam, Bangladesh respond to local press attacks? Topic: food security in East Timor Topic: food security in East Timor Case: How do policy advisors to the prime minister implement a problematic rice production policy? Case: How do policy advisors to the prime minister implement a problematic rice production policy?

Case questions cont. Topic: the meaning of “balanced” in science reportingTopic: the meaning of “balanced” in science reporting Case: How can a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting team responsibly inform readers whether bisophenol A is safe or not? Case: How can a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporting team responsibly inform readers whether bisophenol A is safe or not? Topic: keeping national politics out of the newsroomTopic: keeping national politics out of the newsroom Case: How should the Daily Nation (Nairobi) managing editor handle hostility and suspicion among reporters following contested elections? Case: How should the Daily Nation (Nairobi) managing editor handle hostility and suspicion among reporters following contested elections? Topic: delivering humanitarian aid to lawless areasTopic: delivering humanitarian aid to lawless areas Case: How can the OCHA-Somalia director in Nairobi get aid into Somalia without losing lives and/or supplies? Case: How can the OCHA-Somalia director in Nairobi get aid into Somalia without losing lives and/or supplies?

Sample case topic areas Public health policyPublic health policy Investigative reportingInvestigative reporting Public/government policyPublic/government policy Crisis managementCrisis management EthicsEthics International relationsInternational relations Strategic managementStrategic management

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