1. Case study: calling for a more open approach
BERA
Student conference
Manchester 2009
David Menendez Alvarez-Hevia
ESRI, Manchester Metropolitan University

2. AIMS
Explore the implications of the researcher in case study research considering postructuralist issues.
Disentangle case study as an open approach in where different methods fit.
Expose the main issues of case study approach through an example of a multiple case study research in the field of education.

3. INTRODUCTION
“Explore the emotional involvement of professionals working with Special Need Education Students (SNES)”
POWER
KNOWLEDGE
SUBJECTIVITY
POSTRUCTURAL ISSUES
PHYLOSOPHY / SYSTEM OF THOUGHT
ONTOLOGY/ETHICS/GENERALISATION
RESEARCHER
SUBJECT
VOICES

4. CASE STUDY: METHOD, APPROACH OR STRATEGY
In general, case studies are the preferred strategy when “how” or “why” questions are being posed, when the investigator has little control over events, and when the focus is on a contemporary phenomenon within some real-life context.
(Yin 1989:13)

5. CASE STUDY TRADITIONAL VIEW PROBLEM QUESTIONS INTERVIEW + OBSERVATION
DATA ANALYSIS
CONCLUSIONS
CASES
OPEN APPROACH

6. PREVIOUS REFLECTIONS FOR A RESEARCH BASED ON CASE STUDY
RESEARCHER AS A PRODUCER OF KNOWLEDGE
3 CASE STUDIES
“BOUNDED SYSTEMS”
(Falls-Borda 1998)
RELATION / CONNECTION
CREATED RECOGNIZED
(Stake, 2006)
ONTOLOGY
QUALITATIVE METHODS
Documents of life
School documents
Interviews
Observation
Others
OBJECT OF STUDY = “EMOTIONAL ISSUES OF THE PROFFESIONALS”

7. Is the case relevant to the quintain?
Does the case provide diversity across context?
Does the case provide good opportunities to learn about complexity and context?
(Stake 2006)

8. MY CASE STUDY AS AN APPROACH
CASE STUDY “APPROACH”
METHODOLOGICAL PLURALISM Vs METHODOLOGICAL EXCLUSIVISM (Roth 1987)
-METHODOLOGY SISTEM OF THOUGHT
credibility
DECONSTRUCTION OF CASE STUDY = EXPANSION OF MEANING
ABANDON TERM: METHODS APPROACH
OPEN TO DIFFERENT WAYS OF RESEARCH
WHAT IS GOING TO BE STUDY , TIMES, STRUCTURE…
MY CASE STUDY AS AN APPROACH
- Different realities Philosophy
- Discourse analysis Relation between cases
- Methods of Data collection

9. RESEARCHER DECISIONS: POINTS OF PREASSURE
OBTAIN GRADE Institution
RESOURCESS = Founds
moral
SUBJECT CONSTRUCTION WORLD OF DISCOURSES
ethic
- WRITING languages

10. WHAT IS MY CASE? What is my case a case of? CASES “QUINTAIN”
(Stake 2006)
Phenomenon to be researched
Multiple Case Study
Emotional involvement of the prof. working with SNES

11. GENERALIZATION