1. Case Study Lisa Hatfield, Kirk Lee, and Marcus Wenzel

2. What is it? Qualitative method of research Explores real-life, complex, situated relationships; studies a bounded system over time (this is the case) Uses in-depth data collection with many sources

3. When should you use it? When you’re asking questions of why and how -provide in-depth exploration of a case When you want to include context -focus studies on program, event, or activity When you may be a participant in the study -unusual & has merit-ex: bilingual education

4. Why should you use it? Can provide rich information from multiple sources; information can be triangulated Conclusions may be transferable to other situations

5. Why should you think twice about using it? If you are asking more “what” questions If you want only empirical data If you want to generalize your conclusions

6. Example of case study used Clark & Creswell (p. 243) o four high school music teachers o complicated lives & roles of teachers o stressors associated with their different roles o researcher spent 1 semester observing teachers at school  conduct interviews, collect documents, identify themes that emerged role ambiguity, role conflict, role overload, underutilization of skills, resource inadequacy, and nonparticipation.

7. A Case Study Debate Eisenhardt, K. (1989). Building theories from case study research. The Academy of Management Review, 14(4), 532-550. Dyer, W., & Wilkins, A. (1991). Better stories, not better constructs, to generate better theory: A rejoinder to Eisenhardt. The Academy of Management Review, 16(3), 613-619. Eisenhardt, K. (1991). Better stories and better constructs: The case for rigor and comparative logic. The Academy of Management Review, 16(3), 620- 627.

8. Key scholars & references Creswell, J. (2013). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications. Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative research and case study applications in education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Plano Clark, V. L., & Creswell, J. (2010). Understanding research: A consumer’s guide. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson. Stake, R. E. (2006). Multiple case study analysis. New York, NY: Guilford Press. Yin, R. K. (2014). Case study research: Design and methods (5th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.