Case-Based

Teaching Workshop
NOSPA
February 2007
Why do you teach?
 Why do you teach?
„ Convey to students knowledge, facts
„ Improve students’ mastery of theories
and their applications
 Why do you teach?
„ Enhance students’ decision making
skills
„ Improve students’ critical, analytical,
reasoning skills
„ Enhance students’ confidence,
willingness to speak up
„ Increase students’ desire to promote
change and reform
„ Stimulate student interest or curiosity
 Teaching methods
„ Traditional approach
„ Lectures (planned, formal presentations)
„ Critical incident analysis
„ Exercise, problem sets
„ Dialogue and debate, small-group discussions
„ Innovative approach
„ Role play
„ Internships, field experiences,
„ Case teaching
When not to use case teaching
„ Traditional approach works best for
„ Mastery of facts
„ Mastery of technical processes

„ Formal logic of models and concepts

„ Content of literature

„ Idea of experts
 Case teaching in Asia
„ Asian values?
„ Harmony and courtesy
„ Discipline and order
„ Respect for elders and loyalty
„ “Western” values?
„ Power of reason
„ Value of argument
„ Importance of self-expression
„ Skepticism toward authority
 What is a case?
„ Story describing, or based on, actual
events
„ Story worth careful study and analysis
„ Teaching case vs. research case
„ No “right answer”, no “appropriate
solutions” for teaching cases
„ Working on a teaching case simulates
real-world experiences
 Traditional pedagogy and case
teaching
„ Traditional „ Case teaching
„ Lecture-based
„ Knowledge flows one
way
„ Teacher at the center
„ Students passive,
compliant, obliged to
be attentive
„ Situation in control
„ Discussion-based
„ Knowledge flows in
all directions
„ Teacher as a
facilitator
„ Students responsible
for their own learning
„ Class fluid, full of
surprises
In other words, case-teaching
„ Is a creative preoccupation of creative
minds
„ Means more work but more fun
„ Puts a premium on skill in discussion,
persuasion, willingness to experiment
with ideas and solutions
 Preparation-teacher
„ Mastering the facts, issues, and other
materials in the case
„ Anticipating questions that might arise
„ Visualizing how you want the discussion
to proceed and where you want it to
end
 Preparation-students
„ Who is the decision maker in the case?
„ What are the decision maker’s objectives?
„ Are there other important actors?
„ What are their objectives?
„ What are the key issues and questions?
„ What is the environment: constraints and
opportunities?
„ What specific alternatives are there? With
what consequences?
„ What would I do? And why?
Case-teaching session outline
„ Student reading/preparation
„ Small group discussions among
students
„ Plenary session or actual case
discussion, facilitated by the teacher
„ Reaching conclusions or closure (in
class or in a written assignment)
 Plan for the remaining day
„ Case teaching demonstration
„ Dashman company
„ Lunch break-preparation
„ Case teaching exercise
„ A change of leadership at the Local
Education Authority
„ To be led by a volunteer faculty member

„ Wrap-up
References and resources

Development Policy Analysis. 1986. EDI Policy Seminar Report Series. Report No. 4. (EDI: Washington, D.C.)
Edward L. Felton Jr. 1979. Teaching by the Case Method. EDI Course Note Series 675/004. (EDI: Washington D.C.)
Max Boisot, "Two Models of Learning," in Timothy King and Zhang Jiping, eds.,
Case Studies of Chinese Economic Reform. 1992 (1). EDI Development Policy Case Series.
Teaching Cases. Number 2. (EDI: Washington, D.C.)
Lawrence E. Lynn, Jr., "The Case Method: An Overview for Chinese Teachers," in Timothy King and Zhang Jiping, eds.,
Case Studies of Chinese Economic Reform. 1992 (2). EDI Development Policy Case Series.
Teaching Cases. Number 2. (EDI: Washington, D.C.)
Christensen, C. Roland. 1981. Teaching by the Case Method. (Boston, Mass: Division of Research,
Harvard Business School)
Irfan Ul Haque. A Question of Parking Your Car. 1993. EDI Case Collection. (EDI: Washington D.C.)
Gould, Stephanie and Larry Lynn. 1988. Developing a Teaching Case. EDI Studies & Training Design Division
(EDI: Washington D.C.)
Kennedy, David M. and Esther Scott.1985. Preparing Cases in Public Policy. J.F.Kennedy School of Government
Case Program. (Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University)
Benson P. Shapiro.1986. Hints for Casewriting. (Boston, Mass: HBS Case Services, Harvard Business School)
Leenders, Michael R. and James A. Erskine. 1978. Case Research: The Case Writing Process.
(London, Ontario: University of Western Ontario School of Business Administration)
ITC-International Trade Centre UNCTAD/GATT. 1988. Guidelines for Writing Business Case Studies
in Developing Countries. ITC/082/E3/89-V, Geneva, Switzerland.

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