Case Method Teaching Books & Resources for Business Educators
New to case teaching or looking to refresh your approach? These case method books and teaching resources support instructors and students across business, management, and executive education courses, whether teaching in person, online, or in hybrid classrooms.
This book is written for those interested in participative learning. It is designed to make life easier for all new case teachers and to expand the horizons of those more seasoned. Coverage includes preparation for class using the Case Teaching Plan, classroom management, evaluation of student contributions to class discussions, case use variations with a new section on online teaching and case use in a non-case environment. Teaching with Cases is accompanied by a complimentary copy of the authors' highly successful book, Learning with Cases. This latter book is written primarily for students and provides them with a number of tools to analyze case studies, including the Case Difficulty Cube, the Three Stage Learning Process, the short and long cycle case preparation process and the Case Preparation Chart.
A three-book set, comprising one copy each of Teaching with Cases, Writing Cases and Learning with Cases is also available. See product Teaching with Cases / Writing Cases / Learning with Cases: 3-book set.
This note details the basic components of case-based learning, a method chosen by professors for its effectiveness. Designed as an introduction, this note outlines the goals of case learning, how to prepare for class discussions and what to expect during group assignments.
This field-tested guide walks students (alone or in groups) through the entire case writing process, including how to structure a case, collect data, define key problems and concepts, write a teaching note, and get a case published. Detailed specifications are included for structured assignments so instructors (even those with no case writing experience themselves) can quickly and easily integrate a case writing project into any traditional or online class (or independent study initiative).
The Student Guide to the Case Method introduces students to the case method and, in discrete notes, walks them through the tasks that are typically involved in case assignments: analyzing a case, discussing cases in class, writing case reports and giving presentations (individually and in groups), and writing case exams. A final note introduces students to the most common business tools used for case analysis. This guide is best used as a complete package to orient students to the case method, but each note also stands on its own and can be used to supplement other course materials.
How to Prepare for an Effective Case Discussion
Preparation is very important in teaching a case effectively and ensuring a great case discussion, even if the instructor has taught the case in the past.
- Choose the right case. Based on the student profile and the learning objectives, I typically read several cases before deciding on the case to take to the classroom. Case selection is a continuous process. I check the cases on Ivey Publishing, especially the ones in the Global Top 20, to decide if some of those could be used in the classroom in my upcoming courses.
- Keep your learning objectives in mind. Prepare to teach the case keeping in mind your learning goals. You should mentally tick off the learning objectives as you progress through the case discussion.
- Develop an opening question that surprises. While you may assign some questions to students beforehand, I always have a starting question which creates tension and stimulates a good debate. Normally, this question is not part of the questions given to the students as pre-work. I have found this surprise element very conducive to increasing student engagement and participation.
- Ask a student to introduce the case. Prepare for a scenario where some students may not have read the case beforehand. It is a good idea to have a student introduce the case and the dilemma posed.
- Prepare the theoretical takeaways. I prepare for the key takeaways (aligned to the learning objectives), which are linked to theory. Students should be able to see the theoretical framework employed through the case effortlessly. It is also important to capture the key takeaways with a board plan.
- Do your homework. If the case is dated, I do my homework, reading up on what has happened to the company or the protagonist since the time of writing the case. This helps me either reinforce the learnings of the case despite the lapse of time, or briefly discuss the changes which may have happened since then.
- Believe in the experience. Finally, I prepare for the case believing that the teaching and learning involved through cases is truly enjoyable and superior.
Best Practices for Managing Case Discussions in the Classroom
- Identify at least one question (preferably the starting one) which provokes tension and debate. The questions should be framed in such a way that promotes discussion.
- Know your students well before the case discussion. You may ask the student with the relevant industry background to give his perspectives on the case.
- Ensure the atmosphere encourages healthy discussion and participation without fear of judgment. Students can participate as teams, with each team member asked to bring in their perspectives. Do not allow one student or group to ‘hijack’ the discussion.
- Manage the class discussion on each theme or question so it doesn’t end too quickly, nor become so long-winded that most students lose interest.
- Use a combination of warm and cold calls to ensure effective participation.
- Synthesize key takeaways on the board as the class discussion progresses. Let the points emerge from the students, who will own these takeaways, and remember them longer
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