© M. A. Wattiaux, 2003; Slide 1 Can Case-Studies Change The Teaching / Learning Paradigm? Michel A....

© M. A. Wattiaux, 2003; Slide © M. A. Wattiaux, 2003; Slide 11

Can Case-Studies Change TheTeaching / Learning Paradigm?

Michel A. WattiauxDepartment of Dairy Science

[email protected] 3493

http://www.dairynutrient.wisc.edu/dairynutrient/scholarship.htm


Objectives

Challenge in educating the next generation

The learning space

On the student’s role

On a student’s journey through the university

On the teacher’s role

1

2

3

4

5

Developing critical thinking skills6

Case-Studies7

Final thoughts.8


Exhibit 11.2 Research Findings on Instructional Methods and Learning

Exhibit 11.1 Research Findings on Lecture

Teaching as a Discovery (“Research”) Process

Diamond, D. 1998. Designing and Assessing Course and Curriculum, A Practical GuideJossey-Bass Publishers

You can use the literature to find out what others have done,

what works and does not work, and give you ideas about what “to try” next (What an idea!)


Learning/Teaching: A Shared Responsibility

Students

Professors

UniversityOthers (professionals, family, friends, etc.)


Equipping Students for 21st Century Careers

Specialized knowledge in at least one discipline...The ability to think critically and creatively…The ability to communicate effectively…A global perspective: an appreciation for interdependencies…The ability to work with others…A respect for truth, a tolerance for diverse views and a sense of

professional ethics.

The goal of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is to ensure that every student develops:


A Few “Important” Skills

Knowledgeable in one’s chosen discipline

Responsible leader / team member Willing to change

Lifetime learner

Proactive about problems

Can see “the tree” (pay attention to details) and “the forest” (where & how they fit in the industry)

One is not born with professional skills, but one can learn to become a good professional...


Changing Role of Faculty in the Learning Process

Faculty = Instructional Delivery System. The faculty are disciplinary experts who impart knowledge by lecturing.

Faculty = Designer of Learning Environment. The faculty study and apply best methods for producing learning and student success.


On a student’s journey through the University...


What Happens to a Student Exposed to Four Years of Liberal Arts Education?

Co

mm

itm

en

t to

the

ir e

du

cati

on

A U T H O R I T Y A U T H O R I T Y

Dualism Muliplicity Relativism Commitment

There is “right” and “wrong”, the “game” is to find the “right” answer

There are alternate views, and uncertainty among authorities

Everyone has the right to his/her

own opinion

Not all points of view are equally valid

Realization of the value of evidence

Affirmation of one’s identity

Modified from Culver and Hackos, 1982


On the Student’s Role ...

Learning is…

Please take 2-3 minutes to write down your own definition of Learning

… to gather and unify knowledge for oneself


The Student’s Role…

Learning is not a spectator sport; Learning goes beyond memorizing pre-

packaged assignments and spitting out answers;

Learning comes from analyzing and evaluating evidence (data);

Learning is not following somebody else’s opinion;

Learning is both an individual (with all pre-acquired knowledge) and a team process;

People learn (and professors teach) in different ways.

Students must be willing “to reconsider” what learning is all about:


The Student’s Role…Learning and building upon Learning Styles:

What type of information do I preferentially perceive?

Sensory (external) versus intuitive (internal)

How do I “internalize” external information?

Visual (pictures) versus auditory (words)

How should the material be organized to make sense?

Inductive (inference) versus deductive (deduction)

How do I “process” information?

Actively (engagement) versus reflectively (introspection)

How do I make progress in my understanding?

Sequentially (by steps) versus globally (holistically)


The Teacher’s Role…

Teaching is…

Please take 2-3 minutes to write down your own definition of teaching

… to empower students to learn, i.e., gather and unify knowledge for themselves


The Teacher’s Role…A few thoughts “to chew on”:

Somehow, my students have a certain level of experience/expertise

in the topic.

How do I help students to critically assess their prior knowledge?

How do I help students to correct possible misconceptions? How do we share and enrich each other’s experience? The current teaching system does not fully recognize the student’s previous experiences.

How do I take student’s prior knowledge into account? How do I value different behaviors in class? My students and I must be willing “to reconsider” what learning and teaching is all about.

Am I willing to reconsider my teaching methods and grading systems?



Learning is not a spectator sport Learning goes far beyond memorizing pre-packaged

assignments and spitting out answers Learning a discipline is not an “all or nothing” proposition

but rather an on-going “search” for meaning Learning is both an individual act and a social act People learn (and professors teach) in different ways

How do I motivate each student to take an active role in their own education?

How do I help students to become life-long learners? How do I help students to work and thrive as team members? How do I “teach” the skills that will help them in their career? If learning and teaching are team processes, how do I relate

with my colleagues?

A few thoughts “to chew on”:



What type of information do I tend to emphasize?

Concrete (factual) vs. conceptual (theoretical)

What mode of presentation do I use most frequently?

Visual (photos, graphs) vs. verbal (lecture, discussion)

How are my presentations organized?

Inductively (inference) vs. deductively (deduction)

What mode of student participation is facilitated?

Active (students discuss) vs. passive (students listen)

What perspective is provided

during class interaction?

Particulars (the trees) vs. globally (the forest)

Learning and building upon Teaching Styles:


The Learning Space


Lectures Independentstudies

DiscussionThe Teaching / Learning Paradigm


Kolb’s Model of Experiential LearningConcrete

Experience

AbstractConceptualization

ActiveExperimentation

ReflectiveObservation

Kolb, D. A. 1984 Experiential learning:

Experience as the source of learning and

development” Englewood Cliffs, New-

Jersey: Prentice Hall.


L

L L

L

LL

L

L

L

L

LL

L

L

A

A

ALibrary

Internet

AOther students

Classroom Environment

A

L L L LL L

L L L LLL

L L L LL L

Black board / screen

AL

L

L LL

L

L

L

L

L

L

L LL

LL

LA

Library

Black board / screen

Passive Active

Dualism Affirmation of identityLearning is an individual process

Learning is ateam process


Developing Critical Thinking Skills


Knowledge

Levels of Learning (Bloom, 1956)

Comprehension

Application

Analysis

Synthesis

Evaluation

“Criticalthinking”

Each level builds on the previous one. Thus, one cannot move to a higher level without first “learning the bases”.


What Do Students Do at Different Levels of the Learning Scale?

Connect parts & see interactions of systemcomponents

ANGive reasons, appraise, differentiate, compare...

Solve problemsAP Apply to a new situation, use, demonstrate, schedule...

RememberKN Memorize, name, define...

UnderstandCO Give examples, solve drillexercises, compare, contrast...

Create a unique systemout of creative thinking

SYPropose, design, manage, plan, organize...

Judge and appreciatethe value of ideas

EVChoose, reflect, share, compare, assess...


What Do Teachers Do at Different Levels of the Learning Scale?

Act as a resource...

Train, guide...

Lecture, tell, show...

Demonstrate, listen,question...

Support, reflect, argue...

Debate, argue...

KN

CO

AP

AN

SY

EV

Write a paper...

Solve case studies...

True-false, multiple choices...

Short essays, reorganize the material...

Write a proposal and carry out a plan of action...

?

What are their role? Typical grading system


Case Studies and Experiential LearningConcrete (I)

Experience

Abstract (I)

Conceptualization

Active (O)

ExperimentationReflective (O)

Observation


KN

CO

AP

AN

SY

EV

TimeFreshmen Sophomore Junior Senior

Creating a “Learning Environment” to Help Students Take Ownership of Their Education

Pre-acquiredKnowledge Disciplinary knowledge

Pre-acquiredKnowledge

First day of class Last day of class


Degree of Direct Student Involvement in Various Teaching Methods

Svinicki and Dixon, 1987

Studentas

Receiver

FieldworkProject

LogJournals

Direct experience

Model-building exercises

Model critiques

Thought questionsfor reading

Film/tapes

Lecturesexamples

Casestudies

Laboratory

Recall of experience

Paper, project proposal

Analyze data

Studentas actor

Studentas actor

Studentas actor

Studentas actor


Case Studies


What is a Case Study?

A case study is a teaching practice in which students are presented with a complex / real life problem that can be used to demonstrate how experimentation and integration of knowledge help solve the problem at hand. (Wattiaux)

A case study is a story with an educational message (Herreid)

Please take moment to write down your own definition of “case study.”


What Makes a Good Case? (C. F. Herreid, 1998)

Please take moment to write down what you believe makes a good case study

1. A good case serves a teaching function (i.e, a pedagogic utility)

Can you think of examples of “stories” that would help illustrate a point, a concept, or a dilemma that is currently built into your course syllabus?

2. A good case tells a storyWhat are good stories made of?



3. A good case is set in the past five yearsWhy should it be?

4. A good case creates empathy with the central charactersWhy?

5. A good case includes dialogue among charactersWhy?

6. A good case is relevant to the readerHow do you make a story “relevant”?



7. A good case requires dilemmas be solvedThere must be a conflict, something important is at stake, etc.

8. A good case has generalityWhat is the moral of the story?

9. A good case is shortThis should not preclude “long cases.” IfComplexity is to be introduced, it should be done in stages.


Case Study Teaching Method

Teaching method Individual Assignment

Lecture Discussion Small Group

Term Paper X

Directed Case Study X

Story Telling X

Socratic Method X

Public hearing X

Debate X X

Journal Article Cases X X

Poster Presentation X X

Problem-Based Learning X

Herreid, C. F. 1998. Sorting Potatoes for Miss Bonner: Bringing Order to Case Study MethodologyThrough a Classification Scheme . Journal of College Science Teaching: February issue, pp. 236-239


On-line Case Studies for Engineers http://onlineethics.org/eng/cases.htmlhttp://www.civeng.carleton.ca/ECL/http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html


Final Thoughts


The Essence of Good TeachingParker Palmer, Nov, 29, 2001, Madison WI

Good teaching is akin to weaving a fabric of connectedness between student, teacher and subject… The teacher is the loom on which the fabric is woven.

How am I holding my knowledge in my class?

As a tower(to establish my superiority)

As a sword(to threaten the student)

As a wall(to protect myself)

As a bridge(to reach out to the student)

As a loom(to build scholarly expertise)(to help student learning)


Basic Ingredients of Good Teaching

What will produce LEARNING?

A concern for the studentas a person

DisciplinaryExpertise

PedagogicalExpertise

Time/Experience

Lots of “behindthe scene” work

A thick skin!

BE AUTHENTIC(Parker Palmer)


Good Luck in Your Teaching !

© M. A. Wattiaux, 2003; Slide 1 Can Case-Studies Change The Teaching / Learning Paradigm? Michel A....

Documents

Transcript of © M. A. Wattiaux, 2003; Slide 1 Can Case-Studies Change The Teaching / Learning Paradigm? Michel A....