The Car Purchasing

Dilemma

A Document-based Case Study in

Making Evidence-based Decisions

By Glen Unwin, East Buchanan CSD

Joe Huebbe, North Scott CSD

INTRODUCTION A husband and wife require a new vehicle for the expected addition to their family. They currently only have vehicle between the two of them. The husband is currently working as entry-level position at an ag-chemical plant 27 miles from their house. The wife is pregnant is working full time as a medical transcriptionist in the same town they live in.

SCENARIO Hey, honey I need your decision on which is the best vehicle so we can make the big purchase before the baby gets here. Remember we are going to be putting a lot of miles on it so please consider fuel efficiency as well as we will be using the vehicle to transport our little one. Don’t forget I can’t handle a yellow car as I refuse to drive a banana. Good luck we’ll take later.

QUESTION-PRODUCT Considering the predicament of this young family. What is the best vehicle based upon the documents provided? In the documents provided one will be on appearance and handling of the vehicle, the crash test rating, fuel economy and the resale value. Your job is to complete a decision matrix based upon the four criteria stated above. The decision matrix is a tool used to assess the viability of a product or process with a numerical rating. The numerical rating can be based upon the example provided with the crash test-rating document. The deliverable has to be one of the following; a tri- fold brochure, poster, or power point presentation. You must have a one to two minute presentation to go along with your printed document.

2011 Sedan Photos

2011 Ford Focus:

2011 Chevy Cruze:

2011 Kia Forte:

2011 Honda Civic:

A

B

Decision Matrix Document Based Case Study

Crash Test Rating www.safercar.gov

Cars

Front Impact Side Crash Rollover

Totals Chevy Cruze

2011

14 Ford Focus

2011

11 Kia Forte

2011

13 Honda Civic

2011

10

C

D

Document Analysis Prompts

1. Who is most likely to use this document?

2. On a rating scale of 1-5 (1 being least and 5 being most) what is the validity of this document?

(Circle one)

1 2 3 4 5

3. Which car came out the winner on this document?

4. What essential factors led you to choose that car over the others?

5. What essential factors led you to eliminate the other cars?

Buying a 2011 Car - Decision Matrix

Criteria from the documents provided

Ideas

Overall Safety Crash test results

Fuel Economy Highway

Fuel Economy City

Fuel Economy Combined

Re-Sale Value NADA

Appearance of vehicle Photos

Totals

Chevy Cruze

Kia Forte

Ford Focus

Honda Civic

Buying a 2011 Car - Presentation Rubric

Category 5 Points 4 Points 3 Points 2-1 Point

Content

Thoroughly and

clearly states the

main points and

precise details that

are accurately

focused on the

design project.

Adequately states

the main points and

details that are

accurately focused

on the design

project.

States most of the main

points and details that

focus on the design

project. May include

some unnecessary

information.

States few main points

and details that focus

on the design project,

or information does not

relate to topic.

Visual Aid

Documentation

Clearly organized

into a logical

sequence.

Excellent use of an

outline. Excellent

introduction and

conclusion.

Adequate evidence

of a logical sequence

of information. Good

use of an outline.

Satisfactory

introduction and

conclusion.

Fair evidence of a logical

sequence of information.

Some use of an outline.

Weak introduction and

conclusion.

Minimal or no outline

followed. No logical

organization; some

digressions. Unclear,

confusing. No

introduction or

conclusion.

Delivery Effectively and

creatively delivers

the information while

staying on the topic

and considering the

audience. Uses voice

variation; interesting

and vivid to hear.

Adequately delivers

the information while

staying on the topic

and considering the

audience. Speaks

clearly and

confidently.

Delivers the information

but does not stay on the

topic. Little consideration

of audience. Uses

incomplete sentences.

Little or no attempt is

made to stay on the

topic. Does not

consider audience.

Difficult to understand.

Preparation Presentation shows

detailed preparation

and practice in

delivery including

use of voice, posture,

eye contact,

gestures, pacing,

and use of pictures,

graphs, computer

models, etc.

Interesting and vivid.

Presentation shows

satisfactory

preparation as well

as practice in

delivery including

use of voice,

posture, eye contact,

gestures, and

pacing. Some use of

pictures, graphs,

computer models,

etc.

Presentation shows

some preparation and

practice in the delivery

including marginal use

of voice, posture, eye

contact, gestures,

pacing, pictures, graphs,

and computer models.

Presentation is lacking

in preparation and

practice of the delivery

including use of voice,

posture, eye contact,

gestures, pacing, and

little or no use of

pictures, graphs, and

computer models.

Difficult to hear.

Speaker appears

tense. Fidgets often.

Total Score:______________________________/20_possible

Tri-Fold, Poster, or Powerpoint Rubric:

Buying a 2011 car

Teacher Name: Industrial Technology Shop

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Originality Document shows considerable originality and

inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in a

unique and interesting way.

Document shows some originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas

are presented in an interesting way.

Document shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness on

1-2 cards.

Document is a rehash of other people's ideas

and/or graphics and shows very little

attempt at original thought.

Text - Font Choice &

Formatting

Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic)

have been carefully planned to enhance

readability and content.

Font formats have been carefully

planned to enhance readability.

Font formatting has been carefully

planned to complement the

content. It may be a little hard to read.

Font formatting makes it very difficult to read the material.

Content - Accuracy

All content throughout the presentation is

accurate. There are no factual errors.

Most of the content is accurate but there

is one piece of information that

might be inaccurate.

The content is generally accurate,

but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate.

Content is typically confusing or

contains more than one factual error.

Use of Graphics All graphics are attractive (size and colors) and support

the theme/content of the presentation.

A few graphics are not attractive but all

support the theme/content of the

presentation.

All graphics are attractive but a few

do not seem to support the

theme/content of the presentation.

Several graphics are unattractive AND detract from the content of the presentation.

Spelling and Grammar

Document has no misspellings or

grammatical errors.

Document has 1-2 misspellings, but no grammatical errors.

Document has 1-2 grammatical errors but no misspellings.

Document has more than 2 grammatical

and/or spelling errors.

Sequencing of Information

Information is organized in a clear, logical way. It is easy to anticipate the type of material that might be on the next card.

Most information is organized in a clear,

logical way. One card or item of

information seems out of place.

Some information is logically sequenced. An occasional card

or item of information seems out of place.

There is no clear plan for the

organization of information.

Total Score:______________________________/24_possible

Sold! A Document-based Case Study in Making Evidence-based Decisions

Buying a 2011 Car Glen Unwin

&

Joe Huebbe

Intended Audience Check all that apply… ☐ 9th grade ☐ general audience ☐ 10th grade ☐ advanced audience ☐ 11th grade ☐ 12th grade

Check all that apply… ☐ general science ☐ biology ☐ earth science ☐ chemistry ☐ physics/phys sci ☐ biotechnology ☐ environmental science ☐ Auto & Small Engines

Time Required - Be careful to describe in minutes – stay away from the words, “periods or blocks”.

90-120 minutes for completion of project.

Introduction/Background Where in the semester is this case best suited, and what type of background do the students have when they encounter the case?

This activity is most effective at the middle to end of a course. Could be most effectively implemented after a lesson on transportation. Students should have background knowledge of MPG, Safety Ratings, and varying body styles.

Objectives of the Case

List exactly what the students should know and be able to do after they have finished the case that they didn’t know and couldn’t do before they went through the case.

Students will be able to complete a decision matrix based on specific criteria. They will become an informed consumer and be able to access public information on vehicles. They will be able to define what Kelley Blue Book is and how to use it as a resource to determine car values.

Major Issues –

Identify the major issues in the case that the students should analyze. Indicate which issues you think will (should) come up and what information you

Students will analyze Fuel ratings, crash test safety ratings, and Kelley Blue Book car values. Students will be able to compare and contrast the four makes and models of vehicles in relationship to appearance. They will be able to differentiate between city and Highway fuel efficiency.

expect students to extract from each document.

Classroom Management Tells the reader just how the case should be used in a classroom situation. The explanation must be presented in detail. What to do first, second, and last? How long do certain activities take? Indicate any pre-class assignments and follow-up assignments that might be used after a discussion of the case is finished. Include study questions and questions you will be asking in the classroom throughout the case. Include what you write on the board to direct and guide students throughout the case. Provide closure for students – how do you wrap up this activity up?

First Handout the DBCS to each student. Read through the scenario to the whole class. Have them complete each of the documents questionnaire Students must complete the decide-o-matic form. Students will have to give a one- minute "elevator style" presentation on their decision making process with the use of the documents provided. As well as the presentation all students will have to submit a tri-fold brochure, poster or power point presentation.

References & Resources

Include a list of references to follow up particular lines of thought or included in your documents. May also include

online resources & associated URLs.

www.fueleconomy.gov www.nada.com www.safercar.gov www.caranddriver.com www.consumerreports.com www.chevrolet.com www.ford.com www.kia.com www.honda.com

Assessment of product – Identify the product that students will produce as a result of this DBCS. Do you evaluate class discussions? Do you have students complete peer evaluations? What are students expected to complete? Do you have a rubric to evaluate the final product? Include as many tools for this element as possible.

Students will fill in a blank Decision Matrix based on their assessment of the documents. They will then create a Trifold, Poster, or PPT presentation highlighting their decision on the best car. They must then give a one to two minute verbal presentation to their peers. We will evaluate this based on the PLTW rubric.