Resources: National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science
Occasionally, I want to bring light to some of my most-used resources for teaching and research. The National Center for Case Study Teaching is a database that I consult regularly as I plan a new course. Case Studies use a particular instance to investigate questions related to broader concepts. So, we might look at wolves and moose on Isle Royale to understand population growth and community dynamics or plant varieties in different ecological conditions to investigate evolution by natural selection.
Case studies provide students with tangible examples and relevance for the topic at hand. They also allow us to take a hands-off approach, alowing the student to walk herself through a potentially difficult topic as she builds an understanding and the potential to digest the next steps. The work of completing a case studies presents opportunities for development of critical thinking and communication skills as students work together to reason through the proposed problem or question.
The NCCSTS provides peer-reviewed case studies on a wide variety of science topics and in several formats. The NCCST has cases for numerous education levels: from middle school to faculty development and continuing education! Each case usually has a student handout or presentation for use in class as well as teaching notes and an answer key to help educators design the best execution for the case in their classroom. My favorite type of case is the "analysis" where students work through a progressive set of activities, which I might interrupt from time to time to check in or provide needed information. Clicker cases, Role-Playing, and Debates are just a few of the other highly-adaptable formats.
I highly recommend investigating the case study resources -- especially if you are struggling to put together a seemingly interesting lecture on a certain topic. Your students will love the change in approach, and I think you will see significant gains in learning and engagement over the traditional lecture format.
One final note is that -- while it might seem like easy to simply download and use a case -- I don't necessarily think of case stuides as short cuts in my class preparation. Yes, the teaching notes do really help with class preparations, and I take comfort in using an activity that I know worked for others. I still find it essential to run through the case on my own and think about places where students might struggle and places where I might be able to connect the case to emphasized learning objectives. Adequate preparations to guide progress and answer student questions are essential to students' good experience (and yours!).
I’m happy to suggest some of my favorite cases or to answer questions on how you might adapt a case to your specific class needs. Just drop me a line!
Pro tip 1: Any one can look at the case handout/presentation, but the site requires an account (they'll verify your status as an instructor before approving your request) and a membership fee of $25 (for maintenance of the site after the end of the NSF grant). So, if you want to use this resource, don't wait until the last minute to sign up.