Resumen de Mastering the Case Method
This paper examines the instructor's role in preparing a case for student discussion and case work. A detailed description of one approach to the case method is presented. This description of case discussion includes specifics for devising interactive stages of student involvement, including a framework for sequencing questions to guide students through cases of analysis and decision making. Accompanying the strategies are illustrations of clarifying techniques and visual support from real‐life case sessions. Finally, because an instructor's primary concern is to help students master the activity of teaching, alternatives for evaluating performance through case work are presented.
‘What do you think of Dr Clark?’ ‘Well, she's certainly persistent. She's making a huge effort for only one student teacher.’ The instructor wrote persistent on the chart paper taped to the wall.
‘I think she's tactful. I mean, she's got some pretty difficult things to say to Evie but she doesn't come into the classroom with guns blazing.’ ‘Courage — I think it takes courage for Dr Clark to talk so honestly to Evie. Even though she's Evie's supervisor and it's her job, it still takes courage.’ ‘You know, I'm surprised that Dr Clark's willing to give out her phone number.’ And the instructor wrote faster with the surge of student comments.
Who are these students discussing — one of their professors? Is Evie one of their peers? They're getting pretty excited about Dr Clark and this student teacher, Evie. From their conversation, it's clear they know these two people well. They're being drawn into this event because it's real and it may happen to them. So begins a compelling, rigorous case discussion.
This paper uses Come Back on Friday (Raines et al., 1991), the case of Rose Clark and Evie Bryant, to illustrate strategies for mastering the case method. It begins with reasons for using the case method, then moves to an examination of ways to make case discussion work effectively. It ends with suggestions for evaluating student learning in a case‐based approach to teacher education.
