University of California, Santa Barbara
Case Method Website: How to Teach with Cases
John Foran, Department of Sociology, UC Santa Barbara
This part of the site consists of some general materials to help you learn to teach with the case method. For teaching specific cases, see the “Teaching Notes” section of the case itself. If you have any questions about case teaching, please contact John Foran at email@example.com.
The following items are found here:
John Boehrer and M. Linsky, Case Discussion: What is it like? What is its purpose? Excerpted from a longer essay on case teaching, this and the following short piece explain some of the basics of what case teaching is.
Thomas Angelo and John Boehrer, Case Learning: How does it work? Why is it effective?
John Foran, The Case Method of Learning This is a text that I give to my students in the syllabus or course reader that goes over the basics for them.
John Foran, Notes on Role Playing This is a short text that I add to study questions for my students as they prepare for role plays.
Readings on the Case Method This is a bibliography of readings, which can be used in conjunction with the resources and links below for further exploration of the art of case teaching.
The following links are also found here (all with thanks to the sources):
John Boehrer, “Teaching International Affairs with Case Studies” John Boehrer is currently Senior Lecturer and Director of Teaching Resources for the Electronic Hallway at the University of Washington (see below) and former director of the Pew Faculty Fellowship in International Affairs, Kennedy School, Harvard. He has taught numerous social scientists the art of case teaching.
Maryann K. Cusimano, Why Do You Do What You Do the Way You Do It?: Examining Teaching Goals and Teaching Methods Tips on case teaching by a gifted case teacher.
Vicky Golich, Mark Boyer, Patrice Franko, and Steve Lamy The ABCs of Case Teaching, A guide to the art of case teaching by four Pew Fellows.
John Foran, The Case Method and the Interactive Classroom pp. 41-51 in Thought and Action (the journal of the National Education Association). 2001. This is a personal account of teaching with cases that tells of student reaction to them and some of the problems and issues associated with teaching them and integrating them into one’s class curriculum.
Karen Mingst, editor, Case Teaching in International Affairs – A Special Issue of International Studies Notes A variety of pieces by accomplished case teachers.
Web-based resources for interested teachers:
This site is maintained by John Foran
Last update: June 2002.