2. Case Study Characteristics
Qualitative method
Bounded system (ie: classroom, event, )
Stems from a descriptive question (what happened when...?)
or explanatory question (how or why something happened?)
Results are tangible or concrete in nature often because it is
personal.
3. More Characteristics
Particularistic, Descriptive, and Heuristic
Particularistic focuses on a particular situation or event.
Descriptive means your study includes “thick
descriptions” of the situation or event.
Heuristic is when the reader gains personal insight,
beyond what they started with, when the results are in.
4. Conducting and Analyzing Case Studies
< Single vs. Multiple Case Studies >
< Single vs. Multiple Case Studies >
Multiple sites, multiple events, or multiple individuals?
Validity and/or generalizing
Different analysis techniques for a multiple:
Unordered Meta-Matrix
Site-Ordered Descriptive
Site-Ordered Predictor-Outcome Matrix
Time-Ordered Meta-Matrix
Scatterplots
Site-Ordered Effects Matrix
Causal Models
5. What happened when you
introduced sign language into your
classroom’s spelling curriculum.
6. Quick Note: Narrative vs. Case Study
Narrative
Narrative studies are PERSONAL and share one’s life
experiences or important events of one’s life.
Narrative studies are usually chronological.
Case Study
Case studies usually surround social issues.
Case studies are bounded: by time, space, or people.
8. Case Studies…
• Are probably the most “mainstream” type of
research
• Are used in a variety of fields (business,
medicine, advertising)
• Are easily combined with other types of
research
• Are a great teaching tool
9. Sample Case Studies
• Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences
http://www.paideia.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/SuccessStories.pdf
• Thirty Years Later: The Long-Term Effect on
Boarding Schools on Alaska Natives and
Their Communities
http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/boardingschoolfinal.pdf
• Cincinnati Case Study
http://www.educationnation.com/casestudies/cincy/index.html
10. Case Study Publications
International
Journal of Teaching and Case Studies
Clinical
Case Studies
Journal
of Case Studies in Education
Journal
of Case Studies
Journal
of Case Studies in Accreditation and Assessment
Journal
of the International Academy for Case Studies
14. Dr. Robert E. Stake
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bf59TDochY
Dr. Joe R. Feagin
www.racismreview.com/blog/
15. References
Davis, B. G. (1993) Tools for Teaching. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Glaser, B. &. ( 1967). The Discovery of grounded Theory: Strategies for qualitative research. Chicago: Aldine.
Hirshberg, D., & Sharp, S. (2005, September). Institute of Social and Economic Research Publications: Thirty Years Later: The Long Term Effect of Boarding Schools on
Alaska Natives and Their Communities. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from Institute of Social and Economic Research: http://www.iser.uaa.alaska.edu/Publications/
boardingschoolfinal.pdf.
http://education.illinois.edu/people/stake
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharan_Merriam
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Feagin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_E._Stake
http://www.sagepub.com/authorDetails.nav?contribId=501003
Johansson, R. (2003, September). Case Study Methodology. Retrieved October 12, 2013, from rolf.johansson@infra.kth.se: rolf.johansson@infra.kth.se
National Paideia Center. (2002). Paideia Stories: Successful Schools in Practice. Retrieved October 18, 2013, from Paideia Active Learning:
http://www.paideia.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/SuccessStories.pdf
NBC News. (2013, October). Education Nation Cincinnati Case Study. Retrieved October 8, 2013, from Education Nation:
http://www.educationnation.com/casestudies/cincy/index.htm
Tellis, W. (1997, July). Introduction to Case Study. The Qualitative Report, http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-2/tellis1.html
16. But, Wait, There’s
More…
Fascinating
Case Study on Hybrid Learning in Rural Alaska…
http://www.gandrewpage.com/sample-
page/papers/ruralcasestudy/
Completed by none other than OUR OWN
Dr. Andy Page!
Notas do Editor
What is it about case studies that make them so prevalent?
Case studies are completed on virtually every topic you can think of. Case studies are VERSATILE, MAINSTREAM, and can be a great teaching tool. In fact, when researching case studies in education (hoping to find the “one” BIG “famous” one) I kept coming up with using case studies as an instructional tool. They are great for stimulating debate, problem solving, and collaboration. Since they are STORIES, they are much easier to read, understand, and RELATE to.
As mentioned before, there is an OVERWHELMING amount of case studies out there. I was hoping to fine ONE really good one to share that would resonate with everyone, but nope, that’s not the nature of the beast. So I chose three, that resonated with me!
1)The first is from a book put out by the National Paideia Center. I chose the case study featuring Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences (CSAS). This school is in my hometown and a WONDERFUL and AMAZING school. It’s a K-12 Magnet school and is one of the most sought after schools to attend. Before changing to a lottery system, parents were known to CAMP out for nearly a WEEK to get their child on a waiting list. It’s one of the oldest magnet schools in the city and very successful.
2)The next case study is about boarding schools in Alaska. I’m taking Issues in AN Education with Paul Ongontooguk and found the whole idea of boarding schools fascinating. This study is an example of a MULTIPLE case study. They look at several boarding schools (including St. Mary’s, Mt. Edgecumbe, Wrangell Institute, Copper Valley, and Beltz) and school experiences, good and bad. This study took place during 2004-2005 and combined the interviews of 60 Alaska Natives who had attended these schools between 1945-1985.
3)The last is a Case Study produced by NBC during their Education Nation Week. It’s actually one of 10 studies done about successful schools and programs around the country. Taking a community approach to educational issues, funding, and struggles they see in their community, this case study is about the Cincinnati community coming together to help out it’s schools. There is a short video to show you the work they are doing in their district. I’ll post the link in the chat box. Unfortunately, there isn’t a DIRECT link to the video, so when you click on the link, look at the top left bar for the word “VIDEO” and click that. When you finish watching, please click the “green checkmark.”
