Can Case-Studies Change The Teaching / Learning Paradigm?

1. Can Case-Studies Change TheTeaching / Learning Paradigm? Michel A. Wattiaux Department of Dairy Science Wattiaux@wisc.edu 263 3493 http://www.dairynutrient.wisc.edu/dairynutrient/scholarship.htm

2. Objectives 1 • Challenge in educating the next generation 2 • On a student’s journey through the university 3 • On the student’s role 4 • On the teacher’s role 5 • The learning space 6 • Developing critical thinking skills • Case-Studies 7 • Final thoughts. 8

3. Teaching as a Discovery (“Research”) Process You can use the literature to find out what others have done,what works and does not work, and give you ideas about what “to try” next (What an idea!) Exhibit 11.1 Research Findings on Lecture Exhibit 11.2 Research Findings on Instructional Methods and Learning Diamond, D. 1998. Designing and Assessing Course and Curriculum, A Practical Guide Jossey-Bass Publishers

4. Professors Students Others (professionals, family, friends, etc.) University Learning/Teaching: A Shared Responsibility

5. Equipping Students for 21st Century Careers The goal of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is to ensure that every student develops: • Specialized knowledge in at least one discipline... • The ability to think critically and creatively… • The ability to communicate effectively… • A global perspective: an appreciation for interdependencies… • The ability to work with others… • A respect for truth, a tolerance for diverse views and a sense of professional ethics.

6. A Few “Important” Skills One is not born with professional skills, but one can learn to become a good professional... • Knowledgeable in one’s chosen discipline • Responsible leader / team member • Willing to change • Lifetime learner • Proactive about problems • Can see “the tree” (pay attention to details) and “the forest” (where & how they fit in the industry)

7. Changing Role of Faculty in the Learning Process • Faculty = Instructional Delivery System. The faculty are disciplinary experts who impart knowledge by lecturing. • Faculty = Designer of Learning Environment. The faculty study and apply best methods for producing learning and student success.

8. On a student’s journey through the University...

9. Dualism Muliplicity Relativism Commitment Affirmation of one’s identity There is “right” and “wrong”, the “game” is to find the “right” answer Realization of the value of evidence Commitment to their education There are alternate views, and uncertainty among authorities Not all points of view are equally valid A Everyone has the right to his/her own opinion U T H O R I T Y A U T H O R I T Y What Happens to a Student Exposed to Four Years of Liberal Arts Education? Modified from Culver and Hackos, 1982

10. On the Student’s Role ... Please take 2-3 minutes to write down your own definition of Learning Learning is… … to gather and unify knowledge for oneself

11. The Student’s Role… Students must be willing “to reconsider” what learning is all about: • Learning is not a spectator sport; • Learning goes beyond memorizing pre-packaged assignments and spitting out answers; • Learning comes from analyzing and evaluating evidence (data); • Learning is not following somebody else’s opinion; • Learning is both an individual (with all pre-acquired knowledge) and a team process; • People learn (and professors teach) in different ways.

12. What type of information do I preferentially perceive? • Sensory (external) versus intuitive (internal) • How do I “internalize” external information? • Visual (pictures) versus auditory (words) • How should the material be organized to make sense? • Inductive (inference) versus deductive (deduction) • How do I “process” information? • Actively (engagement) versus reflectively (introspection) • How do I make progress in my understanding? • Sequentially (by steps) versus globally (holistically) The Student’s Role… Learning and building upon Learning Styles:

13. The Teacher’s Role… Please take 2-3 minutes to write down your own definition of teaching Teaching is… … to empower students to learn, i.e., gather and unify knowledge for themselves

14. The Teacher’s Role… A few thoughts “to chew on”: • Somehow, my students have a certain level of experience/expertise in the topic. • How do I help students to critically assess their prior knowledge? • How do I help students to correct possible misconceptions? • How do we share and enrich each other’s experience? • The current teaching system does not fully recognize the student’s previous experiences. • How do I take student’s prior knowledge into account? • How do I value different behaviors in class? • My students and I must be willing “to reconsider” what learning and teaching is all about. • Am I willing to reconsider my teaching methods and grading systems?

15. The Teacher’s Role… A few thoughts “to chew on”: • Learning is not a spectator sport • Learning goes far beyond memorizing pre-packagedassignments and spitting out answers • Learning a discipline is not an “all or nothing” propositionbut rather an on-going “search” for meaning • Learning is both an individual act and a social act • People learn (and professors teach) in different ways • How do I motivate each student to take an active role in their own education? • How do I help students to become life-long learners? • How do I help students to work and thrive as team members? • How do I “teach” the skills that will help them in their career? • If learning and teaching are team processes, how do I relate with my colleagues?

16. What type of information do I tend to emphasize? • Concrete (factual) vs. conceptual (theoretical) • What mode of presentation do I use most frequently? • Visual (photos, graphs) vs. verbal (lecture, discussion) • How are my presentations organized? • Inductively (inference) vs. deductively (deduction) • What mode of student participation is facilitated? • Active (students discuss) vs. passive (students listen) • What perspective is provided during class interaction? • Particulars (the trees) vs. globally (the forest) The Teacher’s Role… Learning and building upon Teaching Styles:

17. The Learning Space

18. Discussion Teacher-Centered Student-Centered Lectures Subject-Centered Independent studies The Teaching / Learning Paradigm "Ideal Learning Space"

19. Concrete Experience Active Experimentation Reflective Observation Abstract Conceptualization Kolb’s Model of Experiential Learning Kolb, D. A. 1984 Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development” Englewood Cliffs, New-Jersey: Prentice Hall.

20. Black board / screen Black board / screen A A A Internet L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L Other students L L L L L L L Library Library A A A A Active Passive Affirmation of identity Dualism Learning is an individual process Learning is ateam process Classroom Environment

21. Developing Critical Thinking Skills

22. Each level builds on the previous one. Thus, one cannot move to a higher level without first “learning the bases”. Evaluation Synthesis “Criticalthinking” Analysis Application Comprehension Knowledge Levels of Learning (Bloom, 1956)

23. Judge and appreciate the value of ideas Choose, reflect, share, compare, assess... EV Create a unique system out of creative thinking Propose, design, manage, plan, organize... SY Connect parts & see interactions of systemcomponents Give reasons, appraise, differentiate, compare... AN Solve problems Apply to a new situation, use, demonstrate, schedule... AP Understand Give examples, solve drillexercises, compare, contrast... CO Remember Memorize, name, define... KN What Do Students Do at Different Levels of the Learning Scale?

24. EV SY AN AP CO KN What Do Teachers Do at Different Levels of the Learning Scale? What are their role? Typical grading system Debate, argue... ? Support, reflect, argue... Write a proposal and carry out a plan of action... Act as a resource... Write a paper... Train, guide... Solve case studies... Demonstrate, listen, question... Short essays, reorganize the material... Lecture, tell, show... True-false, multiple choices...

25. Concrete (I) Experience Active (O) Experimentation Reflective (O) Observation Abstract (I) Conceptualization Case Studies and Experiential Learning

26. EV SY Pre-acquired Knowledge AN AP Disciplinary knowledge CO Freshmen Sophomore Junior Senior Time KN First day of class Last day of class Creating a “Learning Environment” to Help Students Take Ownership of Their Education Pre-acquired Knowledge

27. Direct experience Student as actor Student as actor Recall of experience Laboratory Film/tapes Student as Receiver Thought questions for reading Case studies Lectures examples Log Journals Fieldwork Project Analyze data Model critiques Paper, project proposal Student as actor Student as actor Model-building exercises Degree of Direct Student Involvement in Various Teaching Methods Svinicki and Dixon, 1987

28. Case Studies

29. What is a Case Study? Please take moment to write down your own definition of “case study.” • A case study is a teaching practice in which students are presented with a complex / real life problem that can be used to demonstrate how experimentation and integration of knowledge help solve the problem at hand. (Wattiaux) • A case study is a story with an educational message (Herreid)

30. 2. A good case tells a story What are good stories made of? What Makes a Good Case? (C. F. Herreid, 1998) Please take moment to write down what you believe makes a good case study 1. A good case serves a teaching function (i.e, a pedagogic utility) Can you think of examples of “stories” that would help illustrate a point, a concept, or a dilemma that is currently built into your course syllabus?

31. 3. A good case is set in the past five years Why should it be? 4. A good case creates empathy with the central characters Why? 5. A good case includes dialogue among characters Why? 6. A good case is relevant to the reader How do you make a story “relevant”? What Makes a Good Case? (C. F. Herreid, 1998)

32. 7. A good case requires dilemmas be solved There must be a conflict, something important is at stake, etc. 8. A good case has generality What is the moral of the story? 9. A good case is short This should not preclude “long cases.” If Complexity is to be introduced, it should be done in stages. What Makes a Good Case? (C. F. Herreid, 1998)

33. Case Study Teaching Method Herreid, C. F. 1998. Sorting Potatoes for Miss Bonner: Bringing Order to Case Study Methodology Through a Classification Scheme . Journal of College Science Teaching: February issue, pp. 236-239

34. On-line Case Studies for Engineers http://onlineethics.org/eng/cases.htmlhttp://www.civeng.carleton.ca/ECL/http://ublib.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/case.html

35. Final Thoughts

36. The Essence of Good TeachingParker Palmer, Nov, 29, 2001, Madison WI Good teaching is akin to weaving a fabric of connectedness between student, teacher and subject… The teacher is the loom on which the fabric is woven. How am I holding my knowledge in my class? As a tower (to establish my superiority) As a sword (to threaten the student) As a wall (to protect myself) As a bridge (to reach out to the student) As a loom (to build scholarly expertise) (to help student learning)

37. Disciplinary Expertise Pedagogical Expertise Lots of “behind the scene” work A thick skin! A concern for the student as a person Time /Experience Basic Ingredients of Good Teaching BE AUTHENTIC (Parker Palmer) What will produce LEARNING?

38. Good Luck in Your Teaching !