Case Method

Zhou Zhen Cheng

Abstract：The case method was invented by Christopher Columbus Langdell，Dean of Harvard Law School from 1870 to 1895.First application of case method is that be used in legal education.The president of Harvard University，Charles W.Eliot，supported Langdell and his case method.This backing allowed Langdell to withstand the criticism long enough to prove the case methods success.Then Harvard Business School case method grew out of the Langdells method.“In 1908s，it put discussions about real cases in the center of their educational activities which led to a comprehensive collection of cases.Since 1970 it has been implemented in subjects of social sciences in all types of schools.”Nowadays，the case method is now used successfully in disciplines such as engineering，chemistry，education，and journalism.Students can work through a case during class as a whole or in small groups.

Key words：Case Method；Concept；Feature

1 Overview of Case Method

1.1 Main Concept of Case Method

Wikipedia has defined that the case method is a teaching approach that uses decision-forcing cases to put students in the role of people who were faced with difficult decisions at some point in the past；②The case method belongs to a complex teaching method，which is based on a problem structure or a structure of recognizing a problem；③“The case method combines two elements：the case itself and the discussion of that case.A teaching case is a rich narrative in which individuals or groups must make a decision or solve a problem.A teaching case is not a“case study”of the type used in academic research.Teaching cases provide information，but neither analysis nor conclusions.”The case was provided first for the students as the educational materials，then students use the case do the analysis，decision discussion in classroom.The case which would be selected with educational purpose and come from the real word.

1.2 Main Features of Case Method

1.2.1 Problem-based

Case method starts with a problem，and the problem must come from the real word.In different educational settings，different real word problem can be used in the process.We can generally speak that the case method based on the problem，and this kind of problem with large and complicative meanings as to be analyzed by students to put forward their discussion.

1.2.2 Studentsdiscussion happened widely in class

During the case method process，after instructors provide the case information for the students，students can work in a group to analyze the case and share their ideas with each other.Students do the arguments together in order to put forward different solutions in their way.Those discussions reveal the studentsmastery about the case.Thats a process which can develop students problem thinking ability.

1.2.3 Allow different solutions happen in the process

For case method，its important in the process of teaching，students discuss the solution，while the case method doesnt focus on the final solution.It allows students present their different solutions for the problem which help them brainstorming.Without the unique solution limited，students are much encouraged to say anything they want.Besides that，“those solutions should be presented and compared by disadvantages and advantages；before a justified decision will be made.”

2 Critical Remarks

Firstly，teachers prepare a case which needs much time than general teaching materials，besides that case method cant be applied in every educational fields.Teachers will spend a lot of time in select the appropriate cases for students as to achieve learning objectives，while the cases recourses also limited and cant be updated timely in this rapid world.Secondly，for students，they may need time to master the method，so early attempts can feel unsuccessful.Thirdly，teachers should understand the case well，and prepare a discussion structure for the students，if teachers cant prepare well，the class will be in a disorder way.

References

[1]Barnes.L.B.Christensen.C.R.&Hansen.A.J.Teaching; and the case method（3rd ed），Boston：Harvard Business School Press，1994.

[2]Bruner.R.Socratesmuse：Reflections on effective case discussion leadership，New York：McGraw-Hill，2002.

[3]Buckles.Stephen.Using cases as an effective active learning technique，in Teaching Economics to Undergraduates：Alternatives to Chalk andTalk，（M.Watts andW.Becker.eds.），Edward Elgar Publishing，paperback edition，1999：225-240.

[4]KASER，Franz-Josef，BRETTSCHNEIDER Volker：Fallstudie.In：Wiechmann，Jurgen（Hrsg.）：Zwolf Unterrichtsmethoden.Viefalt fur die praxis.Aufl.Weinheim und Basel：BeltzVerlag，2000.