Introduction What is case-based learning? How to use CASE? Case Materials Evaluation Activities Sharing About us References   How to conduct case-based teaching and learning In CBL, learners engage with the characters and situations that are described in the case, work to identify the problems, and then find appropriate solutions. The teacher encourages exploration of the story and consideration of the actions of the characters in the light of their decisions. Students familiar with traditional “talk and chalk” classroom teaching are likely to be uncomfortable with the CBL format at first. To lessen the students’ fear, teachers should try their best to choose a realistic case or story to arouse their interest and to convince students that they are “researchers” looking for information and solutions to problems that may not have a single “right answer.” The following components are usually involved in typical case-based teaching and learning. They can be used step-by-step or in an iterative manner. a. Introduce the case Present the students with a brief problem statement of the case. Guide your students to read the statement through to get a sense of the case and its issues. You may choose to introduce the case in various formats, such as showing newspaper cuttings or role-playing, which can make the problem realistic and stimulate student interest. You may also tell them how they will be assessed. b. Form groups and initiate discussions Split the class into several groups. A typical effective group should have between four and six members. The group must work together, discuss and identify the issues and solve the problems. Throughout the discussions, students may be motivated by and discuss issues that are relevant but may not be the intended focus of the study. While teachers should acknowledge the importance of these issues and recognize good ideas, they should also help students to identify the key issues for solving the case. c. Identify the way forward Given the limitations of time and resources, students need to prioritize the issues. Some sensible assumptions might have to be made and some minute details might not be able to take into consideration. What important is that students identify their own way forward, assign research tasks within the group for analyzing the issues and resolving the case, and then engage themselves in a variety of tasks or learning activities. d. Guide the learning activities Students will participate in different learning activities, such as information searching, literature review, data collection, or field and laboratory experiments. Teachers should provide guidance, and closely monitor the activities with a view to providing timely feedback so as to facilitate students’ learning. Before class, you should review the case history and prepare yourself with teaching and learning materials that can be released progressively as the case proceeds. Avoid giving the actual references to your students, as the one of the major objectives of CBL is to solve a problem, rather than read a solution. e. Organize presentation, mobilize discussion and provide timely feedback Organize a session to have groups present their findings. When each group has presented its ideas, ask a representative from each of the remaining groups to ask questions or provide feedback. The presenting group should be prompted to fully answer all requests for clarification. At the end of the Q&A session, you should provide immediate feedback on the group’s work, confirm the good points that were made, supply any missing information, and clarify any misconceptions. Assessing students Designing assessments for case-based classes is of utmost importance, as good assessment methods directly enhance the learning motivation of the students. Students can be asked to engage in a wide variety of learning activities in CBL, nearly all of which can contribute to their marks for the course. For example, students can be requested by the teacher to report their findings and solutions to the cases using one or more of the following forms of presentation. Presentations Poster displays PowerPoint slide shows Web pages Formal or informal written reports Answers on worksheets Multimedia productions, such as audio or video recordings It is important that these activities and products be properly assessed to make students feel that their efforts in these tasks are valued and judged fairly and accurately. Assessment of CBL is therefore more complex than assessment in TCL, in which students are mostly judged on their performance in exercises and examinations. Whereas tests and examinations in the traditional classroom consist mainly of short or multiple-choice questions and usually only test students’ basic understanding of concepts, the activities in the case-based classroom are richer in context, and demand more skills and an ability to really apply knowledge to solve problems. Care must thus be taken to assess students in ways that match the overall case-based approach, that is, a shift from being solely teacher-centered to actively involving the contribution of the students, the encouragement of student performance both in groups and as individual learners, and the assessment of the capabilities of students in a range of learning processes and skills. To achieve these aims, assessments in case-based classes should have the following characteristics. Students are encouraged to contribute to the assessment. certain amount of course marks are awarded based on the performance of the groups. A small percentage of the class marks are adjustable based on individual contributions in the groups. The capabilities of students in a range of learning processes and skills aside from subject knowledge are monitored. Examinations contain more demanding questions that require a real understanding of the relevant knowledge its application to various situations. Students should be encouraged to contribute to the design of the assessment. For example, all of the assessment criteria can be laid down at the beginning of the course, and a briefing session can be conducted to clearly explain the format of the course and the assessment model. Students can be asked to comment on the method of assessment, and their feedback can then be used to refine the format and timetabling of the assessments. Students can also participate in the marking process. One way to do this is to ask students to give marks for the performance of other groups, based on some prearranged marking criteria, which will make up a certain percentage of the overall grades. Engaging students in the assessment process can teach students valuable learning skills and attitudes. Teachers can distinguish group and individual performance by awarding a certain amount of course marks based on the performance of the group in assignments and presentations, while allowing a small percentage of these marks to be adjusted based on an individual’s contribution to the group. To monitor individual contributions, teachers can introduce consultation sessions with individual students in which their performance is reviewed. Course-end examinations can also be set to test the individual knowledge that the students have learnt through carrying out their own projects and from the presentations of their peers. Lastly, toward the end of the course peer feedback can be sought on the contributions of individuals to the group. To monitor the capabilities of students in a range of learning processes and skills, grades should not only be awarded for the products, but also for the processes. Teachers should monitor the ability of students to understand the issues in the case, generate a hypothesis on their own, search for information, work in groups, and solve problems. This can be carried out through regular consultation sessions in which the teacher meets each student group in turn. Teachers need to allow time for the students to engage in group discussions in class, and should give timely advice on the ideas and approaches that the students come up with. Lastly, analytic skills and presentation skills can be assessed when the students present their solutions to the case. Course-end examinations should also be changed to reflect the case-based nature of the course. Teachers should include more demanding questions that call for the understanding of a situation, the application of theories and concepts, and the solution of problems. To help teachers keep a good record of the various aspects of learning, all of the cases that have been produced come with a very clear statement of requirements and a detailed marking scheme. The following two tables give sample marking schemes for student presentations and written reports, respectively. Note that students are rated not only on the content that they cover, but also on other aspects that involve important learning skills and processes.       Needs Improvement Satisfactory Good Excellent Understanding the issue Clear understanding of the case 15%         Evidence and data Appropriate and relevant data 15%         Analysis Clear reasoning; arguments for and against 15%         Solution Well-reasoned and practicable solution 15%         Presentation Structure Logical structure 10%         Clarity Clarity of voice 10%         Visual aids Use of visual aids 5%         Reaction Responses to questions and feedback 5%         Punctuality Timely completion of task 5%         Team work Cooperation 5%           Total 100%         Sample marking scheme for student presentations       Needs Improvement Satisfactory Good Excellent Focus of study A clearly identifiable focus Key issues identified Relevant reading Clear research question(s) 20%         Evidence and data Appropriate methodology Appropriate and relevant data 20%         Analysis Critical evaluation of arguments Objective and critical discussion Discussion corresponds to research question(s) 20%         Conclusion Clear summary of points made Well-reasoned and practicable solutions/ implications 15%         Language Logical structure Proficiency 15%         References Full and accurate referencing 5%         Punctuality Timely completion of task 5%           Total 100%         Sample marking scheme for student written reports References A. 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