Effective Learning and Teaching in Engineering

Caroline Baillie, Ivan Moore

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2004
• ISBN:
  9781134312092
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Education General

Written to meet the need of teachers, lecturers and tutors at all stages in their career, this is the authoritative handbook for anyone wanting to and understanding the key issues, best practices and new developments in the world of engineering education and training.
The book is divided into sections which analyse what students should be learning, how they learn, and how the teaching and learning process and your own practice can be improved.
With contributions from experts around the world and a wealth of innovative case study material, this book is an essential purchase for anyone teaching engineering today.
The 'Effective Learning and Teaching in Higher Education' series deals with improving practice in higher education. Each title is written to meet the needs of those seeking professional accreditation and wishing to keep themselves up to date professionally.

Part 3: How can we help students learn?

4: Case studies in engineering

Claire Davis and Elizabeth Wilcock

What are case studies?

Case studies are an increasingly popular form of teaching and have an important role in developing skills and knowledge. It is well documented that students can learn more effectively when actively involved in the learning process (Bonwell and Eison, 1991; Sivan et al., 2000) and case studies are one way in which this can be promoted (Grant, 1997; Kuntz and Hesslar, 1998; Richards et al., 1995). There are a number of ways of describing what a case study is, for example, Fry et al. (1999) describe case studies as complex examples which give an insight into the context of a problem as well as illustrating the main point. A case study can also be considered as a student-centred activity that presents an account of a situation or involves the study of a topic that raises issues or problems for analysis. One of the major advantages of using case studies is that they present material to students in a contextual manner, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice.

It is at this point, that it is important to make a distinction between this type of learning and problem-based learning. While problem-based learning encourages students to identify their own learning objectives, the case study approach has stricter parameters so that specific scientific principles and syllabus content is included. It may be expected that the students define some of their own learning activities but the learning objectives are usually clearly stated at the start of the case study. The structure and format of case studies can be likened to project-based learning as described by Savin-Baden (2003). Savin-Baden highlights the differences between problem-based learning and project-based learning and these are summarized in Table 4.1. In practice, there is a great deal of overlap between the two teaching modes. Many of the discussion points presented here are relevant to both case studies and problem-based learning topics.

Table 4.1 Differences and similarities between project-based learning (similar in structure to case study learning) and problem-based learning

The format of a case study can include a large variety of different teaching structures, ranging from short individual case studies to longer group-based activities; these will be described later in this chapter.

Why use case studies?

Traditional teaching methods have focused on the lecture-based approach in which students are passive recipients of knowledge. However, in recent years there has been a noticeable shift towards more student-centred activities as increasingly more studies indicate that students learn most effectively when involved in active learning. Students need to be encouraged to participate in independent study and not just sit back and receive subject content and, hence, knowledge. Educational research has shown case studies to be useful pedagogical tools. Grant (1997) outlines the benefits of using case studies as an interactive learning strategy, shifting the emphasis from teacher-centred to more student-centred activities. Raju and Sanker (1999) demonstrate the importance of using case studies in engineering education to expose students to real-world issues that they may be faced with in an engineering profession. Chinowsky and Robinson (1997) describe the development of civil engineering case studies within an interdisciplinary course, where civil engineering students were encouraged to interact with students from other disciplines. Case studies have also been linked with increased student motivation and interest in a subject (Mustoe and Croft, 1999).

Case studies typically present students with topics to be analysed and discussed. Many case studies require students to undertake a variety of activities such as independent research, attending lectures/seminars, working collectively in a group and/or presenting their work in the form of reports, posters, oral presentations, etc. It is known that styles and modes of learning differ from student to student, i.e. students have different ‘preferred methods for perceiving and processing information’ (Kolb, 1984). For example, not all students’ working style is suited to that of collaborative learning, just as not all students work best individually. A learning environment that utilizes a variety of teaching methods and activities is more likely to draw upon a full range of learning styles. Furthermore, such an approach may help students to develop their ability to use diverse learning styles and encourage adaptability (Grasha, 1996). Case studies provide a good opportunity to accommodate a variety of learning styles so that students are able to develop their technical and key skills and so that no student should be unfairly disadvantaged compared to another.

Typical case study formats

Case studies can take numerous different styles in terms of length, content, assessment, etc. However, there are several key factors that should be included, or at least considered, in all case studies; these are discussed below.

Pre-case study sessions

Case studies are likely to involve activities such as independent research, group work, presentation requirements (e.g. poster, oral, reports, etc.). It is important to recognize that students may not already possess these key skills at a level required to participate fully in the case study. It may be necessary to organize one or more sessions before running the case study to give the students confidence in these skills, for example a group training session (Wilcock and Davis, 2003) or training on how to give effective presentations. Gibbs (1995) suggests that students should have a trial run when taking part in, or carrying out, new activities before the first time marks are awarded. In addition, it should be indicated to the students that the case studies are about developing these key skills as well as the academic knowledge of the case study topic.

Introduction

Case studies are used to encourage active learning where the student is expected to identify learning activities, carry out independent research and possibly work in a group. For many students this will be a very different learning style than they have encountered before, for example at school where traditional classroom lessons may have been common. It is essential that the students be given very clear instructions of what is expected of them during student-centred activity (Gibbs, 1995). This can take the form of specific aims and objectives (including those related to key skills development as well as specific case study topic knowledge), a support website (containing the aims and objectives and further guidance/information relating to the specific case study), a booklet (containing generic information about case study learning and other learning modes the students are expected to partake in) or a combination of these support tools.

Supporting lecture(s)/background information

Case studies can be used to teach basic concepts and lecturers can emphasize important points and procedures in a way that students can enjoy learning them (Henderson et al., 1983). However, if a case study is being used to develop the students’ understanding of a new topic containing complex or numerous concepts then a supporting lecture(s) may be required to ensure that all the students understand the key areas that will be included. Some lecturers may prefer to give the students the essential information via a set of notes, references to relevant literature or on a support website.

Independent research

Most case studies will require students to conduct independent research. Students may need assistance in determining which sources of information are most appropriate to consider, particularly early on in their university course where they may not have had the training in critical analysis of references before. Students may also need guidance on how to use the Internet to gather information, for example on how to determine validity of the information source (Goett and Foote, 2000). Goett and Foote state that it is important that students should understand the difference between citing a source and plagiarizing it, how copyright law applies to the resources they wish to use, and that web pages will differ in their accuracy, currency, completeness and authority. These issues could be addressed either through briefings, web pages or notes.

Facilitating group activities

Where students are expected to work in a group, care is needed to ensure that all members of the group contribute. Students should be encouraged to separate the work required into sub-tasks that can be allocated to different group members. It may be appropriate for the lecturer to carry out this task division for the students if it is their first experience of carrying out this type of activity. For longer case studies, i.e. those carried out over several weeks, the lecturer may wish to consider having formal meetings with the student groups to ensure progress is being made (Wilcock et al., 2002). An alternative approach would be for the groups to have to keep a record of meetings they hold which would then be submitted as part of the assessment procedure. The development of group working skills in the context of case study teaching will be discussed in more detail later.

Selecting the case study topic

Obviously, the main considerations when selecting the topic for the case study are to ensure that it allows the key theoretical concepts from the course curriculum to be covered and that it is an area that has sufficient resources for the students to use. The second of these considerations will often be determined by the way in which the case study is being developed, i.e. whether the case study follows a lecturer’s research interests, is delivered by an industrialist, etc. Issues that have arisen following feedback from students are that they tend to be more motivated by case study topics that they can relate to. For example, where an engineering failure is being considered, an event that is more recent and of higher profile is favoured. This is echoed by Mustoe and Croft (1999) who emphasize the importance of implementing case studies based on modern and recent technologies and applications. Another consideration is the amount of information available on a topic, for example for high-profile topics there can be an enormous amount of detail available (e.g. on the Internet) which can be daunting for some students. For these circumstances guidance to the students about core resources to be considered is important. Methods for developing case studies are discussed in the next section.

Assessment

Case studies can be used to develop key skills, as well as subject-specific knowledge, and assessment may need to take into account both aspects. The type of assessment used will depend upon the learning objectives, the length and level (e.g. first year of undergraduate course compared to the final year) of the case study. For example, when students first encounter case study learning it may be appropriate to include assessment of the learning process as well as the specific subject content. In this case, assessment of the group working process (e.g. attendance at group meetings, recording the agenda, minutes and action lists from meetings, distribution of activities, etc.) could be used. The forms of assessment that might be used in case study teaching are considered in more depth later.

Examples of case study formats

Single-session case study

A single-session case study may be used to illustrate a key theoretical concept(s) that is being covered in a more traditional lecture format, in the context of a real-world example. The main consideration here is to maintain a clear link between the concepts being conveyed and the example being used. State the learning objectives at the beginning of the session and explain that students will be addressing the main areas within the context of the case study. The following is an example of a single-session case study used to explore material properties and processing (raw materials, manufacture, marketing data, heat treatments, compositions, structures, etc.) set in the context of chocolate production. The session is three hours long and involves group work, presentation skills and time management.

Students are assigned to groups of four to six for the session. Each group is presented with a pack of information about chocolate and a set of questions to answer. There is too much information for everyone to read everything, hence the students need to set priorities and allocate tasks to ensure that all the research is completed in time. The groups are also required to give a five-minute presentation to the class on a given topic, different for each group (e.g. control of taste through composition, structure and processing/sustainable strategies for packaging chocolate, etc.). Therefore, the students have to share their findings from the reading and relate the information to their knowledge from other lecture courses (e.g. what is shell casting, tempering, etc.). A final component to the case study is taste testing of a range of different chocolate samples to illustrate the role of composition (sugar, milk, cocoa levels, particle size, etc.) on taste and texture. In order to ensure that the students appreciate why they are studying chocolate (not a material that commonly features in a materials engineering course syllabus) an introductory mini-lecture is used. During this introductory period the lecturer identifies where specific content in other lecture courses the students are taking (e.g. casting, heat treatment, crystal structure, etc.) is relevant to chocolate technology. In addition, they clearly explain the expected outcomes of the case study and provide the students with suggested methods for tackling the tasks set. This is important as this case study is used with first-year undergraduate students.

Multiple-session group case study

A multiple-session case study may be used to develop the students’ key skills and knowledge of a topic while also covering theoretical concepts. Multiple-session case studies can run over several weeks and provide a good opportunity to incorporate a variety of activities and assessment strategies. Outlining the importance of project management to students is essential in such case studies as well as giving a briefing on the important factors of group working. The following is an example of a multiple-session group case study in which students investigate and perform experiments on the metallic components of a bicycle. The case study runs over five weeks and involves an introductory lecture, three practical sessions, two group sessions and a session for presentations. The main aims of the case study are to illustrate why given materials are used for a particular application and to give students the opportunity to produce and analyse experimental data in conjunction with carrying out independent research on the topic.

After the introductory lecture, in which the lecturer provides background information on the topic and then identifies the case study tasks, students are randomly allocated into groups of four to five. In the following five weeks, students undertake independent research and are expected to carry out practical work using optimal microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and hardness testing. Due to timetable and laboratory size restrictions, it is not possible for all students to attend every experimental session. To tackle this problem, each experimental session is limited to two members from each group and different pairs are required for each session. This ensures that a...

Table of contents

• Cover Page
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Illustrations
• Contributors
• Introduction: Reflecting on effective learning and teaching in engineering education
• Part 2: What do we want students to learn?
• Part 3: How can we help students learn?
• Part 4: How can assessment help student learning?
• Part 5: Leading the change
• Part 6: Reflecting on reflecting