The method of case study is a teaching/learning strategy which tries to bring students closer to reality with the description of a real or hypothetic situation. The case describes a global scenario where multiple variables meet together and which is likely to be the object of study. Students must analyse the situation, recognise the problems and come up with their own conclusions about the actions to be taken, discussing the case with the rest of the team and describing or defending their plan of action orally or in writing.

The situation may be presented written, recorded, drawn and with IT or audiovisual support. Study cases may be used as an example of the theory, to put the acquired knowledge into practice or as a tool of evaluation of students’ learning. It is a strategy which improves the involvement of students in their own learning process and enables teamwork. It can be used both in small groups and in bigger ones.

 

Bibliography regarding this methodology

ASOPA, B. Y BEYE, G. (2001). Appendix 2: The case method. Click here

FORAN, J. (2002). Case method website. University of California, Santa Barbara. 

UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE MADRID (2008). Método del caso. Servicio de Innovación Educativa Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. 

UNIVERSIDAD POLITÉCNICA DE VALENCIA (2006). Método de casos. Fitxa metodològica coordinada per la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia.

 

Examples of the implementation of this methodology

CAMIÑA, C.; CUENCA, A.; BALLESTER, E. y MONTES, A. (2003). La metodología del caso en la docencia de ingeniería: un caso concreto de aplicación. XI Congrés Universitari d’Innovació Educativa en els Ensenyaments Tècnics.

DYRUD, M. (2004). Cases for teaching engineering ethics. 24th ASEE/IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference. Octubre, 20-23, 2004, Savannah, G.A.

GÓMEZ SÁNCHEZ, E.; DIMITRIADIS, Y.A.; ASENSIO, J.I.; RODRÍGUEZ, E.; BOTE, M.L.; VEGA, G. (2003). Aplicación y evaluación del estudio de casos como técnica docente en el área de Ingeniería Telemática. IV Jornadas de Ingeniería Telemática JITEL. Gran Canaria, 15 al 17 de setembre de 2003. Click here