The Case Method

The case method is a discussion and inquiry oriented teaching approach, typically intended for graduate students, that places students in the role of decision-maker, confronting real-world situations complete with the constraints and incomplete information found in real life.

Unlike lectures, case method classes unfold without a detailed script. Successful instructors simultaneously manage content and process, and they must prepare rigorously for both. Case method teachers learn to balance planning and spontaneity. In practice, they pursue opportunities and "teachable moments" that emerge throughout the discussion, and deftly guide students toward discovery and learning on multiple levels. The principles and techniques are developed, Christensen says, "through collaboration and cooperation with friends and colleagues, and through self-observation and reflection."

For more on the case method, see UVEI's knowledge brief "Graduate School Models: The Case Method."