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- Focus on : Facilitating a pedagogical case study
ADVICE
Reminder :
For the structure of a pedagogical case study, please refer to the section “Organising my course > Methodologies and practices “. We will only deal here with the facilitation part of the case study.
Here are some tips on how to facilitate a case study, following 5 stages. Obviously, you will have to think about the different pedagogical activities you wish to set up beforehand - You can also download a presentation by the Audencia pedagogical engineering team, made during the first case study bootcamp in April 2021.
- Case study discovery phase : at this stage, you need to think about how you can introduce your case study in relation to the theoretical pedagogical input : from what angle can you introduce the case study, how will you encourage student motivation, how will you create a climate of trust between students to encourage discussion ?...
Example of facilitation techniques: the empathy map, ice-breakers, personae, etc.
- Case study analysis and production phase : at this stage you will already know what will be done individually or in groups. For the individual activities, you can imagine a note-taking phase for comprehension, then sharing these notes in a plenary session before each student joins his or her working group.
Example of facilitation techniques: group coaching, question and answer session ...
- Sharing phase : at this stage, the class should be considered as a living space where the aim is to “dive” into the case study, the emotions it may arouse and the possible paradoxes (several types of possible answers/solutions when it comes to human organisations). Don’t hesitate to go back to the context of the case study and unfold it as if telling a story. If the students come to a compromise too early, don’t hesitate to play devil’s advocate. At this stage, students will see the case study through the eyes of several stakeholders. Critical thinking is a key element and will bring a different perspective to their work.
Example of facilitation techniques: surveys, role plays, debate/list of pros and cons, brainstorming, written notes, informal discussions, etc.
- Deliverable production phase : at this stage, the most suitable deliverable format should be defined. Give clear instructions so that students know exactly how to organise themselves and what to expect. If students are presenting to their peers, it is important to think about assigning a role to the audience.
For example: should they ask questions? Assess their peers?
- Feedback phase : after the case study, it is of benefit to ask the students what they have learned, how they intend to apply it in their future professional life, and whether it has changed their view of a given issue. It will be important to highlight parallels between the case study and the theoretical concepts. Sometimes it is necessary to try to understand why students have chosen a particular direction in their case-solving method, a direction that you had not anticipated. Feedback is then all the more important in order to apply it to a future version of the case study.
Example of a facilitation technique: informal discussion, pros and cons list, questionnaires, etc.
