Using the case method in teacher education: The role of discussion and experience in teachers' thinking about cases

Abstract

The question of whether discussion is a crucial variable in teachers' learning from cases has not been tested empirically. This study investigated what teachers understood from just reading and writing about a case, compared to what they thought when also discussing it. The quality, form, and content of the thinking of 8 student teachers, 8 beginning teachers, and 8 experienced teachers was examined. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of participants' writing and oral discourse from the case discussions were undertaken. The work of Piaget and Vygotsky provide the theoretical basis for interpreting how discussion affected teachers' thinking about cases.