Case-based Course Research Articles

Undergraduate course in environmental design and manufacturing

This paper is a progress report on the development of an undergraduate course in environmental design and manufacturing. The importance of the topic is clear from National Academy of Engineering statements regarding the need to incorporate content on sustainable technology. The multidisciplinary team includes academic faculty from engineering, science, liberal studies, and business in collaboration with industry partners. The team's approach is to create a case-based course by adapting existing educational modules from Ford Motor Company. The group has received National Science Foundation funding for this project (DUE-0511322), and the project is currently in its beginning phases.

Internet- and DVD-based instruction in oral pathology for dental students

In the past 2 years, the Maxillofacial Pathology Laboratory course for dental students at the University of Michigan has been converted from a microscope-based course to an internet-accessible, case-based learning experience that includes a cutting-edge virtual histopathology “laboratory.” Essentially this strategy moved the pathology microscopy course out of the physical laboratory to an online virtual laboratory with an associated pathology workbook. This has saved the students class time, eliminated the need to maintain or replace expensive microscopes, eliminated the space requirement for the laboratory and dramatically improved the quality of slides that students view. The new web-based system has also optimized utilization of faculty. One faculty member now spends 1 hour every other week reviewing the assigned cases and projecting network images of unknown cases in conjunction with high quality virtual “slides.” Bacus laboratories (Lombard, Ill) developed the “virtual microscope” technology that allows tissue sections to be scanned, digitized and visualized at different magnifications on a computer, as one would with a real microscope. Furthermore, we developed a DVD version of the case-based pathology course to provide all students, even those who do not have a rapid internet connection, with off-site access to the pathology course. Conclusions The online virtual laboratory and workbook give students the opportunity to reinforce concepts that they have passively acquired, by challenging them to “examine” the lesion, develop a differential diagnosis, and discuss further evaluation. This teaching approach utilizes the behavioral, cognitive, and sociocultural learning lenses, thereby encouraging the future clinician to be more responsible for his/her learning experience, possibly creating a lifelong learner. The successes and challenges of the virtual laboratory will be discussed.

Enhancing Creative Thinking In A Case-Based MBA Course

Improving the critical thinking ability of students is a learning outcome of many undergraduate and graduate courses. While case-based courses encourage higher order critical thinking, students still often become rote in the application of concepts and theories to problem-solving situations. This paper presents an example of a graduate marketing MBA course that was revised by integrating the creative problem solving process with the traditional case analysis process in order to enhance student critical thinking and problem solving skills.

The Radiological Society of North America 89th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting Sunday, November 30 to Friday, December 5, 2003, McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois

Communication is the cornerstone of life. Without it, we would not have the ability to exchange information, build rapport, increase efficiency, or improve technology. In medicine, communication is a fundamental element in educating physicians so that patients ultimately are the benefactors. That is why the theme of the 2003 RSNA Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting is “Communication for Better Patient Care.” Now more than ever, radiology is an integral component of medical care. All members of the radiology team—radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and their support personnel—must remain aware of the latest scientific research, the current trends, and the newest technology, to provide the highest level of care to our patients. With that in mind, RSNA has developed an annual meeting program that is relevant, inspiring, and intellectually satisfying. In addition, physicians have the opportunity to earn a maximum of 80.5 hours of category 1 continuing medical education (CME) credits toward the American Medical Association (AMA) Physician’s Recognition Award. Last year, nearly 60,000 people participated in the event; they experienced an impressive array of scientific presentations, hands-on workshops, courses, educational exhibits, technical exhibits, and an unparalleled opportunity to network with top imaging leaders from around the world. For this year’s meeting, the RSNA Board of Directors has made several changes that will enhance the scientific program and make the meeting more “user friendly.” One big change is the way the Scientific Program will be delivered. All RSNA members are entitled to one free copy of the Scientific Program as a benefit of membership. To request a copy of the program, go to www.rsna.org/program, then choose either to have the program mailed in advance of the annual meeting (deadline, September 1, 2003) or request to pick up the program at the annual meeting. Members who neither pick it up nor request their copy will not receive a print copy of the program. The Scientific Program content will also be available online. The online version makes it easy for attendees to customize a schedule that will give them maximum benefits from the meeting. They will be able to perform comprehensive searches, design a detailed schedule, and download the information to a computer or personal digital assistant. A step-by-step tutorial on how to create a customized meeting schedule will be included in the October issue of RSNA News. Another change for the meeting is the addition of Case-based Review Courses. These new single-day refresher courses will focus on neuroradiology, vascular and interventional radiology, or pediatric radiology. Each daylong course will have morning and afternoon breaks and a lunch recess. The Case-based Review Courses will be interactive—a feature that will be incorporated in an increasing number of courses this year. More digital scientific sessions will also be offered. These are selected scientific paper presentations made available as narrated Microsoft PowerPoint demonstrations. In response to your requests, the lunch period will be longer this year so that attendees will have the opportunity to spend more time viewing exhibits, visiting with colleagues, or walking to the next course. Back by popular demand, the Essentials of Radiology Refresher Course Series will provide 12 hours of category 1 CME credit

The Use of Cases in Teaching Business Courses in Central and Eastern Europe and the United States

The extent of case methodology use in teaching business courses in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and in the United States (US) differ. This paper discusses the reasons for these differences utilizing the available literature and the author's recent experiences in teaching business courses in CEE under the Fulbright Scholar Program. It also presents a framework for developing and delivering case-based business courses with the objective of maximizing teaching effectiveness.

Problem-solving in a case-based course: Strategies for facilitating coached expertise

This paper proposes the use of specific coaching strategies to facilitate student use of expert-like problem-solving strategies while analyzing and solving instructional design case studies. Findings from an exploratory study, designed to examine changes in students' problem-solving skills as they analyzed case studies, suggested that students could show expert characteristics at times, under some circumstances, but did not perform like experts on a regular basis. At two midwestern universities, 37 students analyzed 6 to 10 case studies both in class and in on-line discussions. Comparisons were made both within and across students, as well as across time, to examine patterns and changes in student problem-solving approaches. Findings suggested that primary influences on the incidence of expert performance were more external than internal and might be more aptly characterized as “coached expertise”. Specific suggestions are included for coaching the development of student problem-solving skills within a case-based course.

Introducing Cases in the Asian Classroom: Initiatives in Response to the Challenges

This paper proposes several means to overcome typical challenges encountered when teaching cases in conventional Asian undergraduate classes. The principal challenges are: students' respect for the instructor, students' reticence in speaking, students' strong grade orientation, and students' difficulties in dealing with ambiguity. To address these challenges, this paper proposes four classroom-based initiatives that concern classroom activities or course design aspects of a case-based course. We propose that the incorporation of the four initiatives in the course design helps to address the four challenges. We hope that the paper will stimulate discussion on the means to address these four and other challenges, and promote the sharing of other classroom activities or course designs.

Promising Innovations Loom on the e-healthcare Landscape

Promising Innovations Loom on the e-healthcare Landscape

Variations in planning fixed bridgework — a group of dentists at a case-based postgraduate course

Variations in planning fixed bridgework — a group of dentists at a case-based postgraduate course

A Problem-Based Learning Approach to Teaching Biostatistics

Courses taught using problem-based learning methods give life sciences graduate students direct practice in thestatistical reasoning skills needed to choose appropriate procedures for analyzing data from their researchstudies. This paper describes a graduate-level, case-based biostatistics course designed to cultivate these skills inveterinary medical science students who have had some initial preparation in statistics. The course gives student spractical experience by focusing on the analysis of data from actual biomedical research studies. Studentevaluations indicated that this course improved the students' ability to understand and apply statistical methods intheir research.

Implications Of Results From Cognitive Science Research For Medical Education

Recent results from the cognitive sciences provide insights into the neurobiological basis of memory formation and learning. Learning involves three steps: acquisition of information (physical encoding in the brain), its retention, and the ability to retrieve the information when needed. The results also support the concept of multiple intelligences identified by Gardner and Kolb’s Experiential Learning Cycle theory of learning. Courses developed using these principles are particularly effective in facilitating formation of rich association networks of information that are critical to recall of specific information when needed. Case-based courses satisfy more important learning criteria than other instructional methods, but the effectiveness of all methods can be improved using principles derived from cognitive science research. Computers are a supplement that can enhance the effectiveness of all instructional techniques. However, their use must be integral to the instruction rather than simply being added on to existing courses.

Developing Case-Based Business Statistics Courses

We provide guidelines for developing case-based business statistics courses. Specifically, we describe both the benefits and pitfalls of case-based courses, and list resources available for course development. We describe the characteristics of the instructor (and the classroom!) which augur well for case-based teaching.

"Shooting in the dark" versus "Breaking it down": Understanding students' approaches to case-based instruction

Although the literature is replete with claims of the benefits of case-based instruction, few researchers have examined how individual students respond to and approach learning from this instructional method. In this paper we paint a picture of the contrasting experiences of two students enrolled in a case-based biochemistry laboratory course. These experiences are highlighted to support and extend knowledge gained from the first author's study of the responses and approaches of a freshman class of veterinary students recently introduced to case-based instruction. In the primary study, nine students were interviewed three times during the semester to explore their initial and changing responses and approaches to the case method. Using a constant comparative analysis method, three common themes were identified. In this paper we illustrate these themes by contrasting two students' responses and approaches to the same casebased course.

Grounded Learning: Breathing Life Into Business Education

A quasi-experiment demonstrates the efficacy of grounded learning in a case-based course application. Over 3 semesters, 75 graduate students attended traditional text-case classes, while 75 others attended grounded-case classes. Students in the grounded classes reported higher levels of involvement, motivation, and learning and produced both higher course grades and more professional written products.

Influence of Tutors on Studentsʼ Perceptions of Small-group, Case-based Courses

The authors report on the specialty intentions that graduating students declared on the 1995 AAMC Medical School Graduation Questionnaire (GQ) and compare the pattern of career choices in 1995 with that in 1992. Family practice was the leading choice of graduates in 1995, followed by internal medicine subspecialties and general internal medicine. These choices represented significant gains over those made in these specialties in 1992 and were at the expense of declines in the interest of 1995 graduates for internal medicine specialties, radiology, anesthesiology, obstetrics-gynecology subspecialties, and some other fields. In 1992, 14.6% of graduating students declared plans to pursue careers in one of the generalist specialties; in 1995, 27.6% declared such plans. In 1992, no school graduated 50% or more students with generalist intentions, and only one school reached 40%; in 1995, five schools graduated more than 50%, and another 15 graduated more than 40% who favored generalist careers. Medical schools with significant GQ response rates (110 out of 125) were aggregated by level of generalist production (top 25%, middle 50%, and bottom 25%) according to the percentages of their 1995 graduates selecting careers in the individual generalist specialties of family practice, general internal medicine, and general pediatrics, and in these generalist specialties in toto. Within these groups, the linking of GQ responses to declarations given by the same students on the Matriculating Student Questionnaire (MSQ) made it possible to determine the extent to which graduates' specialty choices represented early interests that were retained or interests acquired later during medical school.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Reflections on Case Method Teaching

Abstract Teacher educators are exploring various formats for case-based instruction. By examining their own decision-making processes as they learn to teach with cases, teacher educators can foster informed conversations about the pedagogy within their institutions and the profession. In this article the author offers some personal reflections about her use of case method pedagogy in preservice teacher education. The discussion focuses on areas of consideration proposed in some of the recent literature on case methodology, including the conceptual structure of the subject matter, the pedagogical structure of the class, the cognitive structure of the students, the social structure of the class, and student feedback relative to their learning experiences in case-based courses. Finally, the author recommends that teacher educators consider information about how one plans and implements particular strategies within the broader context of program planning and outcomes assessment.

Studentsʼ perceptions of course outcomes and learning styles in case-based courses in a traditional medical school

Studentsʼ perceptions of course outcomes and learning styles in case-based courses in a traditional medical school

The Jay Healey Technique: Teaching Law and Ethics to Medical and Dental Students

Health law and medical ethics are both integral parts of undergraduate medical curricula. The literature has addressed the importance of teaching law and ethics separately in medical school settings, yet there have been few descriptions of teaching law and ethics together in the same curriculum. A combined program in law and ethics required for first-year medical and dental students was developed and implemented by Professor Joseph (Jay) M. Healey, Jr., at the University of Connecticut Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine from 1975 until his death in 1993. This Article describes the thirty-hour, interactive, case-based course he created. The course, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Medicine and Dental Medicine (LEA), has continued after Jay 's death, and is one of his many legacies to us. LEA consists of fifty-six actual and hypothetical cases written by Jay from which basic legal and ethical principles are extracted by participants and reinforced by instructors.

Evaluation of a Case-Based Course in Transfusion Medicine for Third-Year Medical Students

A case-based course on transfusion medicine (TM) for third-year students was developed and evaluated. Cases provided the relevant clinical context in which to learn and apply knowledge concerning red cell transfusion, autologous transfusions, transfusion reactions, or use of blood components. Small groups (n=12) discussed their understanding and management of two cases adapted for the American Association of Blood Banks’ Blood Transfusion Therapy patient management problems workbook in two 3- hour sessions. A total of 36 students took the TM course during each clerkship, while 12 students served as a comparison group. Quizzes were given before and after the course in the first clerkship; for the second, third, and fourth clerkships, quizzes were given only after the course. Student reactions to the course were also obtained. Results indicated a significant gain in knowledge about TM from before to after course quiz scores, which were not higher for students taking the course later in the third year. Sixty-one percent of the students listed case discussion as the best-liked aspect of the course. We concluded that the case-based course was effective and helped students learn TM information not obtained during the clerkship.

Split Participation Days in a Case-Based Course

Split Participation Days in a Case-Based Course