Specialised education of uzbekistan the uzbek state world languages university the english teaching methodology department

CASE STUDY Case studies are stories. They present realistic, complex, and contextually rich situations and often involve a dilemma, conflict, or problem that one or more of the characters in the case must negotiate.

A good case study, according to Professor Paul Lawrence is:

“the vehicle by which a chunk of reality is brought into the classroom to be worked over by the class and the instructor. A good case keeps the class discussion grounded upon some of the stubborn facts that must be faced in real life situations.”

Case studies vary in length and detail, and can be used in a number of ways, depending on the case itself and on the instructor’s goals.

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  They can be short (a few paragraphs) or long (e.g. 20+ pages).
  
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  They can be used in lecture-based or discussion-based classes.
  
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  They can be real, with all the detail drawn from actual people and circumstances, or simply realistic.
  
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  They can provide all the relevant data students need to discuss and resolve the central issue, or only some of it, requiring students to identify, and possibly fill in (via outside research), the missing information.
  
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  They can require students to examine multiple aspects of a problem, or just a circumscribed piece.
  
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  They can require students to propose a solution for the case or simply to identify the parameters of the problem.
  

The Nine Steps of Project-Based Learning

Whether students work individually, in pairs, or in groups, having them design something from scratch taps their creative abilities. When using the project-based learning

strategy, it is almost guaranteed that the endeavor will be interdisciplinary. The teacher’s role is to serve as coach, guiding students to use a variety of resources, employ a strategy that is fun and motivating, and uncover content with depth and breadth.

If we examine project-based learning in the most general way, we can break it down into the following nine steps (of course, teacher-coaches should modify the steps accordingly to suit the task and the students):

1. 
   The teacher-coach sets the stage for students with real-life samples of the projects they will be doing.
   
2. 
   Students take on the role of project designers, possibly establishing a forum for display or competition.
   
3. 
   Students discuss and accumulate the background information needed for their designs.
   
4. 
   The teacher-coach and students negotiate the criteria for evaluating the projects.
   
5. 
   Students accumulate the materials necessary for the project.
   
6. 
   Students create their projects.
   
7. 
   Students prepare to present their projects.
   
8. 
   Students present their projects.
   
9. 
   Students reflect on the process and evaluate the projects based on the criteria established in Step 4.