How I Teach Cases: A Personal Guide to Leading Effective Case Discussion

Abstract

The article highlights some of the pedagogical challenges inherent in case teaching and offers the author’s own experience as a guide to newcomers and the more experienced case instructors. Among the challenges are the tensions inherent in instructor-centered “teaching” and the student-centered “learning”. The author argues that a case teacher’s effectiveness depends on the qualities of preparation, discussion leadership and post-session debriefing. In preparation the teacher not only masters the material to be taught but also sets the standards of excellence for students. This phase concludes with a teaching plan that highlights discussion blocks, lead questions and a timetable. Discussion leadership executes the teaching plan with lead and follow-on questions but allows sufficient flexibility to accommodate student contributions falling outside its original coverage. Effective debriefing includes recording of newly acquired insights into the case and its teaching plan, as well as evaluating student contributions.