case study of a student

Student Case Study

Delving into student case studies offers invaluable insights into educational methodologies and student behaviors. This guide, complete with detailed case study examples , is designed to help educators, researchers, and students understand the nuances of creating and analyzing case studies in an educational context. By exploring various case study examples, you will gain the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively interpret and apply these studies, enhancing both teaching and learning experiences in diverse academic settings.

What is a Student Case Study? – Meaning A student case study is an in-depth analysis of a student or a group of students to understand various educational, psychological, or social aspects. It involves collecting detailed information through observations, interviews, and reviewing records, to form a comprehensive picture. The goal of a case study analysis is to unravel the complexities of real-life situations that students encounter, making it a valuable tool in educational research. In a case study summary, key findings are presented, often leading to actionable insights. Educators and researchers use these studies to develop strategies for improving learning environments. Additionally, a case study essay allows students to demonstrate their understanding by discussing the analysis and implications of the case study, fostering critical thinking and analytical skills.

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Schools especially those that offers degree in medicine, law, public policy and public health teaches students to learn how to conduct a case study. Some students say they love case studies . For what reason? Case studies offer real world challenges. They help in preparing the students how to deal with their future careers. They are considered to be the vehicle for theories and concepts that enables you to be good at giving detailed discussions and even debates. Case studies are useful not just in the field of education, but also in adhering to the arising issues in business, politics and other organizations.

Student Case Study Format

Case Study Title : Clear and descriptive title reflecting the focus of the case study. Student’s Name : Name of the student the case study is about. Prepared by : Name of the person or group preparing the case study. School Name : Name of the school or educational institution. Date : Date of completion or submission.

Introduction

Background Information : Briefly describe the student’s background, including age, grade level, and relevant personal or academic history. Purpose of the Case Study : State the reason for conducting this case study, such as understanding a particular behavior, learning difficulty, or achievement.

Case Description

Situation or Challenge : Detail the specific situation, challenge, or condition that the student is facing. Observations and Evidence : Include observations from teachers, parents, or the students themselves, along with any relevant academic or behavioral records.

Problem Analysis : Analyze the situation or challenge, identifying potential causes or contributing factors. Impact on Learning : Discuss how the situation affects the student’s learning or behavior in school.

Intervention Strategies

Action Taken : Describe any interventions or strategies implemented to address the situation. This could include educational plans, counseling, or specific teaching strategies. Results of Intervention : Detail the outcome of these interventions, including any changes in the student’s behavior or academic performance.

Conclusion and Recommendations

Summary of Findings : Summarize the key insights gained from the case study. Recommendations : Offer suggestions for future actions or strategies to further support the student. This might include recommendations for teachers, parents, or the student themselves.

Best Example of Student Case Study

Overcoming Reading Challenges: A Case Study of Emily Clark, Grade 3 Prepared by: Laura Simmons, Special Education Teacher Sunset Elementary School Date: May 12, 2024   Emily Clark, an 8-year-old student in the third grade at Sunset Elementary School, has been facing significant challenges with reading and comprehension since the first grade. Known for her enthusiasm and creativity, Emily’s struggles with reading tasks have been persistent and noticeable. The primary purpose of this case study is to analyze Emily’s reading difficulties, implement targeted interventions, and assess their effectiveness.   Emily exhibits difficulty in decoding words, reading fluently, and understanding text, as observed by her teachers since first grade. Her reluctance to read aloud and frustration with reading tasks have been consistently noted. Assessments indicate that her reading level is significantly below the expected standard for her grade. Parental feedback has also highlighted Emily’s struggles with reading-related homework.   Analysis of Emily’s situation suggests a potential learning disability in reading, possibly dyslexia. This is evidenced by her consistent difficulty with word recognition and comprehension. These challenges have impacted not only her reading skills but also her confidence and participation in class activities, especially those involving reading.   To address these challenges, an individualized education plan (IEP) was developed. This included specialized reading instruction focusing on phonemic awareness and decoding skills, multisensory learning approaches, and regular sessions with a reading specialist. Over a period of six months, Emily demonstrated significant improvements. She engaged more confidently in reading activities, and her reading assessment scores showed notable progress.   In conclusion, the intervention strategies implemented for Emily have been effective. Her case highlights the importance of early identification and the implementation of tailored educational strategies for students with similar challenges. It is recommended that Emily continues to receive specialized instruction and regular monitoring. Adjustments to her IEP should be made as necessary to ensure ongoing progress. Additionally, fostering a positive reading environment at home is also recommended.

18+ Student Case Study Examples

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Case Study Definition

A case study is defined as a research methodology that allows you to conduct an intensive study about a particular person, group of people, community, or some unit in which the researcher could provide an in-depth data in relation to the variables. Case studies can examine a phenomena in the natural setting. This increases your ability to understand why the subjects act such. You may be able to describe how this method allows every researcher to take a specific topic to narrow it down making it into a manageable research question. The researcher gain an in-depth understanding about the subject matter through collecting qualitative research and quantitative research datasets about the phenomenon.

Benefits and Limitations of Case Studies

If a researcher is interested to study about a phenomenon, he or she will be assigned to a single-case study that will allow him or her to gain an understanding about the phenomenon. Multiple-case study would allow a researcher to understand the case as a group through comparing them based on the embedded similarities and differences. However, the volume of data in case studies will be difficult to organize and the process of analysis and strategies needs to be carefully decided upon. Reporting of findings could also be challenging at times especially when you are ought to follow for word limits.

Example of Case Study

Nurses’ pediatric pain management practices.

One of the authors of this paper (AT) has used a case study approach to explore nurses’ pediatric pain management practices. This involved collecting several datasets:

Observational data to gain a picture about actual pain management practices.

Questionnaire data about nurses’ knowledge about pediatric pain management practices and how well they felt they managed pain in children.

Questionnaire data about how critical nurses perceived pain management tasks to be.

These datasets were analyzed separately and then compared and demonstrated that nurses’ level of theoretical did not impact on the quality of their pain management practices. Nor did individual nurse’s perceptions of how critical a task was effect the likelihood of them carrying out this task in practice. There was also a difference in self-reported and observed practices; actual (observed) practices did not confirm to best practice guidelines, whereas self-reported practices tended to.

How do you Write a Case Study for Students?

1. choose an interesting and relevant topic:.

Select a topic that is relevant to your course and interesting to your audience. It should be specific and focused, allowing for in-depth analysis.

2. Conduct Thorough Research :

Gather information from reputable sources such as books, scholarly articles, interviews, and reliable websites. Ensure you have a good understanding of the topic before proceeding.

3. Identify the Problem or Research Question:

Clearly define the problem or research question your case study aims to address. Be specific about the issues you want to explore and analyze.

4. Introduce the Case:

Provide background information about the subject, including relevant historical, social, or organizational context. Explain why the case is important and what makes it unique.

5. Describe the Methods Used:

Explain the methods you used to collect data. This could include interviews, surveys, observations, or analysis of existing documents. Justify your choice of methods.

6. Present the Findings:

Present the data and findings in a clear and organized manner. Use charts, graphs, and tables if applicable. Include direct quotes from interviews or other sources to support your points.

7. Analytical Interpretation:

Analyze the data and discuss the patterns, trends, or relationships you observed. Relate your findings back to the research question. Use relevant theories or concepts to support your analysis.

8. Discuss Limitations:

Acknowledge any limitations in your study, such as constraints in data collection or research methods. Addressing limitations shows a critical awareness of your study’s scope.

9. Propose Solutions or Recommendations:

If your case study revolves around a problem, propose practical solutions or recommendations based on your analysis. Support your suggestions with evidence from your findings.

10. Write a Conclusion:

Summarize the key points of your case study. Restate the importance of the topic and your findings. Discuss the implications of your study for the broader field.

What are the objectives of a Student Case Study?

1. learning and understanding:.

• To deepen students’ understanding of a particular concept, theory, or topic within their field of study.
• To provide real-world context and practical applications for theoretical knowledge.

2. Problem-Solving Skills:

• To enhance students’ critical thinking and problem-solving abilities by analyzing complex issues or scenarios.
• To encourage students to apply their knowledge to real-life situations and develop solutions.

3. Research and Analysis:

• To develop research skills, including data collection, data analysis , and the ability to draw meaningful conclusions from information.
• To improve analytical skills in interpreting data and making evidence-based decisions.

4. Communication Skills:

• To improve written and oral communication skills by requiring students to present their findings in a clear, organized, and coherent manner.
• To enhance the ability to communicate complex ideas effectively to both academic and non-academic audiences.

5. Ethical Considerations:

To promote awareness of ethical issues related to research and decision-making, such as participant rights, privacy, and responsible conduct.

6. Interdisciplinary Learning:

To encourage cross-disciplinary or interdisciplinary thinking, allowing students to apply knowledge from multiple areas to address a problem or issue.

7. Professional Development:

• To prepare students for future careers by exposing them to real-world situations and challenges they may encounter in their chosen profession.
• To develop professional skills, such as teamwork, time management, and project management.

8. Reflection and Self-Assessment:

• To prompt students to reflect on their learning and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses in research and analysis.
• To foster self-assessment and a commitment to ongoing improvement.

9. Promoting Innovation:

• To inspire creativity and innovation in finding solutions to complex problems or challenges.
• To encourage students to think outside the box and explore new approaches.

10. Building a Portfolio:

To provide students with tangible evidence of their academic and problem-solving abilities that can be included in their academic or professional portfolios.

What are the Elements of a Case Study?

A case study typically includes an introduction, background information, presentation of the main issue or problem, analysis, solutions or interventions, and a conclusion. It often incorporates supporting data and references.

How Long is a Case Study?

The length of a case study can vary, but it generally ranges from 500 to 1500 words. This length allows for a detailed examination of the subject while maintaining conciseness and focus.

How Big Should a Case Study Be?

The size of a case study should be sufficient to comprehensively cover the topic, typically around 2 to 5 pages. This size allows for depth in analysis while remaining concise and readable.

What Makes a Good Case Study?

A good case study is clear, concise, and well-structured, focusing on a relevant and interesting issue. It should offer insightful analysis, practical solutions, and demonstrate real-world applications or implications.

Case studies bring people into the real world to allow themselves engage in different fields such as in business examples, politics, health related aspect where each individuals could find an avenue to make difficult decisions. It serves to provide framework for analysis and evaluation of the different societal issues. This is one of the best way to focus on what really matters, to discuss about issues and to know what can we do about it.

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Making Learning Relevant With Case Studies

The open-ended problems presented in case studies give students work that feels connected to their lives.

To prepare students for jobs that haven’t been created yet, we need to teach them how to be great problem solvers so that they’ll be ready for anything. One way to do this is by teaching content and skills using real-world case studies, a learning model that’s focused on reflection during the problem-solving process. It’s similar to project-based learning, but PBL is more focused on students creating a product.

Case studies have been used for years by businesses, law and medical schools, physicians on rounds, and artists critiquing work. Like other forms of problem-based learning, case studies can be accessible for every age group, both in one subject and in interdisciplinary work.

You can get started with case studies by tackling relatable questions like these with your students:

• How can we limit food waste in the cafeteria?
• How can we get our school to recycle and compost waste? (Or, if you want to be more complex, how can our school reduce its carbon footprint?)
• How can we improve school attendance?
• How can we reduce the number of people who get sick at school during cold and flu season?

Addressing questions like these leads students to identify topics they need to learn more about. In researching the first question, for example, students may see that they need to research food chains and nutrition. Students often ask, reasonably, why they need to learn something, or when they’ll use their knowledge in the future. Learning is most successful for students when the content and skills they’re studying are relevant, and case studies offer one way to create that sense of relevance.

Teaching With Case Studies

Ultimately, a case study is simply an interesting problem with many correct answers. What does case study work look like in classrooms? Teachers generally start by having students read the case or watch a video that summarizes the case. Students then work in small groups or individually to solve the case study. Teachers set milestones defining what students should accomplish to help them manage their time.

During the case study learning process, student assessment of learning should be focused on reflection. Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick’s Learning and Leading With Habits of Mind gives several examples of what this reflection can look like in a classroom: 

Journaling: At the end of each work period, have students write an entry summarizing what they worked on, what worked well, what didn’t, and why. Sentence starters and clear rubrics or guidelines will help students be successful. At the end of a case study project, as Costa and Kallick write, it’s helpful to have students “select significant learnings, envision how they could apply these learnings to future situations, and commit to an action plan to consciously modify their behaviors.”

Interviews: While working on a case study, students can interview each other about their progress and learning. Teachers can interview students individually or in small groups to assess their learning process and their progress.

Student discussion: Discussions can be unstructured—students can talk about what they worked on that day in a think-pair-share or as a full class—or structured, using Socratic seminars or fishbowl discussions. If your class is tackling a case study in small groups, create a second set of small groups with a representative from each of the case study groups so that the groups can share their learning.

4 Tips for Setting Up a Case Study

1. Identify a problem to investigate: This should be something accessible and relevant to students’ lives. The problem should also be challenging and complex enough to yield multiple solutions with many layers.

2. Give context: Think of this step as a movie preview or book summary. Hook the learners to help them understand just enough about the problem to want to learn more.

3. Have a clear rubric: Giving structure to your definition of quality group work and products will lead to stronger end products. You may be able to have your learners help build these definitions.

4. Provide structures for presenting solutions: The amount of scaffolding you build in depends on your students’ skill level and development. A case study product can be something like several pieces of evidence of students collaborating to solve the case study, and ultimately presenting their solution with a detailed slide deck or an essay—you can scaffold this by providing specified headings for the sections of the essay.

Problem-Based Teaching Resources

There are many high-quality, peer-reviewed resources that are open source and easily accessible online.

• The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science at the University at Buffalo built an online collection of more than 800 cases that cover topics ranging from biochemistry to economics. There are resources for middle and high school students.
• Models of Excellence , a project maintained by EL Education and the Harvard Graduate School of Education, has examples of great problem- and project-based tasks—and corresponding exemplary student work—for grades pre-K to 12.
• The Interdisciplinary Journal of Problem-Based Learning at Purdue University is an open-source journal that publishes examples of problem-based learning in K–12 and post-secondary classrooms.
• The Tech Edvocate has a list of websites and tools related to problem-based learning.

In their book Problems as Possibilities , Linda Torp and Sara Sage write that at the elementary school level, students particularly appreciate how they feel that they are taken seriously when solving case studies. At the middle school level, “researchers stress the importance of relating middle school curriculum to issues of student concern and interest.” And high schoolers, they write, find the case study method “beneficial in preparing them for their future.”

Writing A Case Study

Case Study Examples

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A Complete Case Study Writing Guide With Examples

Simple Case Study Format for Students to Follow

Understand the Types of Case Study Here

It’s no surprise that writing a case study is one of the most challenging academic tasks for students. You’re definitely not alone here!

Most people don't realize that there are specific guidelines to follow when writing a case study. If you don't know where to start, it's easy to get overwhelmed and give up before you even begin.

Don't worry! Let us help you out!

We've collected over 25 free case study examples with solutions just for you. These samples with solutions will help you win over your panel and score high marks on your case studies.

So, what are you waiting for? Let's dive in and learn the secrets to writing a successful case study.

• 1. An Overview of Case Studies
• 2. Case Study Examples for Students
• 3. Business Case Study Examples
• 4. Medical Case Study Examples
• 5. Psychology Case Study Examples 
• 6. Sales Case Study Examples
• 7. Interview Case Study Examples
• 8. Marketing Case Study Examples
• 9. Tips to Write a Good Case Study

An Overview of Case Studies

A case study is a research method used to study a particular individual, group, or situation in depth. It involves analyzing and interpreting data from a variety of sources to gain insight into the subject being studied. 

Case studies are often used in psychology, business, and education to explore complicated problems and find solutions. They usually have detailed descriptions of the subject, background info, and an analysis of the main issues.

The goal of a case study is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Typically, case studies can be divided into three parts, challenges, solutions, and results. 

Here is a case study sample PDF so you can have a clearer understanding of what a case study actually is:

Case Study Sample PDF

How to Write a Case Study Examples

Learn how to write a case study with the help of our comprehensive case study guide.

Case Study Examples for Students

Quite often, students are asked to present case studies in their academic journeys. The reason instructors assign case studies is for students to sharpen their critical analysis skills, understand how companies make profits, etc.

Below are some case study examples in research, suitable for students:

Case Study Example in Software Engineering

Qualitative Research Case Study Sample

Software Quality Assurance Case Study

Social Work Case Study Example

Ethical Case Study

Case Study Example PDF

These examples can guide you on how to structure and format your own case studies.

Struggling with formatting your case study? Check this case study format guide and perfect your document’s structure today.

Business Case Study Examples

A business case study examines a business’s specific challenge or goal and how it should be solved. Business case studies usually focus on several details related to the initial challenge and proposed solution. 

To help you out, here are some samples so you can create case studies that are related to businesses: 

Here are some more business case study examples:

Business Case Studies PDF

Business Case Studies Example

Typically, a business case study discovers one of your customer's stories and how you solved a problem for them. It allows your prospects to see how your solutions address their needs. 

Medical Case Study Examples

Medical case studies are an essential part of medical education. They help students to understand how to diagnose and treat patients. 

Here are some medical case study examples to help you.

Medical Case Study Example

Nursing Case Study Example

Want to understand the various types of case studies? Check out our types of case study blog to select the perfect type.

Psychology Case Study Examples 

Case studies are a great way of investigating individuals with psychological abnormalities. This is why it is a very common assignment in psychology courses. 

By examining all the aspects of your subject’s life, you discover the possible causes of exhibiting such behavior. 

For your help, here are some interesting psychology case study examples:

Psychology Case Study Example

Mental Health Case Study Example

Sales Case Study Examples

Case studies are important tools for sales teams’ performance improvement. By examining sales successes, teams can gain insights into effective strategies and create action plans to employ similar tactics.

By researching case studies of successful sales campaigns, sales teams can more accurately identify challenges and develop solutions.

Sales Case Study Example

Interview Case Study Examples

Interview case studies provide businesses with invaluable information. This data allows them to make informed decisions related to certain markets or subjects.

Interview Case Study Example

Marketing Case Study Examples

Marketing case studies are real-life stories that showcase how a business solves a problem. They typically discuss how a business achieves a goal using a specific marketing strategy or tactic.

They typically describe a challenge faced by a business, the solution implemented, and the results achieved.

This is a short sample marketing case study for you to get an idea of what an actual marketing case study looks like.

 Here are some more popular marketing studies that show how companies use case studies as a means of marketing and promotion:

“Chevrolet Discover the Unexpected” by Carol H. Williams

This case study explores Chevrolet's “ DTU Journalism Fellows ” program. The case study uses the initials “DTU” to generate interest and encourage readers to learn more. 

Multiple types of media, such as images and videos, are used to explain the challenges faced. The case study concludes with an overview of the achievements that were met.

Key points from the case study include:

• Using a well-known brand name in the title can create interest.
• Combining different media types, such as headings, images, and videos, can help engage readers and make the content more memorable.
• Providing a summary of the key achievements at the end of the case study can help readers better understand the project's impact.

“The Met” by Fantasy

“ The Met ” by Fantasy is a fictional redesign of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, created by the design studio Fantasy. The case study clearly and simply showcases the museum's website redesign.

The Met emphasizes the website’s features and interface by showcasing each section of the interface individually, allowing the readers to concentrate on the significant elements.

For those who prefer text, each feature includes an objective description. The case study also includes a “Contact Us” call-to-action at the bottom of the page, inviting visitors to contact the company.

Key points from this “The Met” include:

• Keeping the case study simple and clean can help readers focus on the most important aspects.
• Presenting the features and solutions with a visual showcase can be more effective than writing a lot of text.
• Including a clear call-to-action at the end of the case study can encourage visitors to contact the company for more information.

“Better Experiences for All” by Herman Miller

Herman Miller's minimalist approach to furniture design translates to their case study, “ Better Experiences for All ”, for a Dubai hospital. The page features a captivating video with closed-captioning and expandable text for accessibility.

The case study presents a wealth of information in a concise format, enabling users to grasp the complexities of the strategy with ease. It concludes with a client testimonial and a list of furniture items purchased from the brand.

Key points from the “Better Experiences” include:

• Make sure your case study is user-friendly by including accessibility features like closed captioning and expandable text.
• Include a list of products that were used in the project to guide potential customers.

“NetApp” by Evisort 

Evisort's case study on “ NetApp ” stands out for its informative and compelling approach. The study begins with a client-centric overview of NetApp, strategically directing attention to the client rather than the company or team involved.

The case study incorporates client quotes and explores NetApp’s challenges during COVID-19. Evisort showcases its value as a client partner by showing how its services supported NetApp through difficult times. 

• Provide an overview of the company in the client’s words, and put focus on the customer. 
• Highlight how your services can help clients during challenging times.
• Make your case study accessible by providing it in various formats.

“Red Sox Season Campaign,” by CTP Boston

The “ Red Sox Season Campaign ” showcases a perfect blend of different media, such as video, text, and images. Upon visiting the page, the video plays automatically, there are videos of Red Sox players, their images, and print ads that can be enlarged with a click.

The page features an intuitive design and invites viewers to appreciate CTP's well-rounded campaign for Boston's beloved baseball team. There’s also a CTA that prompts viewers to learn how CTP can create a similar campaign for their brand.

Some key points to take away from the “Red Sox Season Campaign”: 

• Including a variety of media such as video, images, and text can make your case study more engaging and compelling.
• Include a call-to-action at the end of your study that encourages viewers to take the next step towards becoming a customer or prospect.

“Airbnb + Zendesk” by Zendesk

The case study by Zendesk, titled “ Airbnb + Zendesk : Building a powerful solution together,” showcases a true partnership between Airbnb and Zendesk. 

The article begins with an intriguing opening statement, “Halfway around the globe is a place to stay with your name on it. At least for a weekend,” and uses stunning images of beautiful Airbnb locations to captivate readers.

Instead of solely highlighting Zendesk's product, the case study is crafted to tell a good story and highlight Airbnb's service in detail. This strategy makes the case study more authentic and relatable.

Some key points to take away from this case study are:

• Use client's offerings' images rather than just screenshots of your own product or service.
• To begin the case study, it is recommended to include a distinct CTA. For instance, Zendesk presents two alternatives, namely to initiate a trial or seek a solution.

“Influencer Marketing” by Trend and WarbyParker

The case study "Influencer Marketing" by Trend and Warby Parker highlights the potential of influencer content marketing, even when working with a limited budget. 

The “Wearing Warby” campaign involved influencers wearing Warby Parker glasses during their daily activities, providing a glimpse of the brand's products in use. 

This strategy enhanced the brand's relatability with influencers' followers. While not detailing specific tactics, the case study effectively illustrates the impact of third-person case studies in showcasing campaign results.

Key points to take away from this case study are:

• Influencer marketing can be effective even with a limited budget.
• Showcasing products being used in everyday life can make a brand more approachable and relatable.
• Third-person case studies can be useful in highlighting the success of a campaign.

Marketing Case Study Example

Marketing Case Study Template

Now that you have read multiple case study examples, hop on to our tips.

Tips to Write a Good Case Study

Here are some note-worthy tips to craft a winning case study 

• Define the purpose of the case study This will help you to focus on the most important aspects of the case. The case study objective helps to ensure that your finished product is concise and to the point.
• Choose a real-life example. One of the best ways to write a successful case study is to choose a real-life example. This will give your readers a chance to see how the concepts apply in a real-world setting.
• Keep it brief. This means that you should only include information that is directly relevant to your topic and avoid adding unnecessary details.
• Use strong evidence. To make your case study convincing, you will need to use strong evidence. This can include statistics, data from research studies, or quotes from experts in the field.
• Edit and proofread your work. Before you submit your case study, be sure to edit and proofread your work carefully. This will help to ensure that there are no errors and that your paper is clear and concise.

There you go!

We’re sure that now you have secrets to writing a great case study at your fingertips! This blog teaches the key guidelines of various case studies with samples. So grab your pen and start crafting a winning case study right away!

Having said that, we do understand that some of you might be having a hard time writing compelling case studies.

But worry not! Our expert case study writing service is here to take all your case-writing blues away! 

With 100% thorough research guaranteed, our professional essay writing service can craft an amazing case study within 6 hours! 

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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All You Wanted to Know About How to Write a Case Study

What do you study in your college? If you are a psychology, sociology, or anthropology student, we bet you might be familiar with what a case study is. This research method is used to study a certain person, group, or situation. In this guide from our dissertation writing service , you will learn how to write a case study professionally, from researching to citing sources properly. Also, we will explore different types of case studies and show you examples — so that you won’t have any other questions left.

What Is a Case Study?

A case study is a subcategory of research design which investigates problems and offers solutions. Case studies can range from academic research studies to corporate promotional tools trying to sell an idea—their scope is quite vast.

What Is the Difference Between a Research Paper and a Case Study?

While research papers turn the reader’s attention to a certain problem, case studies go even further. Case study guidelines require students to pay attention to details, examining issues closely and in-depth using different research methods. For example, case studies may be used to examine court cases if you study Law, or a patient's health history if you study Medicine. Case studies are also used in Marketing, which are thorough, empirically supported analysis of a good or service's performance. Well-designed case studies can be valuable for prospective customers as they can identify and solve the potential customers pain point.

Case studies involve a lot of storytelling – they usually examine particular cases for a person or a group of people. This method of research is very helpful, as it is very practical and can give a lot of hands-on information. Most commonly, the length of the case study is about 500-900 words, which is much less than the length of an average research paper.

The structure of a case study is very similar to storytelling. It has a protagonist or main character, which in your case is actually a problem you are trying to solve. You can use the system of 3 Acts to make it a compelling story. It should have an introduction, rising action, a climax where transformation occurs, falling action, and a solution.

Here is a rough formula for you to use in your case study:

Problem (Act I): > Solution (Act II) > Result (Act III) > Conclusion.

Types of Case Studies

The purpose of a case study is to provide detailed reports on an event, an institution, a place, future customers, or pretty much anything. There are a few common types of case study, but the type depends on the topic. The following are the most common domains where case studies are needed:

• Historical case studies are great to learn from. Historical events have a multitude of source info offering different perspectives. There are always modern parallels where these perspectives can be applied, compared, and thoroughly analyzed.
• Problem-oriented case studies are usually used for solving problems. These are often assigned as theoretical situations where you need to immerse yourself in the situation to examine it. Imagine you’re working for a startup and you’ve just noticed a significant flaw in your product’s design. Before taking it to the senior manager, you want to do a comprehensive study on the issue and provide solutions. On a greater scale, problem-oriented case studies are a vital part of relevant socio-economic discussions.
• Cumulative case studies collect information and offer comparisons. In business, case studies are often used to tell people about the value of a product.
• Critical case studies explore the causes and effects of a certain case.
• Illustrative case studies describe certain events, investigating outcomes and lessons learned.

Need a compelling case study? EssayPro has got you covered. Our experts are ready to provide you with detailed, insightful case studies that capture the essence of real-world scenarios. Elevate your academic work with our professional assistance.

Case Study Format

The case study format is typically made up of eight parts:

• Executive Summary. Explain what you will examine in the case study. Write an overview of the field you’re researching. Make a thesis statement and sum up the results of your observation in a maximum of 2 sentences.
• Background. Provide background information and the most relevant facts. Isolate the issues.
• Case Evaluation. Isolate the sections of the study you want to focus on. In it, explain why something is working or is not working.
• Proposed Solutions. Offer realistic ways to solve what isn’t working or how to improve its current condition. Explain why these solutions work by offering testable evidence.
• Conclusion. Summarize the main points from the case evaluations and proposed solutions. 6. Recommendations. Talk about the strategy that you should choose. Explain why this choice is the most appropriate.
• Implementation. Explain how to put the specific strategies into action.
• References. Provide all the citations.

How to Write a Case Study

Let's discover how to write a case study.

Setting Up the Research

When writing a case study, remember that research should always come first. Reading many different sources and analyzing other points of view will help you come up with more creative solutions. You can also conduct an actual interview to thoroughly investigate the customer story that you'll need for your case study. Including all of the necessary research, writing a case study may take some time. The research process involves doing the following:

• Define your objective. Explain the reason why you’re presenting your subject. Figure out where you will feature your case study; whether it is written, on video, shown as an infographic, streamed as a podcast, etc.
• Determine who will be the right candidate for your case study. Get permission, quotes, and other features that will make your case study effective. Get in touch with your candidate to see if they approve of being part of your work. Study that candidate’s situation and note down what caused it.
• Identify which various consequences could result from the situation. Follow these guidelines on how to start a case study: surf the net to find some general information you might find useful.
• Make a list of credible sources and examine them. Seek out important facts and highlight problems. Always write down your ideas and make sure to brainstorm.
• Focus on several key issues – why they exist, and how they impact your research subject. Think of several unique solutions. Draw from class discussions, readings, and personal experience. When writing a case study, focus on the best solution and explore it in depth. After having all your research in place, writing a case study will be easy. You may first want to check the rubric and criteria of your assignment for the correct case study structure.

Read Also: ' WHAT IS A CREDIBLE SOURCES ?'

Although your instructor might be looking at slightly different criteria, every case study rubric essentially has the same standards. Your professor will want you to exhibit 8 different outcomes:

• Correctly identify the concepts, theories, and practices in the discipline.
• Identify the relevant theories and principles associated with the particular study.
• Evaluate legal and ethical principles and apply them to your decision-making.
• Recognize the global importance and contribution of your case.
• Construct a coherent summary and explanation of the study.
• Demonstrate analytical and critical-thinking skills.
• Explain the interrelationships between the environment and nature.
• Integrate theory and practice of the discipline within the analysis.

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Case Study Outline

Let's look at the structure of an outline based on the issue of the alcoholic addiction of 30 people.

Introduction

• Statement of the issue: Alcoholism is a disease rather than a weakness of character.
• Presentation of the problem: Alcoholism is affecting more than 14 million people in the USA, which makes it the third most common mental illness there.
• Explanation of the terms: In the past, alcoholism was commonly referred to as alcohol dependence or alcohol addiction. Alcoholism is now the more severe stage of this addiction in the disorder spectrum.
• Hypotheses: Drinking in excess can lead to the use of other drugs.
• Importance of your story: How the information you present can help people with their addictions.
• Background of the story: Include an explanation of why you chose this topic.
• Presentation of analysis and data: Describe the criteria for choosing 30 candidates, the structure of the interview, and the outcomes.
• Strong argument 1: ex. X% of candidates dealing with anxiety and depression...
• Strong argument 2: ex. X amount of people started drinking by their mid-teens.
• Strong argument 3: ex. X% of respondents’ parents had issues with alcohol.
• Concluding statement: I have researched if alcoholism is a disease and found out that…
• Recommendations: Ways and actions for preventing alcohol use.

Writing a Case Study Draft

After you’ve done your case study research and written the outline, it’s time to focus on the draft. In a draft, you have to develop and write your case study by using: the data which you collected throughout the research, interviews, and the analysis processes that were undertaken. Follow these rules for the draft:

• Your draft should contain at least 4 sections: an introduction; a body where you should include background information, an explanation of why you decided to do this case study, and a presentation of your main findings; a conclusion where you present data; and references.
• In the introduction, you should set the pace very clearly. You can even raise a question or quote someone you interviewed in the research phase. It must provide adequate background information on the topic. The background may include analyses of previous studies on your topic. Include the aim of your case here as well. Think of it as a thesis statement. The aim must describe the purpose of your work—presenting the issues that you want to tackle. Include background information, such as photos or videos you used when doing the research.
• Describe your unique research process, whether it was through interviews, observations, academic journals, etc. The next point includes providing the results of your research. Tell the audience what you found out. Why is this important, and what could be learned from it? Discuss the real implications of the problem and its significance in the world.
• Include quotes and data (such as findings, percentages, and awards). This will add a personal touch and better credibility to the case you present. Explain what results you find during your interviews in regards to the problem and how it developed. Also, write about solutions which have already been proposed by other people who have already written about this case.
• At the end of your case study, you should offer possible solutions, but don’t worry about solving them yourself.

Use Data to Illustrate Key Points in Your Case Study

Even though your case study is a story, it should be based on evidence. Use as much data as possible to illustrate your point. Without the right data, your case study may appear weak and the readers may not be able to relate to your issue as much as they should. Let's see the examples from essay writing service :

‍ With data: Alcoholism is affecting more than 14 million people in the USA, which makes it the third most common mental illness there. Without data: A lot of people suffer from alcoholism in the United States.

Try to include as many credible sources as possible. You may have terms or sources that could be hard for other cultures to understand. If this is the case, you should include them in the appendix or Notes for the Instructor or Professor.

Finalizing the Draft: Checklist

After you finish drafting your case study, polish it up by answering these ‘ask yourself’ questions and think about how to end your case study:

• Check that you follow the correct case study format, also in regards to text formatting.
• Check that your work is consistent with its referencing and citation style.
• Micro-editing — check for grammar and spelling issues.
• Macro-editing — does ‘the big picture’ come across to the reader? Is there enough raw data, such as real-life examples or personal experiences? Have you made your data collection process completely transparent? Does your analysis provide a clear conclusion, allowing for further research and practice?

Problems to avoid:

• Overgeneralization – Do not go into further research that deviates from the main problem.
• Failure to Document Limitations – Just as you have to clearly state the limitations of a general research study, you must describe the specific limitations inherent in the subject of analysis.
• Failure to Extrapolate All Possible Implications – Just as you don't want to over-generalize from your case study findings, you also have to be thorough in the consideration of all possible outcomes or recommendations derived from your findings.

How to Create a Title Page and Cite a Case Study

Let's see how to create an awesome title page.

Your title page depends on the prescribed citation format. The title page should include:

• A title that attracts some attention and describes your study
• The title should have the words “case study” in it
• The title should range between 5-9 words in length
• Your name and contact information
• Your finished paper should be only 500 to 1,500 words in length.With this type of assignment, write effectively and avoid fluff

Here is a template for the APA and MLA format title page:

There are some cases when you need to cite someone else's study in your own one – therefore, you need to master how to cite a case study. A case study is like a research paper when it comes to citations. You can cite it like you cite a book, depending on what style you need.

Citation Example in MLA ‍ Hill, Linda, Tarun Khanna, and Emily A. Stecker. HCL Technologies. Boston: Harvard Business Publishing, 2008. Print.

Citation Example in APA ‍ Hill, L., Khanna, T., & Stecker, E. A. (2008). HCL Technologies. Boston: Harvard Business Publishing.

Citation Example in Chicago Hill, Linda, Tarun Khanna, and Emily A. Stecker. HCL Technologies.

Case Study Examples

To give you an idea of a professional case study example, we gathered and linked some below.

Eastman Kodak Case Study

Case Study Example: Audi Trains Mexican Autoworkers in Germany

To conclude, a case study is one of the best methods of getting an overview of what happened to a person, a group, or a situation in practice. It allows you to have an in-depth glance at the real-life problems that businesses, healthcare industry, criminal justice, etc. may face. This insight helps us look at such situations in a different light. This is because we see scenarios that we otherwise would not, without necessarily being there. If you need custom essays , try our research paper writing services .

Get Help Form Qualified Writers

Crafting a case study is not easy. You might want to write one of high quality, but you don’t have the time or expertise. If you’re having trouble with your case study, help with essay request - we'll help. EssayPro writers have read and written countless case studies and are experts in endless disciplines. Request essay writing, editing, or proofreading assistance from our custom case study writing service , and all of your worries will be gone.

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What Is A Case Study?

How to cite a case study in apa, how to write a case study, related articles.

Do Your Students Know How to Analyze a Case—Really?

Explore more.

• Case Teaching
• Student Engagement

J ust as actors, athletes, and musicians spend thousands of hours practicing their craft, business students benefit from practicing their critical-thinking and decision-making skills. Students, however, often have limited exposure to real-world problem-solving scenarios; they need more opportunities to practice tackling tough business problems and deciding on—and executing—the best solutions.

To ensure students have ample opportunity to develop these critical-thinking and decision-making skills, we believe business faculty should shift from teaching mostly principles and ideas to mostly applications and practices. And in doing so, they should emphasize the case method, which simulates real-world management challenges and opportunities for students.

To help educators facilitate this shift and help students get the most out of case-based learning, we have developed a framework for analyzing cases. We call it PACADI (Problem, Alternatives, Criteria, Analysis, Decision, Implementation); it can improve learning outcomes by helping students better solve and analyze business problems, make decisions, and develop and implement strategy. Here, we’ll explain why we developed this framework, how it works, and what makes it an effective learning tool.

The Case for Cases: Helping Students Think Critically

Business students must develop critical-thinking and analytical skills, which are essential to their ability to make good decisions in functional areas such as marketing, finance, operations, and information technology, as well as to understand the relationships among these functions. For example, the decisions a marketing manager must make include strategic planning (segments, products, and channels); execution (digital messaging, media, branding, budgets, and pricing); and operations (integrated communications and technologies), as well as how to implement decisions across functional areas.

Faculty can use many types of cases to help students develop these skills. These include the prototypical “paper cases”; live cases , which feature guest lecturers such as entrepreneurs or corporate leaders and on-site visits; and multimedia cases , which immerse students into real situations. Most cases feature an explicit or implicit decision that a protagonist—whether it is an individual, a group, or an organization—must make.

For students new to learning by the case method—and even for those with case experience—some common issues can emerge; these issues can sometimes be a barrier for educators looking to ensure the best possible outcomes in their case classrooms. Unsure of how to dig into case analysis on their own, students may turn to the internet or rely on former students for “answers” to assigned cases. Or, when assigned to provide answers to assignment questions in teams, students might take a divide-and-conquer approach but not take the time to regroup and provide answers that are consistent with one other.

To help address these issues, which we commonly experienced in our classes, we wanted to provide our students with a more structured approach for how they analyze cases—and to really think about making decisions from the protagonists’ point of view. We developed the PACADI framework to address this need.

PACADI: A Six-Step Decision-Making Approach

The PACADI framework is a six-step decision-making approach that can be used in lieu of traditional end-of-case questions. It offers a structured, integrated, and iterative process that requires students to analyze case information, apply business concepts to derive valuable insights, and develop recommendations based on these insights.

Prior to beginning a PACADI assessment, which we’ll outline here, students should first prepare a two-paragraph summary—a situation analysis—that highlights the key case facts. Then, we task students with providing a five-page PACADI case analysis (excluding appendices) based on the following six steps.

Step 1: Problem definition. What is the major challenge, problem, opportunity, or decision that has to be made? If there is more than one problem, choose the most important one. Often when solving the key problem, other issues will surface and be addressed. The problem statement may be framed as a question; for example, How can brand X improve market share among millennials in Canada? Usually the problem statement has to be re-written several times during the analysis of a case as students peel back the layers of symptoms or causation.

Step 2: Alternatives. Identify in detail the strategic alternatives to address the problem; three to five options generally work best. Alternatives should be mutually exclusive, realistic, creative, and feasible given the constraints of the situation. Doing nothing or delaying the decision to a later date are not considered acceptable alternatives.

Step 3: Criteria. What are the key decision criteria that will guide decision-making? In a marketing course, for example, these may include relevant marketing criteria such as segmentation, positioning, advertising and sales, distribution, and pricing. Financial criteria useful in evaluating the alternatives should be included—for example, income statement variables, customer lifetime value, payback, etc. Students must discuss their rationale for selecting the decision criteria and the weights and importance for each factor.

Step 4: Analysis. Provide an in-depth analysis of each alternative based on the criteria chosen in step three. Decision tables using criteria as columns and alternatives as rows can be helpful. The pros and cons of the various choices as well as the short- and long-term implications of each may be evaluated. Best, worst, and most likely scenarios can also be insightful.

Step 5: Decision. Students propose their solution to the problem. This decision is justified based on an in-depth analysis. Explain why the recommendation made is the best fit for the criteria.

Step 6: Implementation plan. Sound business decisions may fail due to poor execution. To enhance the likeliness of a successful project outcome, students describe the key steps (activities) to implement the recommendation, timetable, projected costs, expected competitive reaction, success metrics, and risks in the plan.

“Students note that using the PACADI framework yields ‘aha moments’—they learned something surprising in the case that led them to think differently about the problem and their proposed solution.”

PACADI’s Benefits: Meaningfully and Thoughtfully Applying Business Concepts

The PACADI framework covers all of the major elements of business decision-making, including implementation, which is often overlooked. By stepping through the whole framework, students apply relevant business concepts and solve management problems via a systematic, comprehensive approach; they’re far less likely to surface piecemeal responses.

As students explore each part of the framework, they may realize that they need to make changes to a previous step. For instance, when working on implementation, students may realize that the alternative they selected cannot be executed or will not be profitable, and thus need to rethink their decision. Or, they may discover that the criteria need to be revised since the list of decision factors they identified is incomplete (for example, the factors may explain key marketing concerns but fail to address relevant financial considerations) or is unrealistic (for example, they suggest a 25 percent increase in revenues without proposing an increased promotional budget).

In addition, the PACADI framework can be used alongside quantitative assignments, in-class exercises, and business and management simulations. The structured, multi-step decision framework encourages careful and sequential analysis to solve business problems. Incorporating PACADI as an overarching decision-making method across different projects will ultimately help students achieve desired learning outcomes. As a practical “beyond-the-classroom” tool, the PACADI framework is not a contrived course assignment; it reflects the decision-making approach that managers, executives, and entrepreneurs exercise daily. Case analysis introduces students to the real-world process of making business decisions quickly and correctly, often with limited information. This framework supplies an organized and disciplined process that students can readily defend in writing and in class discussions.

PACADI in Action: An Example

Here’s an example of how students used the PACADI framework for a recent case analysis on CVS, a large North American drugstore chain.

The CVS Prescription for Customer Value*

PACADI Stage

Summary Response

How should CVS Health evolve from the “drugstore of your neighborhood” to the “drugstore of your future”?

Alternatives

A1. Kaizen (continuous improvement)

A2. Product development

A3. Market development

A4. Personalization (micro-targeting)

Criteria (include weights)

C1. Customer value: service, quality, image, and price (40%)

C2. Customer obsession (20%)

C3. Growth through related businesses (20%)

C4. Customer retention and customer lifetime value (20%)

Each alternative was analyzed by each criterion using a Customer Value Assessment Tool

Alternative 4 (A4): Personalization was selected. This is operationalized via: segmentation—move toward segment-of-1 marketing; geodemographics and lifestyle emphasis; predictive data analysis; relationship marketing; people, principles, and supply chain management; and exceptional customer service.

Implementation

Partner with leading medical school

Curbside pick-up

Pet pharmacy

E-newsletter for customers and employees

Employee incentive program

CVS beauty days

Expand to Latin America and Caribbean

Healthier/happier corner

Holiday toy drives/community outreach

*Source: A. Weinstein, Y. Rodriguez, K. Sims, R. Vergara, “The CVS Prescription for Superior Customer Value—A Case Study,” Back to the Future: Revisiting the Foundations of Marketing from Society for Marketing Advances, West Palm Beach, FL (November 2, 2018).

Results of Using the PACADI Framework

When faculty members at our respective institutions at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) and the University of North Carolina Wilmington have used the PACADI framework, our classes have been more structured and engaging. Students vigorously debate each element of their decision and note that this framework yields an “aha moment”—they learned something surprising in the case that led them to think differently about the problem and their proposed solution.

These lively discussions enhance individual and collective learning. As one external metric of this improvement, we have observed a 2.5 percent increase in student case grade performance at NSU since this framework was introduced.

Tips to Get Started

The PACADI approach works well in in-person, online, and hybrid courses. This is particularly important as more universities have moved to remote learning options. Because students have varied educational and cultural backgrounds, work experience, and familiarity with case analysis, we recommend that faculty members have students work on their first case using this new framework in small teams (two or three students). Additional analyses should then be solo efforts.

To use PACADI effectively in your classroom, we suggest the following:

Advise your students that your course will stress critical thinking and decision-making skills, not just course concepts and theory.

Use a varied mix of case studies. As marketing professors, we often address consumer and business markets; goods, services, and digital commerce; domestic and global business; and small and large companies in a single MBA course.

As a starting point, provide a short explanation (about 20 to 30 minutes) of the PACADI framework with a focus on the conceptual elements. You can deliver this face to face or through videoconferencing.

Give students an opportunity to practice the case analysis methodology via an ungraded sample case study. Designate groups of five to seven students to discuss the case and the six steps in breakout sessions (in class or via Zoom).

Ensure case analyses are weighted heavily as a grading component. We suggest 30–50 percent of the overall course grade.

Once cases are graded, debrief with the class on what they did right and areas needing improvement (30- to 40-minute in-person or Zoom session).

Encourage faculty teams that teach common courses to build appropriate instructional materials, grading rubrics, videos, sample cases, and teaching notes.

When selecting case studies, we have found that the best ones for PACADI analyses are about 15 pages long and revolve around a focal management decision. This length provides adequate depth yet is not protracted. Some of our tested and favorite marketing cases include Brand W , Hubspot , Kraft Foods Canada , TRSB(A) , and Whiskey & Cheddar .

Art Weinstein , Ph.D., is a professor of marketing at Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has published more than 80 scholarly articles and papers and eight books on customer-focused marketing strategy. His latest book is Superior Customer Value—Finding and Keeping Customers in the Now Economy . Dr. Weinstein has consulted for many leading technology and service companies.

Herbert V. Brotspies , D.B.A., is an adjunct professor of marketing at Nova Southeastern University. He has over 30 years’ experience as a vice president in marketing, strategic planning, and acquisitions for Fortune 50 consumer products companies working in the United States and internationally. His research interests include return on marketing investment, consumer behavior, business-to-business strategy, and strategic planning.

John T. Gironda , Ph.D., is an assistant professor of marketing at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. His research has been published in Industrial Marketing Management, Psychology & Marketing , and Journal of Marketing Management . He has also presented at major marketing conferences including the American Marketing Association, Academy of Marketing Science, and Society for Marketing Advances.

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What the Case Study Method Really Teaches

• Nitin Nohria

Seven meta-skills that stick even if the cases fade from memory.

It’s been 100 years since Harvard Business School began using the case study method. Beyond teaching specific subject matter, the case study method excels in instilling meta-skills in students. This article explains the importance of seven such skills: preparation, discernment, bias recognition, judgement, collaboration, curiosity, and self-confidence.

During my decade as dean of Harvard Business School, I spent hundreds of hours talking with our alumni. To enliven these conversations, I relied on a favorite question: “What was the most important thing you learned from your time in our MBA program?”

• Nitin Nohria is the George F. Baker Jr. Professor at Harvard Business School and the former dean of HBS.

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Case-based learning.

Case-based learning (CBL) is an established approach used across disciplines where students apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios, promoting higher levels of cognition (see Bloom’s Taxonomy ). In CBL classrooms, students typically work in groups on case studies, stories involving one or more characters and/or scenarios.  The cases present a disciplinary problem or problems for which students devise solutions under the guidance of the instructor. CBL has a strong history of successful implementation in medical, law, and business schools, and is increasingly used within undergraduate education, particularly within pre-professional majors and the sciences (Herreid, 1994). This method involves guided inquiry and is grounded in constructivism whereby students form new meanings by interacting with their knowledge and the environment (Lee, 2012).

There are a number of benefits to using CBL in the classroom. In a review of the literature, Williams (2005) describes how CBL: utilizes collaborative learning, facilitates the integration of learning, develops students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to learn, encourages learner self-reflection and critical reflection, allows for scientific inquiry, integrates knowledge and practice, and supports the development of a variety of learning skills.

CBL has several defining characteristics, including versatility, storytelling power, and efficient self-guided learning.  In a systematic analysis of 104 articles in health professions education, CBL was found to be utilized in courses with less than 50 to over 1000 students (Thistlethwaite et al., 2012). In these classrooms, group sizes ranged from 1 to 30, with most consisting of 2 to 15 students.  Instructors varied in the proportion of time they implemented CBL in the classroom, ranging from one case spanning two hours of classroom time, to year-long case-based courses. These findings demonstrate that instructors use CBL in a variety of ways in their classrooms.

The stories that comprise the framework of case studies are also a key component to CBL’s effectiveness. Jonassen and Hernandez-Serrano (2002, p.66) describe how storytelling:

Is a method of negotiating and renegotiating meanings that allows us to enter into other’s realms of meaning through messages they utter in their stories,

Helps us find our place in a culture,

Allows us to explicate and to interpret, and

Facilitates the attainment of vicarious experience by helping us to distinguish the positive models to emulate from the negative model.

Neurochemically, listening to stories can activate oxytocin, a hormone that increases one’s sensitivity to social cues, resulting in more empathy, generosity, compassion and trustworthiness (Zak, 2013; Kosfeld et al., 2005). The stories within case studies serve as a means by which learners form new understandings through characters and/or scenarios.

CBL is often described in conjunction or in comparison with problem-based learning (PBL). While the lines are often confusingly blurred within the literature, in the most conservative of definitions, the features distinguishing the two approaches include that PBL involves open rather than guided inquiry, is less structured, and the instructor plays a more passive role. In PBL multiple solutions to the problem may exit, but the problem is often initially not well-defined. PBL also has a stronger emphasis on developing self-directed learning. The choice between implementing CBL versus PBL is highly dependent on the goals and context of the instruction.  For example, in a comparison of PBL and CBL approaches during a curricular shift at two medical schools, students and faculty preferred CBL to PBL (Srinivasan et al., 2007). Students perceived CBL to be a more efficient process and more clinically applicable. However, in another context, PBL might be the favored approach.

In a review of the effectiveness of CBL in health profession education, Thistlethwaite et al. (2012), found several benefits:

Students enjoyed the method and thought it enhanced their learning,

Instructors liked how CBL engaged students in learning,

CBL seemed to facilitate small group learning, but the authors could not distinguish between whether it was the case itself or the small group learning that occurred as facilitated by the case.

Other studies have also reported on the effectiveness of CBL in achieving learning outcomes (Bonney, 2015; Breslin, 2008; Herreid, 2013; Krain, 2016). These findings suggest that CBL is a vehicle of engagement for instruction, and facilitates an environment whereby students can construct knowledge.

Science – Students are given a scenario to which they apply their basic science knowledge and problem-solving skills to help them solve the case. One example within the biological sciences is two brothers who have a family history of a genetic illness. They each have mutations within a particular sequence in their DNA. Students work through the case and draw conclusions about the biological impacts of these mutations using basic science. Sample cases: You are Not the Mother of Your Children ; Organic Chemisty and Your Cellphone: Organic Light-Emitting Diodes ;   A Light on Physics: F-Number and Exposure Time

Medicine – Medical or pre-health students read about a patient presenting with specific symptoms. Students decide which questions are important to ask the patient in their medical history, how long they have experienced such symptoms, etc. The case unfolds and students use clinical reasoning, propose relevant tests, develop a differential diagnoses and a plan of treatment. Sample cases: The Case of the Crying Baby: Surgical vs. Medical Management ; The Plan: Ethics and Physician Assisted Suicide ; The Haemophilus Vaccine: A Victory for Immunologic Engineering

Public Health – A case study describes a pandemic of a deadly infectious disease. Students work through the case to identify Patient Zero, the person who was the first to spread the disease, and how that individual became infected.  Sample cases: The Protective Parent ; The Elusive Tuberculosis Case: The CDC and Andrew Speaker ; Credible Voice: WHO-Beijing and the SARS Crisis

Law – A case study presents a legal dilemma for which students use problem solving to decide the best way to advise and defend a client. Students are presented information that changes during the case.  Sample cases: Mortgage Crisis Call (abstract) ; The Case of the Unpaid Interns (abstract) ; Police-Community Dialogue (abstract)

Business – Students work on a case study that presents the history of a business success or failure. They apply business principles learned in the classroom and assess why the venture was successful or not. Sample cases: SELCO-Determining a path forward ; Project Masiluleke: Texting and Testing to Fight HIV/AIDS in South Africa ; Mayo Clinic: Design Thinking in Healthcare

Humanities - Students consider a case that presents a theater facing financial and management difficulties. They apply business and theater principles learned in the classroom to the case, working together to create solutions for the theater. Sample cases: David Geffen School of Drama

Recommendations

Finding and Writing Cases

Consider utilizing or adapting open access cases - The availability of open resources and databases containing cases that instructors can download makes this approach even more accessible in the classroom. Two examples of open databases are the Case Center on Public Leadership and Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) Case Program , which focus on government, leadership and public policy case studies.

• Consider writing original cases - In the event that an instructor is unable to find open access cases relevant to their course learning objectives, they may choose to write their own. See the following resources on case writing: Cooking with Betty Crocker: A Recipe for Case Writing ; The Way of Flesch: The Art of Writing Readable Cases ;   Twixt Fact and Fiction: A Case Writer’s Dilemma ; And All That Jazz: An Essay Extolling the Virtues of Writing Case Teaching Notes .

Implementing Cases

Take baby steps if new to CBL - While entire courses and curricula may involve case-based learning, instructors who desire to implement on a smaller-scale can integrate a single case into their class, and increase the number of cases utilized over time as desired.

Use cases in classes that are small, medium or large - Cases can be scaled to any course size. In large classes with stadium seating, students can work with peers nearby, while in small classes with more flexible seating arrangements, teams can move their chairs closer together. CBL can introduce more noise (and energy) in the classroom to which an instructor often quickly becomes accustomed. Further, students can be asked to work on cases outside of class, and wrap up discussion during the next class meeting.

Encourage collaborative work - Cases present an opportunity for students to work together to solve cases which the historical literature supports as beneficial to student learning (Bruffee, 1993). Allow students to work in groups to answer case questions.

Form diverse teams as feasible - When students work within diverse teams they can be exposed to a variety of perspectives that can help them solve the case. Depending on the context of the course, priorities, and the background information gathered about the students enrolled in the class, instructors may choose to organize student groups to allow for diversity in factors such as current course grades, gender, race/ethnicity, personality, among other items.  

Use stable teams as appropriate - If CBL is a large component of the course, a research-supported practice is to keep teams together long enough to go through the stages of group development: forming, storming, norming, performing and adjourning (Tuckman, 1965).

Walk around to guide groups - In CBL instructors serve as facilitators of student learning. Walking around allows the instructor to monitor student progress as well as identify and support any groups that may be struggling. Teaching assistants can also play a valuable role in supporting groups.

Interrupt strategically - Only every so often, for conversation in large group discussion of the case, especially when students appear confused on key concepts. An effective practice to help students meet case learning goals is to guide them as a whole group when the class is ready. This may include selecting a few student groups to present answers to discussion questions to the entire class, asking the class a question relevant to the case using polling software, and/or performing a mini-lesson on an area that appears to be confusing among students.  

Assess student learning in multiple ways - Students can be assessed informally by asking groups to report back answers to various case questions. This practice also helps students stay on task, and keeps them accountable. Cases can also be included on exams using related scenarios where students are asked to apply their knowledge.

Barrows HS. (1996). Problem-based learning in medicine and beyond: a brief overview. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 68, 3-12.  

Bonney KM. (2015). Case Study Teaching Method Improves Student Performance and Perceptions of Learning Gains. Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education, 16(1): 21-28.

Breslin M, Buchanan, R. (2008) On the Case Study Method of Research and Teaching in Design.  Design Issues, 24(1), 36-40.

Bruffee KS. (1993). Collaborative learning: Higher education, interdependence, and authority of knowledge. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD.

Herreid CF. (2013). Start with a Story: The Case Study Method of Teaching College Science, edited by Clyde Freeman Herreid. Originally published in 2006 by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA); reprinted by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (NCCSTS) in 2013.

Herreid CH. (1994). Case studies in science: A novel method of science education. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 23(4), 221–229.

Jonassen DH and Hernandez-Serrano J. (2002). Case-based reasoning and instructional design: Using stories to support problem solving. Educational Technology, Research and Development, 50(2), 65-77.  

Kosfeld M, Heinrichs M, Zak PJ, Fischbacher U, Fehr E. (2005). Oxytocin increases trust in humans. Nature, 435, 673-676.

Krain M. (2016) Putting the learning in case learning? The effects of case-based approaches on student knowledge, attitudes, and engagement. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 27(2), 131-153.

Lee V. (2012). What is Inquiry-Guided Learning?  New Directions for Learning, 129:5-14.

Nkhoma M, Sriratanaviriyakul N. (2017). Using case method to enrich students’ learning outcomes. Active Learning in Higher Education, 18(1):37-50.

Srinivasan et al. (2007). Comparing problem-based learning with case-based learning: Effects of a major curricular shift at two institutions. Academic Medicine, 82(1): 74-82.

Thistlethwaite JE et al. (2012). The effectiveness of case-based learning in health professional education. A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 23.  Medical Teacher, 34, e421-e444.

Tuckman B. (1965). Development sequence in small groups. Psychological Bulletin, 63(6), 384-99.

Williams B. (2005). Case-based learning - a review of the literature: is there scope for this educational paradigm in prehospital education? Emerg Med, 22, 577-581.

Zak, PJ (2013). How Stories Change the Brain. Retrieved from: https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain

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What Is a Case Study?

Weighing the pros and cons of this method of research

Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Cara Lustik is a fact-checker and copywriter.

Verywell / Colleen Tighe

• Pros and Cons

What Types of Case Studies Are Out There?

Where do you find data for a case study, how do i write a psychology case study.

A case study is an in-depth study of one person, group, or event. In a case study, nearly every aspect of the subject's life and history is analyzed to seek patterns and causes of behavior. Case studies can be used in many different fields, including psychology, medicine, education, anthropology, political science, and social work.

The point of a case study is to learn as much as possible about an individual or group so that the information can be generalized to many others. Unfortunately, case studies tend to be highly subjective, and it is sometimes difficult to generalize results to a larger population.

While case studies focus on a single individual or group, they follow a format similar to other types of psychology writing. If you are writing a case study, we got you—here are some rules of APA format to reference.  

At a Glance

A case study, or an in-depth study of a person, group, or event, can be a useful research tool when used wisely. In many cases, case studies are best used in situations where it would be difficult or impossible for you to conduct an experiment. They are helpful for looking at unique situations and allow researchers to gather a lot of˜ information about a specific individual or group of people. However, it's important to be cautious of any bias we draw from them as they are highly subjective.

What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Case Studies?

A case study can have its strengths and weaknesses. Researchers must consider these pros and cons before deciding if this type of study is appropriate for their needs.

One of the greatest advantages of a case study is that it allows researchers to investigate things that are often difficult or impossible to replicate in a lab. Some other benefits of a case study:

• Allows researchers to capture information on the 'how,' 'what,' and 'why,' of something that's implemented
• Gives researchers the chance to collect information on why one strategy might be chosen over another
• Permits researchers to develop hypotheses that can be explored in experimental research

On the other hand, a case study can have some drawbacks:

• It cannot necessarily be generalized to the larger population
• Cannot demonstrate cause and effect
• It may not be scientifically rigorous
• It can lead to bias

Researchers may choose to perform a case study if they want to explore a unique or recently discovered phenomenon. Through their insights, researchers develop additional ideas and study questions that might be explored in future studies.

It's important to remember that the insights from case studies cannot be used to determine cause-and-effect relationships between variables. However, case studies may be used to develop hypotheses that can then be addressed in experimental research.

Case Study Examples

There have been a number of notable case studies in the history of psychology. Much of  Freud's work and theories were developed through individual case studies. Some great examples of case studies in psychology include:

• Anna O : Anna O. was a pseudonym of a woman named Bertha Pappenheim, a patient of a physician named Josef Breuer. While she was never a patient of Freud's, Freud and Breuer discussed her case extensively. The woman was experiencing symptoms of a condition that was then known as hysteria and found that talking about her problems helped relieve her symptoms. Her case played an important part in the development of talk therapy as an approach to mental health treatment.
• Phineas Gage : Phineas Gage was a railroad employee who experienced a terrible accident in which an explosion sent a metal rod through his skull, damaging important portions of his brain. Gage recovered from his accident but was left with serious changes in both personality and behavior.
• Genie : Genie was a young girl subjected to horrific abuse and isolation. The case study of Genie allowed researchers to study whether language learning was possible, even after missing critical periods for language development. Her case also served as an example of how scientific research may interfere with treatment and lead to further abuse of vulnerable individuals.

Such cases demonstrate how case research can be used to study things that researchers could not replicate in experimental settings. In Genie's case, her horrific abuse denied her the opportunity to learn a language at critical points in her development.

This is clearly not something researchers could ethically replicate, but conducting a case study on Genie allowed researchers to study phenomena that are otherwise impossible to reproduce.

There are a few different types of case studies that psychologists and other researchers might use:

• Collective case studies : These involve studying a group of individuals. Researchers might study a group of people in a certain setting or look at an entire community. For example, psychologists might explore how access to resources in a community has affected the collective mental well-being of those who live there.
• Descriptive case studies : These involve starting with a descriptive theory. The subjects are then observed, and the information gathered is compared to the pre-existing theory.
• Explanatory case studies : These   are often used to do causal investigations. In other words, researchers are interested in looking at factors that may have caused certain things to occur.
• Exploratory case studies : These are sometimes used as a prelude to further, more in-depth research. This allows researchers to gather more information before developing their research questions and hypotheses .
• Instrumental case studies : These occur when the individual or group allows researchers to understand more than what is initially obvious to observers.
• Intrinsic case studies : This type of case study is when the researcher has a personal interest in the case. Jean Piaget's observations of his own children are good examples of how an intrinsic case study can contribute to the development of a psychological theory.

The three main case study types often used are intrinsic, instrumental, and collective. Intrinsic case studies are useful for learning about unique cases. Instrumental case studies help look at an individual to learn more about a broader issue. A collective case study can be useful for looking at several cases simultaneously.

The type of case study that psychology researchers use depends on the unique characteristics of the situation and the case itself.

There are a number of different sources and methods that researchers can use to gather information about an individual or group. Six major sources that have been identified by researchers are:

• Archival records : Census records, survey records, and name lists are examples of archival records.
• Direct observation : This strategy involves observing the subject, often in a natural setting . While an individual observer is sometimes used, it is more common to utilize a group of observers.
• Documents : Letters, newspaper articles, administrative records, etc., are the types of documents often used as sources.
• Interviews : Interviews are one of the most important methods for gathering information in case studies. An interview can involve structured survey questions or more open-ended questions.
• Participant observation : When the researcher serves as a participant in events and observes the actions and outcomes, it is called participant observation.
• Physical artifacts : Tools, objects, instruments, and other artifacts are often observed during a direct observation of the subject.

If you have been directed to write a case study for a psychology course, be sure to check with your instructor for any specific guidelines you need to follow. If you are writing your case study for a professional publication, check with the publisher for their specific guidelines for submitting a case study.

Here is a general outline of what should be included in a case study.

Section 1: A Case History

This section will have the following structure and content:

Background information : The first section of your paper will present your client's background. Include factors such as age, gender, work, health status, family mental health history, family and social relationships, drug and alcohol history, life difficulties, goals, and coping skills and weaknesses.

Description of the presenting problem : In the next section of your case study, you will describe the problem or symptoms that the client presented with.

Describe any physical, emotional, or sensory symptoms reported by the client. Thoughts, feelings, and perceptions related to the symptoms should also be noted. Any screening or diagnostic assessments that are used should also be described in detail and all scores reported.

Your diagnosis : Provide your diagnosis and give the appropriate Diagnostic and Statistical Manual code. Explain how you reached your diagnosis, how the client's symptoms fit the diagnostic criteria for the disorder(s), or any possible difficulties in reaching a diagnosis.

Section 2: Treatment Plan

This portion of the paper will address the chosen treatment for the condition. This might also include the theoretical basis for the chosen treatment or any other evidence that might exist to support why this approach was chosen.

• Cognitive behavioral approach : Explain how a cognitive behavioral therapist would approach treatment. Offer background information on cognitive behavioral therapy and describe the treatment sessions, client response, and outcome of this type of treatment. Make note of any difficulties or successes encountered by your client during treatment.
• Humanistic approach : Describe a humanistic approach that could be used to treat your client, such as client-centered therapy . Provide information on the type of treatment you chose, the client's reaction to the treatment, and the end result of this approach. Explain why the treatment was successful or unsuccessful.
• Psychoanalytic approach : Describe how a psychoanalytic therapist would view the client's problem. Provide some background on the psychoanalytic approach and cite relevant references. Explain how psychoanalytic therapy would be used to treat the client, how the client would respond to therapy, and the effectiveness of this treatment approach.
• Pharmacological approach : If treatment primarily involves the use of medications, explain which medications were used and why. Provide background on the effectiveness of these medications and how monotherapy may compare with an approach that combines medications with therapy or other treatments.

This section of a case study should also include information about the treatment goals, process, and outcomes.

When you are writing a case study, you should also include a section where you discuss the case study itself, including the strengths and limitiations of the study. You should note how the findings of your case study might support previous research. 

In your discussion section, you should also describe some of the implications of your case study. What ideas or findings might require further exploration? How might researchers go about exploring some of these questions in additional studies?

Need More Tips?

Here are a few additional pointers to keep in mind when formatting your case study:

• Never refer to the subject of your case study as "the client." Instead, use their name or a pseudonym.
• Read examples of case studies to gain an idea about the style and format.
• Remember to use APA format when citing references .

Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach .  BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011;11:100.

Crowe S, Cresswell K, Robertson A, Huby G, Avery A, Sheikh A. The case study approach . BMC Med Res Methodol . 2011 Jun 27;11:100. doi:10.1186/1471-2288-11-100

Gagnon, Yves-Chantal.  The Case Study as Research Method: A Practical Handbook . Canada, Chicago Review Press Incorporated DBA Independent Pub Group, 2010.

Yin, Robert K. Case Study Research and Applications: Design and Methods . United States, SAGE Publications, 2017.

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

Center for Teaching

Case studies.

Print Version

Case studies are stories that are used as a teaching tool to show the application of a theory or concept to real situations. Dependent on the goal they are meant to fulfill, cases can be fact-driven and deductive where there is a correct answer, or they can be context driven where multiple solutions are possible. Various disciplines have employed case studies, including humanities, social sciences, sciences, engineering, law, business, and medicine. Good cases generally have the following features: they tell a good story, are recent, include dialogue, create empathy with the main characters, are relevant to the reader, serve a teaching function, require a dilemma to be solved, and have generality.

Instructors can create their own cases or can find cases that already exist. The following are some things to keep in mind when creating a case:

• What do you want students to learn from the discussion of the case?
• What do they already know that applies to the case?
• What are the issues that may be raised in discussion?
• How will the case and discussion be introduced?
• What preparation is expected of students? (Do they need to read the case ahead of time? Do research? Write anything?)
• What directions do you need to provide students regarding what they are supposed to do and accomplish?
• Do you need to divide students into groups or will they discuss as the whole class?
• Are you going to use role-playing or facilitators or record keepers? If so, how?
• What are the opening questions?
• How much time is needed for students to discuss the case?
• What concepts are to be applied/extracted during the discussion?
• How will you evaluate students?

To find other cases that already exist, try the following websites:

• The National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science , University of Buffalo. SUNY-Buffalo maintains this set of links to other case studies on the web in disciplines ranging from engineering and ethics to sociology and business
• A Journal of Teaching Cases in Public Administration and Public Policy , University of Washington

For more information:

• World Association for Case Method Research and Application

Book Review :  Teaching and the Case Method , 3rd ed., vols. 1 and 2, by Louis Barnes, C. Roland (Chris) Christensen, and Abby Hansen. Harvard Business School Press, 1994; 333 pp. (vol 1), 412 pp. (vol 2).

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4 Case Studies: Schools Use Connections to Give Every Student a Reason to Attend

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Students who feel connected to school are more likely to attend and perform well, and less likely to misbehave and feel sad and hopeless. There are even health benefits well into adulthood linked to a strong connection to school as an adolescent.

But schools are confronting a range of problems that stem at least in part from a lack of connection—perhaps most visibly: stubborn, nationwide increases in chronic absenteeism .

As they try to boost attendance and keep students engaged, some schools are turning to strategies built around the idea of connectedness. They’ve taken steps to more deliberately cultivate trusting relationships among students and adults in the building. They’ve tried to boost students’ participation in extracurricular activities to ensure they have a place at school where they feel as if they belong. And they’ve collected student feedback on what they’re learning and responded accordingly.

The work lines up with school connectedness strategies the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said are effective at reducing unhealthy behaviors and strengthening students’ engagement.

Here’s how two high schools and two school districts are putting student connectedness at the center of their improvement efforts.

Dive into each case study:

• Making 9th graders feel seen and heard
• Probing why some students feel they don’t belong
• Making relationships part of an early-warning system
• Using connections to battle chronic absenteeism

A Chicago school wants 9th graders to feel seen and heard

Thomas Kelly College Preparatory, Chicago

Educators at Thomas Kelly College Preparatory have homed in on freshman year as a key time to make sure students have a strong connection to the Chicago high school.

“If you’re a 9th grader, nothing is more important to you than belonging,” said Grace Gunderson, a counselor at the 1,700-student school who leads its newly formed freshman success team. “If we can get those kids involved in band or, ‘Hey, I play on the soccer team,’ or, ‘Hey, I always eat lunch in Ms. Gunderson’s office,’ now they have a connection. They have a reason to keep coming to school.”

Kelly’s efforts began with hearing from students. In the first iteration of a survey called Elevate that the school now administers to all students quarterly, students said they didn’t think teachers cared about them, they thought classes were boring, and they didn’t think what they were learning was relevant to what they wanted to do in life, Principal Raul Magdaleno said.

With that insight, school staff—led by the five-member freshman success team—deployed a range of initiatives, both large and small, to foster belonging. They worked on making sure students had a relationship with a trusted adult, that more were participating in extracurricular activities, that the school building was inviting, and that students knew their opinions mattered.

One effort was a “Freshman Cafe,” a spring event last year where nearly all the school’s 500 freshmen sat down one-on-one with an adult for five to 10 minutes and discussed how the school year had gone, asked questions about sophomore year, reviewed attendance and grades and set goals for the remainder of the year, and talked about clubs they could join. Staff members ranging from the dean to security guards participated.

Before the current freshman class arrived at Kelly last summer, the school started sending regular communications to incoming 9th graders introducing them to the school and staff members, held community-building activities for incoming freshmen run by college mentors through a “Freshman Connection” program, and hosted an outdoor “Freshman Fiesta” with snacks and swag, where students had the chance to meet teachers.

It’s definitely still a work in progress. But I think the students understand now that we want their feedback, we genuinely want to know what they think, and they feel as if their opinions are valued.

And once the school year began, the freshman success team made sure an adult would regularly check in with students flagged as high risk in the Chicago schools’ “Risk and Opportunity” framework, which uses 8th grade attendance and grades to predict students’ likelihood of success in high school.

The school relied on teachers and other staff members in the building who volunteered to do these check-ins as well as college-age mentors working through a community group, the Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, “just so they have somebody else aside from their teachers that’s talking to them, that shows them that they care, that they’re interested in their experience,” said Griselda Esparza, an assistant principal at Kelly.

In classrooms, after students said they thought classes were boring and disconnected, Kelly made this year the year of “meaningful work,” with teachers starting to rethink their instruction to make it more “culturally relevant and rigorous,” Magdaleno said.

Teachers have started working in their professional learning communities to examine whether what they’re teaching is personally relevant to students and connected to life outside the classroom. They’re also focused on whether students have opportunities to make choices about what they’re learning.

“It’s definitely still a work in progress,” Gunderson said. “But I think the students understand now that we want their feedback, we genuinely want to know what they think, and they feel as if their opinions are valued.”

A New York district probes why some students feel they don’t belong

Arlington Central School District, New York

When the Arlington Central school district in New York surveyed students after their return to campus from pandemic closures, staff discovered that older students, students of color, and students in special education felt a weaker sense of belonging at school.

So, staff from the 7,800-student district started speaking with students from those populations to get to the bottom of the problem.

In focus groups, students told staff that books they read in class weren’t relevant and that they weren’t hearing enough viewpoints in history classes. Students who weren’t athletes or musicians said they had no way to connect to their school community.

“We learned a lot, and that helped us prioritize,” said Daisy Rodriguez, the district’s assistant superintendent for curriculum, instruction, and assessment.

A first response was holding high school activity fairs, bringing information to students about clubs they could join rather than having them seek it out on their own. More informally, administrators sat with kids in the cafeteria to talk to them about their interests and potential clubs to add to the school’s roster.

Working with department coordinators, the district conducted curriculum audits, looking at the texts students were assigned and exploring whether they could swap in more relevant and current selections. And the high school added career and technical education offerings.

High school students also sit on curriculum teams, Rodriguez said. “They give us immediate feedback on programs and resources that we’re thinking about and if it makes sense to them,” she said.

At the district’s middle schools, Arlington last year established regular advisory periods, with groups of students assigned to the same adviser all three years so they can form stronger connections and don’t have to hit reset every fall. The time is set aside for regular check-ins and social-emotional learning.

We know that when kids feel like they belong in school, they have better attendance, they have better academic achievement, and just greater social-emotional support.

“Students have reported that they do feel that it’s helpful for them because they actually have a space that they can go to and talk about things that they can’t talk about necessarily in other settings,” Rodriguez said.

The district wants older students to lead more of these sessions in coming years, and it would ultimately like to bring advisory periods to the high school.

At the elementary level, students now have daily morning meetings, a time set aside for social-emotional learning and work on communication skills.

So far, the district has seen some positive results—a reduction in chronic absenteeism that Rodriguez attributes at least in part to the district’s work on connectedness.

“We know that when kids feel like they belong in school, they have better attendance, they have better academic achievement, and just greater social-emotional support,” she said.

A New Mexico high school makes relationships part of its early-warning system

Manzano High School, Albuquerque, N.M.

Manzano High School in Albuquerque, N.M., relies on a dedicated advisory time so students build strong connections with staff who can then spot warning signs that a student might be falling behind.

The 30-minute advisory period that happens every Monday isn’t new to the 1,300-student high school. What’s new about it is that, over the past couple of years, advisers have been expected to check in with their advisees and, using the school’s student-information system, review their grades, attendance, and behavior over the prior week.

If a student is struggling, the adviser fills out a referral form and sends it to one of the school’s five student-success teams, each of which includes an academic counselor. That team starts working with the student to identify a root cause of their challenges and potential solutions.

The advisory period’s conversion to a key component of Manzano’s early warning, or student success, system has involved training for staff members on becoming deliberate listeners and lunch-and-learn sessions on building relationships with students, said Jeanie Stark, the school’s student-success systems coordinator.

“When you’re listening to the students, it’s listening to what they’re saying and maybe even listening to a little bit beyond that to get to that root cause,” she said. “And you may or may not respond right away.”

It’s still a work in progress. The school has work to do to ensure all advisers are using the student-success system as the framework for conversations with students, Principal Rachel Vigil said.

Attendance has improved this year, and the number of students requiring student-success-team referrals has been dropping, Stark said. But a more immediate sign that the check-ins and related work have been successful is feedback from students.

Last spring, Manzano staff interviewed students whom advisers had referred to a student-success team. Of all the help they’d received, the regular check-ins were the most meaningful and helpful, the students said.

“Students were saying, ‘We do better when we have people doing those one-on-one check-ins,’” Vigil said. “Just, ‘Hey, how are you doing?’ It doesn’t even have to be academic.”

Grades and attendance data are readily available through the student-information system, Stark said, but students “want a lot of communication. They want that teacher to talk to them, and they want them to tell them how they’re doing.”

Now, the Albuquerque district wants to spread Manzano’s work. It’s working with other high schools in the city to craft their own student-success systems, and some of Albuquerque’s middle schools are figuring out what a student-success system looks like for younger students, said Sheri Jett, Albuquerque’s associate superintendent for school climate and supports, a new position.

Working with the student-survey company Panorama, Albuquerque has also begun conducting regular student surveys on students’ skills, habits, and mindset. Manzano staff hope these surveys will provide them with even more student feedback they can use to tailor their student-success system.

In Washington state, a district uses connections to battle chronic absenteeism

Tacoma Public Schools, Washington state

The Tacoma, Wash., school district’s work over the past two years to cut chronic absenteeism has revolved around strategies to strengthen students’ bonds to peers and trusted adults while using student and family feedback as a guide.

“We believe the relationship is the intervention,” said Laura Allen, the director of the 28,000-student district’s whole-child department , the hub for much of the school system’s student-wellness work.

With a grant from Washington’s state education agency, Tacoma two years ago hired a district attendance and engagement counselor to lead work on boosting attendance. As part of that work, the district surveyed students and families to find out why kids attend school and why they miss it.

“The No. 1 reason why kids said they come to school was to see their friends,” Allen said. “It doesn’t mean that they don’t want to do well academically, but that friendship connection was first and foremost.”

With that knowledge in hand, schools worked on creating new clubs that could provide more students opportunities to spend time with friends and foster a sense of belonging.

District data showed that Indigenous and LGBTQ+ students were more likely to attend school irregularly, so staff helped create new affinity groups aimed at giving students from those populations a place to “feel seen and heard,” said Jimmy Gere, the attendance and engagement counselor.

Some schools formed attendance clubs to build connections with students at risk of being chronically absent and work through problems that could keep them from coming to school.

Newly formed building attendance teams—sometimes existing teams that expanded their focus to include attendance—took inventories of their schools’ existing interventions for at-risk students, held listening sessions with students and staff, and took school-specific steps to address attendance challenges.

Tacoma also began working with two community organizations that provide mentors who regularly meet with students during school hours, checking in with them and working with them on social-emotional skills.

These experiences show students that “good things happen at school, whether it’s with your teachers or staff that are there every day or community partners that are set up to deliver their services within the school,” Gere said.

And one new initiative provides younger students with a safe way to get to school while giving older students a paid internship and course credit.

The Walking School Bus is an organized group of students who walk to school together each day, led by a high school student route leader or Tacoma educator, stopping at established points to pick up more students. It was a response to feedback from parents who said their kids didn’t have a safe way to get to school, presenting a barrier to attendance.

Younger students build relationships with high school students, and high school students gain a service-learning opportunity—one of the CDC’s identified strategies for building school connectedness.

“There’s an element of mentorship because elementary kids love high school kids,” Gere said.

Tacoma has seen attendance inch up since it started these initiatives. Average daily attendance has been 88.3 percent so far this year, up from 85.6 percent in 2021-22, before these initiatives began, district data show. But it’s still early, and future funding for some of the work is uncertain as the state attendance grant comes to a close alongside other federal COVID-relief money.

Still, Tacoma will be able to carry on much of the work based on building connections, Allen said. For students, she said, “it is all about making sure that they know that they’re seen and that they’re loved.”

VIDEO: How Schools Can Harness the Power of Relationships

Coverage of whole-child approaches to learning is supported in part by a grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, at www.chanzuckerberg.com . Education Week retains sole editorial control over the content of this coverage. A version of this article appeared in the April 24, 2024 edition of Education Week as 4 Case Studies: Schools Use Connections to Give Every Student a Reason to Attend

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• J Undergrad Neurosci Educ
• v.19(2); Spring 2021

Effective Use of Student-Created Case Studies as Assessment in an Undergraduate Neuroscience Course

Dianna m. bindelli.

1 Neuroscience Department, Carthage College, Kenosha, WI 53140

Shannon A.M. Kafura

Alyssa laci, nicole a. losurdo, denise r. cook-snyder.

2 Department of Physiology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee WI 53226

Case studies and student-led learning activities are both effective active learning methods for increasing student engagement, promoting student learning, and improving student performance. Here, we describe combining these instructional methods to use student-created case studies as assessment for an online neurovirology module in a neuroanatomy and physiology course. First, students learned about neurovirology in a flipped classroom format using free, open-access virology resources. Then, students used iterative writing practices to write an interrupted case study incorporating a patient narrative and primary literature data on the neurovirulent virus of their choice, which was graded as a writing assessment. Finally, students exchanged case studies with their peers, and both taught and completed the case studies as low-stakes assessment. Student performance and evaluations support the efficacy of case studies as assessment, where iterative writing improved student performance, and students reported increased knowledge and confidence in the corresponding learning objectives. Overall, we believe that using student-created case studies as assessment is a valuable, student-led extension of effective case study pedagogy, and has wide applicability to a variety of undergraduate courses.

It is well established that active learning increases student engagement, promotes student learning, and improves student performance compared to traditional lecture ( Armbruster et al., 2009 ; Haak et al., 2011 ; Freeman et al., 2014 ). Moreover, active learning is a critical component of inclusive pedagogy that is effective for all students, and decreases the achievement gap for persons excluded because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs; Haak et al., 2011 ; Ballen et al., 2017 ; Penner, 2018 ; Theobald et al., 2020 ; Asai, 2020 ). Frequent student-led learning activities are an important component of an active learning classroom, where students engage with course content and work collaboratively with their peers to increase their own and each other’s learning. Student-led learning techniques range from short, cooperative activities like think-pair-share and the jigsaw method ( Faust and Paulson, 1998 ; Lom, 2012 ; Lang, 2016 ), to full collaborative learning courses where students prepare and lead most classes ( Casteel and Bridges, 2007 ; Davidson and Major, 2014 ; Kurczek and Johnson, 2014 ). Case studies are also an effective active learning method that uses narratives to engage students in higher-level learning objectives within Bloom’s Taxonomy ( Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001 ; Handelsman et al., 2004 ; Herreid et al., 2012 ; Wiertelak et al., 2016 ). As one example, case studies have been incorporated into introductory and upper-level neuroscience courses to promote student analysis and evaluation of primary literature ( Cook-Snyder, 2017 ; Sawyer and Frenzel, 2018 ; Rollins, 2020 ). Typically, student-led learning activities and case studies are both used as in-class practice before a separate, larger assessment, like an exam testing similar content ( Freeman et al., 2014 ; Cook-Snyder, 2017 ; Sawyer and Frenzel, 2018 ). Here, we describe using the case study itself as the assessment, where students work collaboratively to write a case study that demonstrates and applies their neurovirology knowledge and requires analysis and evaluation of the primary literature. In turn, students lead their peers in discussion of their case to promote their own and each other’s learning.

As described here, we used student-created case studies as assessment in a four-week, online neurovirology module in an upper-level neuroanatomy and physiology course. Neurovirology is the interdisciplinary study of viruses that affect the central nervous system ( Nath and Berger, 2020 ) and students voted to learn more about neurovirology during the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic in the spring 2020 semester. Accordingly, student-created case studies focused on neurovirulent viruses, or viruses that can cause disease of nervous tissue ( Racaniello, 2020a ). Students used iterative writing practices to write their case studies, which were graded as writing assignments. Then, students exchanged case studies with their peers, and both taught and completed the cases in small groups as low-stakes assessment. Student performance data and self-reported evaluations support the success of the neurovirology module and case study assignment in meeting the content and skills learning objectives listed below. Case studies are highly effective tools in undergraduate education ( Handelsman et al., 2004 ; Herreid et al., 2012 ; Wiertelak et al., 2016 ), and we believe that using student-created case studies as assessment is a valuable extension of established case study pedagogy.

Learning Objectives

Content objectives.

After this module, students should be able to:

• ○ Viral properties and classification
• ○ Viral pathogenesis, including infection and immune response
• ○ CNS barriers, including the blood-brain barrier
• ○ Mechanisms of neurotoxicity and neuronal death

Skills Objectives

Additionally, students will increase their skills in:

• Applying virology and neuroscience principles to neurovirulent viruses and neurologic disorders
• Using resources from the neurovirology module to learn more about virology
• Analyzing and evaluating primary literature
• Collaborating to write original case studies
• Leading peers in analysis and evaluation of case studies

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Neurovirology module.

The neurovirology module was developed for a one-semester, neuroanatomy and physiology lecture and laboratory course for junior and senior neuroscience majors at a small liberal arts college (Neuroscience 4100, Carthage College). Enrollment for the course is typically 25–30 students, with greater than 60% of students reporting clinically focused health care career goals. The most common career goals are physician (M.D. or D.O.), physician assistant, physical or occupational therapist, and clinical psychologist, consistent with the hypothesis that students believe a neuroscience major will better prepare them for health care careers ( Prichard, 2015 ; Ramos et al., 2016a , 2016b ).

The neurovirology module was developed as a substitution for in-person labs when remote instruction was implemented in the spring 2020 semester due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Student survey data was collected using Google Forms at the beginning of remote instruction, and 96% of students voted in favor of using lab time to learn more about virology and infectious disease, with an emphasis on neurovirology ( n = 26 enrolled students; 24/26 students for, 0/26 students against, 2/26 students abstained). Accordingly, the neurovirology module was administered over Zoom ( https://zoom.us/ ) during weekly 3-hour lab periods for a total of four weeks (Week 1 to Week 4; 12 hours total; see Supplementary Material Appendix A , Appendix B ). Students received instruction in using Zoom prior to the neurovirology module, including joining a Zoom class, providing verbal and non-verbal feedback to the instructor, and joining breakout rooms to work with peers.

The neurovirology module followed a flipped classroom format, in which students gained familiarity with neurovirology content before class, and used class time for active learning strategies ( Mazur, 2009 ; Brame, 2013 ). Appendix A provides details on before class readings, videos, and assignments, and in-class activites for the neurovirology module. Briefly, in Week 1, students learned basic principles of virology using recorded lectures and readings from a free, online, open-access virology course ( https://www.virology.ws/course/ ) and blog ( https://www.virology.ws/virology-101/ ) courtesy of Vincent Racaniello at Columbia University ( Racaniello, 2004 ; Racaniello, 2009a , 2009b , 2009c , 2009d , 2009e , 2009f , 2009g ; Racaniello, 2020a , 2020b , 2020c ). These materials were supplemented with textbook readings on the immune system ( Widmaier et al., 2014 ). Week 1 materials were chosen to provide students with enough background on viral properties, classification, and pathogenesis that they could apply their knowledge to neurovirulent viruses and neurologic disorders in Week 2. Accordingly, in Week 2, students read about central nervous system barriers in the course textbook ( Kandel et al., 2013 ), and watched a brief, recorded lecture summarizing major mechanisms of neurotoxicity and neuronal death ( Appendix A ; Fink and Cookson, 2005 ; Jellinger, 2010 ; Fan et al., 2017 ; full lecture available from the corresponding author by request). After completing these additional background readings, students read a neurovirology review article describing mechanisms of invasion and disease for specific neurovirulent viruses ( Swanson and McGavern, 2015 ).

Before class assignments for Week 1 and Week 2 included short, online comprehension quizzes, and collaborative “neurovirology dictionary” assignments, where students were responsible for adding new terms and definitions to create a shared “neurovirology dictionary” from the before class readings and videos ( Appendix A ). Both of these graded assignments incentivized student preparation before class and provided checks of student understanding, which are key elements of a flipped classroom ( Brame, 2013 ).

Week 1 and Week 2 class time used cooperative, student-led learning, where students worked together to complete questions based on the before class content ( Davidson and Major, 2014 ). Specifically, students were randomly assigned to groups of 3–4 using the breakout room function in Zoom. Each group was assigned a different set of instructor-created questions to discuss and complete in a shared Google Slides document, and the instructor circulated between groups to check understanding. Then, each group presented their answers to the full class. This format provided structure for students to create their own study guide summarizing neurovirology content, and provided additional practice in cooperative, student-led learning ( Davidson and Major, 2014 ).

Case Study Assignment

Weeks 3–4 of the neurovirology module were used for the case study assignment. Broadly defined, case studies use narratives to engage students and meet learning objectives ( Herreid, 2007 ). The case study assignment was worth 6% of the final course grade, and Appendix B provides details on assignment requirements and a grading rubric. Briefly, students worked in self-selected groups of 2–3 to write their case study on any neurovirulent virus of their choosing. Case studies were required to follow an interrupted, literature-based format ( Herreid et al., 2012 ; Prud’homme-Généreux, 2016 ; Cook-Snyder, 2017 ), where the first part of the case study used a patient narrative or primary literature data and asked questions on the epidemiology and/or symptoms and diagnosis of the virus. The second part of the case study was required to use primary literature data and ask questions on the pathogenesis and/or treatment of the virus. Students included answers to their own questions, and the answers were required to be clearly supported by the course materials and by their case study. Supplementary Material Appendices C and D provide example student-created case studies on rabies virus and enterovirus 71, respectively.

Students followed an iterative writing practice to create their case studies, which sought to couple goal-directed practice with targeted feedback ( Ambrose et al., 2010 ). Specifically, students submitted the first draft of their co-authored case study in Week 3, which was graded by the instructor using a holistic rubric that included a grading scale, comments, and specific examples from the students’ draft ( Appendix B ; Allen and Tanner, 2006 ). The first draft was worth 10% of the students’ final grade on the assignment, which incentivized student performance on the draft while still serving as a low-stakes assesment and providing formative feedback ( Birol et al., 2013 ; Brownell et al., 2013 ; Cotner and Ballen, 2017 ; Cyr, 2017 ). Then, students revised and submitted the final draft of their case study in Week 4, which was graded by the instructor using the same rubric as the first draft to provide summative feedback, and was worth 90% of the students’ final grade. Students were asked to write new or edited text on the final draft in a different color, so the instructor could more easily identify the students’ improvements from the first draft and incorporation of first draft feedback.

Students also shared their case study final draft with one other student group, and the case study authors led their peers through their case studies following a previously described classroom management strategy ( Cook-Snyder, 2017 ). This classroom management strategy is consistent with effective student-led discussion practices, including students working in teams to create and disseminate discussion questions before leading class discussion ( Casteel and Bridges, 2007 ; Kurczek and Johnson, 2014 ). Briefly, in Week 4, peers completed the student authors’ case study questions as homework before class, and class time was used to discuss their answers. Discussion was facilitated by the student authors, and emphasized that there can be multiple "correct" answers where the best answers are accurate and well-supported. Well-supported answers cited the case study itself, the neurovirology module, previous course content, and/or the primary literature as needed. This approach encourages students to apply course knowledge and conduct targeted literature searches to increase their knowledge. Peers edited their answers based on the discussion, and these edits were factored into a pass/fail grade from the instructor. Each case study was allotted 30 minutes for discussion; at the end of 30 minutes, the peers and students authors switched roles and discussed the peers’ case study. Appendix B provides a table illustrating this format for a three-hour class period. Overall, each student received three grades on the case study assignment: a grade on the first draft and a grade on the final draft of the case study they wrote, and a pass/fail grade on the case study they completed ( Appendix B ). Additionally, each student had the opportunity to teach their case study to their peers as a student-led learning activity. By implementing the case study assignment workflow outlined here, students both created original work and led their peers in analysis and evaluation of their work, consistent with higher-level learning objectives from Bloom’s Taxonomy ( Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001 ).

Assessment of Learning Objectives

Learning objectives for the neurovirology module and case study assignment were assessed directly and indirectly using student performance data and self-reported evaluations, respectively ( Muir, 2015 ). Data and evaluations were collected in accordance with federal guidelines for research in education settings, and with approval from the Institutional Review Board at Carthage College. All statistical analyses were performed in GraphPad Prism 8 for macOS (San Diego, CA) with a significance level of p <0.05.

Analyzed student performance data included student grades on the first draft and final draft of the case study assignment ( Figure 1 ). Comparison of first draft and final draft case study grades was analyzed using a parametric paired t -test.

Student performance improved with iterative writing practice and low-stakes assessment. Student group grades for the first draft and final draft of the case study are shown as a percentage of the total possible points for the draft (grey circles). Lines connect the first draft and final draft grades from the same student group ( n = 12 student groups; paired t -test, **** p <0.001).

De-identified student self-reported evaluations were collected using Google Forms after Week 4 of the neurovirology module and case study assignment. Quantitative evaluations used a Likert scale with the following responses: 5-Strongly Agree; 4- Agree; 3- Neutral; 2- Disagree; 1- Strongly Disagree ( Figures 2 ​ 2 – 4 ). All questions included a “prefer not to respond” option for student response, although no students chose this option for the questions reported here. Student responses were analyzed using a nonparametric one-sample Wilcoxon signed-rank test, with a hypothetical median of 3- Neutral. If the responses were significantly different from 3- Neutral, we concluded that the students agreed/strongly agreed (4–5) or disagreed/strongly disagreed (1–2) with the question. This analysis method is consistent with previous research analyzing student-led learning activities ( Stavnezer and Lom, 2019 ).

Students self-reported familiarity with neurovirology ( A ), increased knowledge in content learning objectives ( B ), and activities contributing to knowledge ( C ). Evaluations used a Likert scale: 5-Strongly Agree; 4- Agree; 3- Neutral; 2- Disagree; 1- Strongly Disagree. Scatter plots show individual student responses (grey circles) and the median response (black bar) for each question ( n = 23–24 students; one-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test to a hypothesized median of 3- Neutral (dotted line); ** p <0.01, **** p <0.0001).

Students self-reported increased confidence in skills learning objectives. Evaluations used a Likert scale: 5-Strongly Agree; 4- Agree; 3- Neutral; 2- Disagree; 1- Strongly Disagree. Scatter plots show individual student responses (grey circles) and the median response (black bar) for each question ( n = 23–24 students; one-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test to a hypothesized median of 3- Neutral (dotted line); **** p <0.0001).

Students self-reported satisfaction with the neurovirology module and case study assignment. Evaluations used a Likert scale: 5-Strongly Agree; 4- Agree; 3- Neutral; 2- Disagree; 1- Strongly Disagree. Scatter plots show individual student responses (grey circles) and the median response (black bar) for each question ( n = 24 students; one-sample Wilcoxon signed rank test to a hypothesized median of 3- Neutral (dotted line); *** p <0.001, **** p <0.0001).

De-identified qualitative evaluations included three open-ended questions: (1) What will you take away from the neurovirology module?; (2) What aspects of the neurovirology module were most valuable?; (3) What suggestions do you have for how Dr. Cook-Snyder (i.e., instructor and corresponding author) can improve the neurovirology module? The corresponding author categorized student responses to align with the content and skills learning objectives, or with the neurovirology module materials ( Appendix A ) and case study assignment ( Appendix B ; Figure 5 ). Some student responses contained module/case study assignment category. Additionally, some student responses (31.03% of responses) did not contain a suggestion for improvement, and were omitted from analysis. Accordingly, qualitative evaluation sample sizes vary from course enrollment because one response can contain zero or multiple categories, consistent with analysis methods from previous studies ( Stavnezer and Lom, 2019 ).

Students self-reported content and skills learning objective takeaways, and provided strengths and areas for improvement for the neurovirology module and case study assignment. Qualitative evaluations used open-ended questions to assess takeaways ( A ), strengths ( B ), and areas for improvement ( C ). ( A ) Students responses on takeaways were aligned with content learning objectives (above dotted line) or skills learning objectives (below dotted line), and the percentage of total responses for each learning objective is shown ( n = 38 responses). ( B, C ) Student responses on strengths ( B ) and areas for improvement ( C ) were aligned with neurovirology module materials (above dotted line) or the case study assignment (below dotted line), and the percentage of total responses for each category is shown ( B : n = 39 responses; C : n = 20 responses)

Student Performance

Student learning in the neurovirology module ( Supplementary Material Appendix A ) was primarily assessed with the case study assignment ( Supplementary Material Appendix B ). As examples, two student-created case studies on neurovirulent viruses are included in Supplementary Material Appendices C and D . Student authors (DMB, SAMK, AL, NAL) had substantial familiarity with interrupted, literature-based case studies before writing their own case study in this format. Indeed, almost all students who wrote case studies (25 out of 26 students) had previously completed 13 interrupted, literature-based case studies over two semesters in the corresponding author’s courses ( Cook-Snyder, 2017 ). In Appendix C , the student-created case study on rabies virus applies content from the neurovirology module with detailed analysis of primary literature data on rabies virus, blood-brain barrier permeability, and vaccine efficacy ( Long et al., 2020 ). In Appendix D , the student-created case study on enterovirus 71 also applies neurovirology content to investigate vaccine efficacy ( Li et al., 2008 ; Zhang et al., 2012 ). Additionally, this case study reviews cerebellar and pontine structure and function, which were previously discussed in the course, in relation to viral pathogenesis ( Huang et al., 1999 ; Shen et al., 1999 ; Jain et al., 2014 ). In both case studies, student authors successfully met the skills learning objectives of the neurovirology module and case study assignment by applying their knowledge of neurovirology and analyzing and evaluating primary literature.

The case study assignment used an iterative writing process and low-stakes assessment, where the first draft of the case study was worth 10% of the students’ final grade on the assignment, and the final draft was worth 90%. Iterative writing practices and low-stakes assessment have been shown to improve student performance and confidence within a course ( Freestone, 2009 ; Brownell et al., 2013 ; Cyr, 2017 ). Therefore, we compared student grades on the first draft and final draft of the case study, and consistent with previous literature, our results show that every student group increased their grade from the first draft to the final draft ( Figure 1 ). These results further support that iterative writing practices and low-stakes assessment can improve student performance.

Student Evaluations

For quantitative evaluations, students used a Likert scale to self-report their knowledge of content learning objectives and confidence in skills learning objectives after completion of the neurovirology module and case study assignment. Our results show that the majority of students had not studied neurovirology in a previous college course, and that they reported increased knowledge of content learning objectives after completing the neurovirology module and case study assignment ( Figure 2A, 2B ). Moreover, students reported that writing, teaching, and completing a neurovirology case study all increased their neurovirology knowledge, with writing (median = 5- Strongly Agree) ranking higher than teaching or completing (median = 4- Agree; Figure 2C ). Additionally, students reported increased confidence in skills learning objectives ( Figure 3 ), and agreed that if they took the course again, they would want the neurovirology module included, and to write more case studies ( Figure 4 ). Taken together, these data suggest that the neurovirology module and case study assignment were largely successful in meeting content and skills learning objectives and student satisfaction.

For qualitative evaluations, students answered open-ended questions on takeaways, strengths, and areas for improvement after completion of the neurovirology module and case study assignment. When asked what they will take away from the neurovirology module, student responses spanned the module’s learning objectives but reported more content than skills takeaways ( Figure 5A ; 55.3% of responses for content learning objectives; 44.7% of response for skills learning objectives). Additionally, students emphasized the importance of the module as a foundation for further exploration, as exemplified by the following responses:

“I will take away how much I loved learning about neurovirology. I was always interested in infectious diseases and loved neuroscience so tying them together has been fantastic… I am definitely more confident in reading primary literature on the topic due to this section and that will hopefully carry me through any future education.” “I thought the material was interesting and relevant and I appreciated that I could take the information and neurovirology definitions we were learning about and begin to apply them to literature being published now about COVID-19….”

When asked about the most valuable aspects of the neurovirology module, students identified before class readings and videos, and in-class active learning strategies in Weeks 1–2 of the module ( Appendix A ), and writing and teaching their case studies in Weeks 3–4 of the case study assignment ( Appendix B ; Figure 5B ; 56.4% of responses for the neurovirology module, 43.6% of responses for the case study assignment). Writing the case study was the most commonly identified valuable aspect of the class (33% of responses; Figure 5B ), as exemplified by the following responses:

“I found the case study we created to be most helpful. It pushed me to go through the neurovirology material learned in the lectures, readings, and videos and truly understand the topic I had to eventually write and teach about. I felt that it allowed for more active learning in which I had to think about the topic from multiple angles-researching a virus, creating the prompt, writing questions and answers...” “I really enjoyed having the challenge of writing our case study. It made me think more like a scientist and a physician regarding viruses and how they can affect the nervous system. It is very interesting to apply the theory to what we could see in real life on a patient undergoing a viral infection.” “I think the aspect that was most valuable was the creation of the case study. I thought it was beyond inspiring to have crafted our very own case study that seemed so professional and to teach it to our peers was very meaningful.”

When asked for suggestions for improving the neurovirology module, student feedback spanned the module and the case study assignment ( Figure 5C ; 55% of responses for the neurovirology module, 45% of responses for the case study assignment). The most common areas for improvement were adding more content, especially clinical symptoms and diagnosis (30% of responses) and completing more case studies (30% of responses). Interestingly, adding more content was also the most common area for improvement for students that reported neutral or disagree with knowledge of content learning objectives ( Figure 2B ) or confidence in skills learning objectives ( Figure 3 ; 57% of responses from these students). As two students wrote:

“Discussing more symptoms and how you would classify a disease based on the symptoms presented [is an area of improvement]…learning how to diagnose/differentiate these types of diseases would be helpful.” “…I think it would be interesting if we all got to do or at least listen in on everyone's case study. This would allow us to learn about different neuroviruses.”

Interestingly, some students also identified providing more instruction on teaching the case study as an area for improvement ( Figure 5C ; 15% of responses). As one student wrote:

“While I did think that creating our own case study was very valuable, I did think that some of the expectations on how it was going to be presented were unclear. I wish there was a little more format to that portion of the project. Other than that I really did enjoy this module and I hope that you can find a way to integrate it into the class material in the future.”

Taken together, qualitative student evaluations suggest that student takeaways aligned with content and skills learning objectives, and that students valued the structure of the neurovirology module and case study assignment, although important improvements to content and instruction are needed.

In this article, we describe using student-created case studies as assessment for a neurovirology module. Our results suggest that the neurovirology module and the case study assignment met their intended content and skills learning objectives by improving student performance and increasing students’ self-reported knowledge and confidence. We believe our approach is a valuable extension of case study pedagogy with broad applicability to a variety of undergraduate courses.

As described in this article, students followed iterative writing practices to create their case studies, which have been shown to improve student performance and confidence within a course ( Freestone, 2009 ; Brownell et al., 2013 ; Cyr, 2017 ). Our data was consistent with the previous literature, showing improved student grades from the first draft to the final draft of the case study assignment ( Figure 1 ). Previous studies also suggest that iterative writing practice coupled with calibrated peer review may be particularly effective in improving performance for the lowest-performing students ( Birol et al., 2013 ). Future version of the case study assignment could repeat the iterative writing practices described here and included calibrated peer review for the first draft, then measure improvement from the first draft to the final draft for high- and low-performing students. Moreover, additional studies suggest that iterative writing practices may not improve student writing performance across all domains or in subsequent courses ( Rayner et al., 2014 ; Holstein et al., 2015 ). Further analysis would be necessary to determine if students show longitudinal improvements in writing performance across multiple writing assignments and courses after completion of the case study assignment described here.

Quantitative and qualitative student self-report evaluations support that the neurovirology module and case study assignment promoted content and skills learning objectives in understanding, applying, analyzing, evaluating, and creating ( Anderson and Krathwohl, 2001 ), and that students valued the structure of the neurovirology module and case study assignment ( Figures 2 ​ 2 ​ – 5 ). Importantly, student self-report evaluations of active learning may underestimate the amount of actual student learning ( Deslauriers et al., 2019 ), so the high student evaluations of learning objectives are notable. However, students also offered important areas for improvement, including adding more content on clinical symptoms and diagnosis on neurovirulent disorders ( Figure 5C ). To address this, future iterations of the neurovirology module should include clinical textbook readings and primary literature ( Bookstaver et al., 2017 ; Nath and Berger, 2020 ) coupled with public health resources on symptoms and diagnosis ( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020 ; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, 2020 ; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2020 ). Encouraging students to read scientific articles written for the general public prior to or concurrent with reading primary literature on the same topic improves student understand of complex or unfamiliar literature ( Gottesman and Hoskins, 2013 ; Bodnar et al., 2016 ; Kararo and McCartney, 2019 ). Additionally, students suggested providing more instruction on teaching case studies and completing more case studies ( Figure 5C ). This area for improvement is consistent with quantitative evaluations, where students reported that writing, teaching, and completing a neurovirology case study all increased their neurovirology knowledge, but writing ranked higher than teaching or completing ( Figure 2C ). To address this, future iterations of the case study assignment will include teaching guidelines in the assignment requirements ( Appendix B ) based on nine facilitator strategies for student-led discussion ( Rees, 1998 ; Soranno, 2010 ). Students will be asked to reflect on these strategies and write a short paragraph at the end of their first draft on how they will work as a team to teach their case study using these strategies. Additionally, students will share their case study final draft with at least two other student groups to increase the number of case studies each student completes. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations should be repeated to determine if these interventions address students’ areas for improvement.

Students had considerable familiarity with interrupted, literature-based case studies before writing their own cases. Indeed, almost all students who wrote case studies (25 out of 26 students) had previously completed 13 interrupted, literature-based case studies over two semesters in the corresponding author’s courses ( Cook-Snyder, 2017 ). This is consistent with active learning pedagogy, which emphasizes students practicing the skills necessary to succeed in assessment before they are assessed ( Armbruster et al., 2009 ; Haak et al., 2011 ; Freeman et al., 2014 ). However, previous research suggests that more limited practice with case studies prior to writing a case study may still be effective. For example, research on collaborative learning courses describe instructor modeling of good discussion practices “several” times before students prepared and led classroom discussions ( Casteel and Bridges, 2007 ; Kurczek and Johnson, 2014 ). Therefore, we suggest that students complete several (two to four) instructor-provided and -taught case studies following the structure and classroom management of the case study assignment before writing and leading their own case.

Active learning is a critical component of inclusive pedagogy that is effective for all students, and decreases the achievement gap for PEERs ( Haak et al., 2011 ; Ballen et al., 2017 ; Penner, 2018 ; Theobald et al., 2020 ; Asai, 2020 ). Studies suggest that active learning may be particularly effective for PEERs because active learning helps students identify as scientists, and science identity is critical for persistence in STEM ( Graham et al., 2013 ; Trujillo and Tanner, 2014 ; Theobald et al., 2020 ). Case studies are important components of active learning ( Handelsman et al., 2004 ; Herreid et al., 2012 ; Wiertelak et al., 2016 ), and some qualitative student evaluations suggest that the case study assignment promoted scientific identity, where students described thinking “more like a scientist and a physician,” and that writing a case study “seemed so professional.” However, direct questions on students’ science identities are needed for future iterations of the case study assignment to determine if the assignment promoted science identity ( Trujillo and Tanner, 2014 ). Likewise, further studies are needed to determine if the case study assignment promoted persistence in STEM. In this article, the case study assignment was used in a spring semester course for junior and senior neuroscience majors at Carthage College, where nearly 100% of junior and senior neuroscience majors graduate from Carthage with a neuroscience degree (data not shown). This is consistent with previous research, which estimates that STEM attrition rates peak in students’ first and second academic year, and plateau in third and fourth year ( Aulck et al., 2017 ; Chen et al., 2018 ). However, if the case study assignment was used in first or second year neuroscience courses, when STEM attrition rates are higher, measuring subsequent retention of students in a STEM major could be particularly valuable metric.

We believe that using student-created case studies as assessment has wide applicability to undergraduate education because case studies themselves have wide applicability. Case studies have been used effectively in introductory and advanced neuroscience courses with small and large student enrollments to address a variety of content and skills learning objectives ( Herreid et al., 2012 ; Brielmaier, 2016 ; Ogilvie and Ribbens, 2016 ; Roesch and Frenzel, 2016 ; Wiertelak et al., 2016 ; Lemons, 2017 ; Nagel and Nicholas, 2017 ; Sawyer and Frenzel, 2018 ; Mitrano, 2019 ; Ogilvie, 2019 ; Watson, 2019 ; Rollins, 2020 ). Case studies are also effective active learning methods for synchronous and asynchronous online and hybrid teaching ( Brooke, 2006 ; Schiano and Anderson, 2014 ). Accordingly, we believe that the case study assignment described here could be adapted to follow any of these existing methods of case study writing and teaching. Additionally, we encourage instructors to adapt our neurovirology module to their students’ needs and interests, taking advantage of the free virology resources available online ( https://www.virology.ws/course/ ; https://www.virology.ws/virology-101/ ). Moreover, we believe the module format and case study assignment described here could be duplicated for other important neuroscience topics that are highly relevant to students but not always discussed in the neuroscience curriculum, like social neuroscience or neuroethics ( Flint and Dorr, 2010 ; Abu-Odeh et al., 2015 ; Wiertelak et al., 2018 ). Overall, we believe that using student-created case studies as assessment is a valuable, student-led extension of effective case study pedagogy, and has wide applicability to a variety of undergraduate courses.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Neuroscience Case Network (NeuroCaseNet; NSF-RCN-UBE Grant #1624104). The authors thank the students in Neuroscience 4100 at Carthage College for their participation and feedback, and Dr. Kristen Frenzel for editing the manuscript.

APPENDIX 1. NEUROVIROLOGY MODULE MATERIALS

Before class readings and videos.

Instructions for students: Please read and watch the following in order. Note that most of these are short readings and videos, but Infection Basics is an hour-long lecture.

• What is a virus?: https://www.virology.ws/2004/07/28/what-is-a-virus/
• How viruses are classified: https://www.virology.ws/2009/08/07/how-viruses-are-classified/
• Simplifying virus classification: The Baltimore system: https://www.virology.ws/2009/08/12/simplifying-virus-classification-the-baltimore-system/
• Recorded lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBJ0vcOlS7I&feature=youtu.be
• Slides: https://virology2020.s3.amazonaws.com/012_4310_20.pdf
• Please watch the entire lecture
• pg. 652 – 656
• pg. 662- adaptive immune responses overview
• These pages define immune cell types and cytokines, and give overviews of the innate immune response and adaptive immune response
• The rest of the chapter is for your reference
• Innate immune defenses: https://www.virology.ws/2009/06/03/innate-immune-defenses/
• The inflammatory response: https://www.virology.ws/2009/07/01/the-inflammatory-response/
• Adaptive immune defenses: https://www.virology.ws/2009/07/03/adaptive-immune-defenses/
• Adaptive immune defenses: Antibodies: https://www.virology.ws/2009/07/22/adaptive-immune-defenses-antibodies/
• Immunopathology: Too much of a good thing: https://www.virology.ws/2009/01/23/immunopathology-too-much-of-a-good-thing/
• Recorded lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQkg0mID-w8&feature=youtu.be
• Slides: https://virology2020.s3.amazonaws.com/016_4310_20.pdf
• Please watch until 8:00 (slide 7) of this lecture. The rest of the lecture is posted for your reference.
• Recorded lecture: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWRynTL8NI4&feature=youtu.be
• Slides: https://virology2020.s3.amazonaws.com/017_4310_20.pdf
• Please watch until 5:30 (slide 6) of this video. The rest of the lecture is posted for your reference

Before Class Assignments

Instructions for students.

• Quiz ( Instructor note: Figure A1 provides sample quiz questions ).
• Neurovirology dictionary ( Instructor note: Figure A2 provides example neurovirology dictionary entries ). Neurovirology has so many terms that we’re going to create our own neurovirology dictionary. You are responsible for adding two new definitions to the dictionary this week. Your two definitions should be unique- they should not have already been defined by your classmates. I’ve included a few definitions to get us started. Your neurovirology dictionary definitions are worth 5 points, and you will receive full credit for being thoughtful, thorough, and on time.

In Class: Zoom lecture

• Study questions will be distributed at the beginning of class. You'll have the first part of class to work on the study questions in groups, and we'll discuss the answers to the study questions during the second part of class.
• At the end the end of class, please submit your study questions to the assignment posted below ( Instructor note: this course uses Schoology as learning management software ). Your study questions are worth 5 points, and you will receive full credit for being thoughtful, thorough, and on time.

Please read and watch the following in order.

• Kandel, Appendix D , The Blood-Brain Barrier, Choroid Plexus, and Cerebrospinal Fluid: pgs. 1565–1575.
• Mechanism of neurotoxicity and neuronal death ( Instructor note: this is a brief, recorded lecture focusing on key definitions, including apoptosis, autophagy, necrosis, inflammation, excitotoxicity, trophic factor withdrawal, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, protein misfolding and aggregation, and axonal transport dysfunction ).
• Swanson and McGavern, 2015 - Viral Diseases of the Central Nervous System ( Instructor note: key concepts from this review include viral spread, CNS entry, viral cytopathology, and immunopathology).
• Quiz ( Instructor note: Figure A3 provides sample quiz questions ).
• At the end of class, please submit your study questions to the assignment posted below ( Instructor note: this course uses Schoology as learning management software ). Your study questions are worth 5 points, and you will receive full credit for being thoughtful, thorough, and on time.

Sample quiz questions for Week 1 neurovirology module.

Example student-created neurovirology dictionary entries for Week 1 and Week 2 neurovirology module. Student names have been redacted.

Sample quiz questions for Week 2 neurovirology module.

APPENDIX 2. CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENTS AND RUBRIC

What is a neurovirology case study.

We’ve used case studies to practice applying our knowledge from lecture to solve biomedically-relevant problems. By now, you all are experts in answering case studies questions- now it’s your turn to work in groups to write your own case study, similar to the case studies we’ve completed in class, and teach it to your peers.

What should you include in your neurovirology case study?

You should work with your lab group to write a neurovirology case study on any neurovirulent virus of your choosing. Your virus can also be neurotropic and/or neuroinvasive, but this is not required. ( Instructor note: neurovirulent viruses cause disease of nervous tissue. Neurotropic viruses infect neural cells; infection may occur by neural or hematogenous spread from a peripheral site. Neuroinvasive viruses enter the CNS after infection of a peripheral site ).

Your neurovirology case study should have two parts:

• Part #1 of your case study should investigate your neurovirulent virus using a patient narrative and/or primary literature data. You are encouraged to refer back to our previous case studies as examples.
• Based on your patient narrative and/or primary literature data, you should write a minimum of two questions, with answers, which address the epidemiology and/or symptoms and diagnosis of your virus.
• Part #2 of your case study should continue to investigate your neurovirulent virus using primary literature data. You are encouraged to refer back to our previous case studies as examples- nearly all of our case studies include questions based on primary literature data.
• Based on your primary literature data, you should write a minimum of three questions, with answers, which address the pathogenesis and/or treatment of your virus.
• Answers to your questions should be clearly supported by previous readings, videos, and lectures from class, and by the case study itself. You are encouraged to use any material from class as needed- you are not limited to just our neurovirology readings, videos and lectures.
• Remember, your peers are going to read your case study and answer your questions. So, your peers should be able to answer your questions based on material from class, plus any additional information you provide for them in the case study. Your peers should have to do minimal additional research to answer your questions correctly.

Your neurovirology case study should also have two versions:

• The answers to your questions
• In-text citations for all parts of your case study, especially your patient narrative/primary literature data and the answers to your questions.
• A list of references on the last page.
• You will write a 1st draft and a final draft of your Answer Key- see the Submission requirements and Grading and Feedback sections below for details
• This is the version you will share with your peers, so they can read your case study and answer your questions. This version should be identical to your Answer Key final draft, but not include the answers to your questions, in-text citations, or your list of references at the end.

How will you teach your neurovirology case study to your peers?

During Week 4, you will be leading your peers in a discussion of your case study, similar to our class discussions of case studies ( Instructor note: see Cook-Snyder, 2017 for a detailed classroom management strategy for case studies ).

• You will share your Neurovirology Case Study- Without Answer with your peers
• Your peers will read your case study, answer the questions, and submit their answers to Schoology before class.
• Then, in class, you will lead your peers in a discussion of your case study, and your peers will submit their original answers plus annotations to Schoology after class

Submission requirements

• ○ Your 1st draft is due Tuesday, May 5th, before your lab section starts (Instructor note: this is Week 3).
• ○ Your final draft is due Monday, May 11th, 10:30am (Instructor note: this is Week 4).
• ○ Even though you’re writing one case study per lab group, all group members should submit the case study to Schoology. This will ensure that all group members receive their case study grades.
• Your Neurovirology Case Study- Without Answers should be emailed to your peers by Monday, May 11th, 10:30am (Instructor note: this is Week 4).

Grading and Feedback

You will be graded according to the Neurovirology Case Study Grading Rubric posted below. Note that 10% of your case study grade will be earned on your 1st draft, and 90% will be earned on your final draft.

I will provide feedback electronically on all drafts (1st and final). My feedback will summarize the strengths, areas for improvement, and specific actions you can take to improve. IMPORTANT: I will provide a maximum of two comments per rubric section. This doesn’t mean that there aren’t any additional areas for improvement, or that if you only address these comments that you will get a 100%. But, I believe targeting your attention and effort to these top areas will make the most improvement.

Neurovirology Case Study Grading Rubric

APPENDIX 3. STUDENT-CREATED CASE STUDY- RABIES VIRUS

Instructor note: This case was written by Alyssa Laci and Nicole A. Losurdo, undergraduate students in Neuroscience 4100, Spring 2020 semester, Carthage College. In-text citations and references are in blue font. The answer key version of this case is available via request to [email protected] . The corresponding author (DRCS) has edited the case for formatting and clarity and has indicated whether each answer is supported by the case study in the neurovirology module, previous course content, and/or the primary literature in blue font.

Brian was engaging in yard work when he heard his wife yell to him.

“Brian! There is a stray dog in the yard that is acting rather strange. He is staggering and having a hard time standing upright. I think I also saw a foamy discharge coming from his eyes and mouth. I noticed him while I was in the garden because he was making this weird high-pitched noise” ( Taylor and Nel, 2015 ).

Brian walked over to his wife.

She looked concerned and asked him, “What do you think we should do about him?”

Brian replied with a similar concerned tone, “Well we better make sure he is okay and consider calling animal control. In the meantime, I’ll go take a closer look at him.”

Brian slowly moved closer to the dog, trying not to disturb or frighten him. He reached toward the dog, trying to comfort his fear. Instead, the dog lunged at his hand and bit him.

Brian pulled his hand away in pain. He glanced down at his fingers and found blood oozing from them. He stepped away from the dog and went inside to wash his hands off from the bite.

As he was washing his hands, the area around the bite tingled and itched ( CDC, 2019 ). He continued to scrub until the blood was gone, applied a bandaid and grabbed the phone to call animal control.

A week passed, and the area of Brian’s bite began to itch more excessively and he just couldn’t drum up the motivation to leave his bed because he felt so sleepy ( CDC, 2019 ). His wife entered into his bedroom, “Honey, please quit itching. You’re just going to make it worse.” She reached for his forehead, it felt warm.

Extremely irritated by her suggestion, Brian tried to keep his response low, but raised his voice at her ( CDC, 2019 ). “Don’t tell me what to do! I am a grown man! And stop coming in here to turn my light on. It’s so bright and hurts my eyes!” Shocked, his wife turned down the light and left the room, giving him time to rest.

Several more days passed. As he laid in bed, Brian began to lose feeling in his hand. He glanced down at it, noticing that it was twitching ( CDC, 2019 ). He looked up at the bedroom doorway. “Where am I?” He thought. “My mouth is so full of spit and I can hardly swallow because my throat feels so tight. Almost like its spasming.” He got out of bed and walked toward the hallway to splash his face with water. While he walked through the hallway, he noticed a creepy figure standing above him. Thinking that he may be hallucinating, Brian called to his wife. “Sweetie, please call 911.”

Part I Questions

• What are Brian’s signs and symptoms? (Answer based on case study)
• Brian was brought to the hospital after his wife called him an ambulance. Based on his symptoms, what do you think he will be diagnosed with? What diagnostic tests do you think physicians will use to achieve this diagnosis? (Answer based on case study and requires primary literature search)

After being taken to the hospital, Brian was diagnosed with rabies virus. Rabies virus enters peripheral nerves directly, and then can migrate to the central nervous system and up to the brain ( Rupprecht, 1996 ). One mechanism of entry into the peripheral nerves is through the neuromuscular junction ( Rupprecht, 1996 ). Once symptoms begin to appear, both general symptoms of fever or fatigue and neurological symptoms like hydrophobia, the disease cannot be reversed or cured ( Rupprecht, 1996 ). If the rabies vaccine is administered before the onset of symptoms, it can generally prevent or destroy the disease and the inevitable death that follows ( Long et al., 2020 ). Since Brian has already developed neurological symptoms, it is unlikely that the current rabies vaccine will be able to cure him ( Long et al., 2020 ).

The efficacy of the vaccine is reliant upon a permeable blood brain barrier (BBB) to allow immune cells to reach the virus in the brain and destroy it ( Kandel et al., 2013 ; Long et al., 2020 ). A study looked at the role of the phosphoprotein gene of the rabies virus on the permeability of the BBB ( Long et al., 2020 ). The study inoculated mice with either a wild-type (GD-SH-01), an attenuated rabies virus (HEP-Flury), or a chimeric virus that had the phosphoprotein gene of the wild-type inserted into the genome of the attenuated version (rHEP-SH-P). The rHEP-SH-P phosphoprotein gene is silenced by the placement in the attenuated genome. GD-SH-01 generally produced mild inflammation with eventual complete breakdown of the BBB, while the HEP-Flury produces high inflammation, but a more transiently permeable BBB. Figure 1 shows the data on BBB permeability (modified from Figure 1 in Long et al., 2020 ).

Part II Questions

• Is the rabies spread by hematogenous spread or neural spread? (Answer based on neurovirology module)
• Does the phosphoprotein cause a relative increase or decrease in BBB permeability? Use Figure 1 to explain your answer. (Answer based on case study)
• Would the incorporation of a phosphoprotein antagonist improve vaccine efficacy in the attenuated virus? Use Figure 1 to explain your answer. (Answer based on case study and neurovirology module)
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Rabies. 2019. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/symptoms/index.html .
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APPENDIX 4. STUDENT-CREATED CASE STUDY- ENTEROVIRUS 71

Instructor note: This case was written by Dianna M. Bindelli and Shannon A.M. Kafura, undergraduate students in Neuroscience 4100, Spring 2020 semester, Carthage College. In-text citation and references are in blue font. The answer key version of this case is available via request to [email protected] . The corresponding author (DRCS) has edited the case for formatting and clarity and has indicated if each answer is supported by the case study the neurovirology module, previous course content, and/or the primary literature in blue font.

It was the summer of 1998 in China when Finley Chang, a 10-year-old boy, went to the orthodontist to get his braces. It was mid-July, so Finley was extremely warm on his way to the orthodontist, also he was nervous. His mom, Mrs. Chang waited for him in the waiting room and was delighted to see her little boy growing up with his new braces.

The orthodontist, Dr. Wung had noticed that Finley was visibly sweating. He asked Finley if he was feeling fine. Finley said, “just nervous”. Dr. Wung had informed Mrs. Chang that the braces were all in place and his mouth had looked good! He warned that he may have pain in his mouth for a few days while adjusting to the braces.

One morning he woke up and he complained of a stomachache. He decided that he must just be hungry and proceeded to go downstairs for breakfast. On his way down the stairs, he began to feel woozy. He felt like the room was spinning, so he hurried down the stairs to sit down.

His mom had made pancakes and had orange juice for him.

“Good morning! What’s the rush? How did you sleep?” asked his mom.

“Fine.” responded Finley.

Mrs. Chang knew something was wrong when Finley did not dive into his sugary pancakes and was sitting there with his eyes closed.

Finley really did not feel like eating. He did not want to tell his mom about his stomachache. So, he decided to stick with the juice for now. After a couple sips of juice, he got a sour face.

“What happened?” asked his mom.

Finley began to feel the inside of his mouth and responded, “I have weird cuts in my mouth”. His mom looked and saw cuts on his gums and mouth and thought it may be from the braces ( Huang et al., 1999 ). However, it has been over a month since he had them, so she decided to call the orthodontist and have the alignment checked out.

While Finley was getting ready to leave for the orthodontist, he began vomiting. Mrs. Chang thought he had the flu bug and canceled the appointment, for now.

The next morning Mrs. Chang thought Finley would be better. However, Finley woke up with sweating and vomiting, and with even more sores in his mouth ( Huang et al., 1999 ). He sat up in bed and felt even more dizzy than yesterday and had to lie down. Mrs. Chang felt his head and thought his fever was even higher ( Huang et al., 1999 ). At this point she decided to take Finley to the pediatrician.

Dr. Hu looked at Finley’s mouth sores and brought him some water. She decided to run a few tests. She set up Finley with some anti-nausea medication and ordered an IV. In the meantime, she was analyzing the tests she ran.

• What are Finley’s signs and symptoms? (Answer based on case study)
• What tests would you run based on Finley’s signs and symptoms? Hypothesize the expected results. (Answer based on neurovirology module and previous course content)

Three days after coming back from the doctor, Finley’s mother went into his room to see if he wanted dinner. “Finley, time to eat.” He was waking up from a nap. “Finley, are you okay?” she asked, concerned. “I don’t feel so good, mom,” mumbled Finley, slurring his words. She helped him sit up and felt his forehead to see if fever had returned.

“Well, you don’t seem to have a fever again. Let’s try and eat some food, maybe that will help.” She then helped him get out of bed and into the kitchen.

When Finley was eating, he kept dropping food because his hands were shaking, and he had extreme difficulty bringing his chopsticks to his mouth. He kept accidently hitting his nose or chin. “Finley, do you want me to help you?” asked his mom. When he answered, she noticed that he also couldn’t focus straight on her and instead his eyes would bounce away ( Huang et al., 1999 ; Bae et al., 2013 ; Kandel et al., 2013 ; Jain et al., 2014 ; Cook-Snyder, 2020c ). Finley’s mother knew something was wrong and brought him to the emergency room.

The ER doctor walked into the room, “Hello, my name is Dr. Chen, and you must be Finley. Can you tell me what is going on?” Finley told her, “My arms don’t seem to be working right and I don’t feel very good,” again slurring his words ( Kandel et al., 2013 ; Cook-Snyder, 2020c ).

“Okay, and according to your chart, you’ve been sick recently?” asked Dr. Chen. “Yes, he was just at the doctor three days ago and the pediatrician diagnosed him with Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease,” replied Finley’s mother ( Rhoades et al., 2011 ; Chen, et al., 2020 ).

“I see. His blood work also shows that Finley had viremia, specifically Enterovirus 71 (EV71). Enterovirus 71 is known to cause Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease, so this is making more sense. Finley also has increased amounts of lymphocytes and monocytes in his blood. Well, before I can make a diagnosis, I would like to take an MRI.” Dr. Chen said ( Rhoades et al., 2011 ; Chen et al., 2020 ; Racaniello, 2020a ). Finley’s expected MRI results are shown in Figure 1 (modified from Figure 2A in Shen et al., 1999 ; and Figure 1B in Huang et al., 1999 ).

“Based on the expected MRI results and the viremia, it looks like Finley has rhombencephalitis. This is a pretty serious diagnosis. He’s lucky that you brought him in,” said Dr. Chen. “I’d like to admit him to the hospital for care.” She discussed the treatment plan with Finley’s mom and left the room ( Huang et al., 1999 ; Chen et al., 2007 ; Jubelt et al., 2011 ; Jain et al., 2014 ; Chen et al., 2019 ).

Dr. Chen recommended a treatment called Ribavirin, an antiviral treatment. She presented the data in Figure 2 (modified from Figure 1B in Li et al., 2008 ) and Figure 3 (modified from Figure 3B in Zhang et al., 2012 ).

• What are Finley’s new signs and symptoms? (Answer based on case study and previous course content).
• Looking at Figure 1 , what brain regions are marked by the arrows? Use full neuroanatomical descriptions to explain your answer. (Answer based on previous course content).
• Could damage to these brain areas cause the signs and symptoms seen in Finley? (Answer based on previous course content).
• Hypothesize how Finley may have developed rhombencephalitis. In other words, propose a possible mechanism of pathogenesis for how the virus infected the CNS. (Answer based on neurovirology module).
• Using Figure 2 and ​ and3, 3 , would Ribavirin be an effective treatment? Depending on your answer, either explain a possible mechanism of action for Ribavirin or possible solutions to make the drug effective. (Answer based on case study).
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Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies of 2021

Two cases about Hertz claimed top spots in 2021's Top 40 Most Popular Case Studies

Two cases on the uses of debt and equity at Hertz claimed top spots in the CRDT’s (Case Research and Development Team) 2021 top 40 review of cases.

Hertz (A) took the top spot. The case details the financial structure of the rental car company through the end of 2019. Hertz (B), which ranked third in CRDT’s list, describes the company’s struggles during the early part of the COVID pandemic and its eventual need to enter Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

The success of the Hertz cases was unprecedented for the top 40 list. Usually, cases take a number of years to gain popularity, but the Hertz cases claimed top spots in their first year of release. Hertz (A) also became the first ‘cooked’ case to top the annual review, as all of the other winners had been web-based ‘raw’ cases.

Besides introducing students to the complicated financing required to maintain an enormous fleet of cars, the Hertz cases also expanded the diversity of case protagonists. Kathyrn Marinello was the CEO of Hertz during this period and the CFO, Jamere Jackson is black.

Sandwiched between the two Hertz cases, Coffee 2016, a perennial best seller, finished second. “Glory, Glory, Man United!” a case about an English football team’s IPO made a surprise move to number four.  Cases on search fund boards, the future of malls,  Norway’s Sovereign Wealth fund, Prodigy Finance, the Mayo Clinic, and Cadbury rounded out the top ten.

Other year-end data for 2021 showed:

• Online “raw” case usage remained steady as compared to 2020 with over 35K users from 170 countries and all 50 U.S. states interacting with 196 cases.
• Fifty four percent of raw case users came from outside the U.S..
• The Yale School of Management (SOM) case study directory pages received over 160K page views from 177 countries with approximately a third originating in India followed by the U.S. and the Philippines.
• Twenty-six of the cases in the list are raw cases.
• A third of the cases feature a woman protagonist.
• Orders for Yale SOM case studies increased by almost 50% compared to 2020.
• The top 40 cases were supervised by 19 different Yale SOM faculty members, several supervising multiple cases.

CRDT compiled the Top 40 list by combining data from its case store, Google Analytics, and other measures of interest and adoption.

All of this year’s Top 40 cases are available for purchase from the Yale Management Media store .

And the Top 40 cases studies of 2021 are:

1.   Hertz Global Holdings (A): Uses of Debt and Equity

2.   Coffee 2016

3.   Hertz Global Holdings (B): Uses of Debt and Equity 2020

4.   Glory, Glory Man United!

5.   Search Fund Company Boards: How CEOs Can Build Boards to Help Them Thrive

6.   The Future of Malls: Was Decline Inevitable?

7.   Strategy for Norway's Pension Fund Global

8.   Prodigy Finance

9.   Design at Mayo

10. Cadbury

11. City Hospital Emergency Room

13. Volkswagen

14. Marina Bay Sands

15. Shake Shack IPO

16. Mastercard

17. Netflix

18. Ant Financial

19. AXA: Creating the New CR Metrics

20. IBM Corporate Service Corps

21. Business Leadership in South Africa's 1994 Reforms

22. Alternative Meat Industry

23. Children's Premier

24. Khalil Tawil and Umi (A)

25. Palm Oil 2016

26. Teach For All: Designing a Global Network

27. What's Next? Search Fund Entrepreneurs Reflect on Life After Exit

28. Searching for a Search Fund Structure: A Student Takes a Tour of Various Options

30. Project Sammaan

31. Commonfund ESG

32. Polaroid

33. Connecticut Green Bank 2018: After the Raid

34. FieldFresh Foods

35. The Alibaba Group

36. 360 State Street: Real Options

37. Herman Miller

38. AgBiome

39. Nathan Cummings Foundation

40. Toyota 2010

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The following are some case studies of dyslexics with whom we have worked over the past years. In each story, we provide background information, the course of therapy that integrates the individual's strengths and interests, and the outcomes—all of which are positive.

Case Studies for using strengths and interests

Case Study One:

Grace has a diagnosis of dyslexia. She has trouble with visual scanning, processing, and working memory. She also has difficulties with spelling and sequencing for problem solving. She has strong verbal skills and is artistic abilities. She learns well with color and when her hands are occupied.

Grace struggled with note taking because of her difficulties with spelling and visual scanning (looking from the board to her paper). Furthermore, she could not keep up and got "lost" in the lecture (particularly for subjects that were already difficult for her). Grace’s teachers thought that she was not putting forth the effort, because they often saw her daydreaming in class. When the therapist asked Grace about this, she admitted that sometimes she would daydream because she did not know where they were in the lecture. She also desperately wanted to blend in with her peers, so she looked to them to see what she was supposed to be doing. However, when she was permitted to follow along with a book that she could highlight in and make her own doodles and notes in the margins during the lecture, she was able to focus her energy on the teacher and have notes that she could refer back to later with all of the main points highlighted. Using Grace's kinesthetic learning style and preference for color, she was able to participate with her peers, decrease her anxiety in class, and develop a skill that will help her to learn better across the curriculum.

Due to her difficulties with sequencing, working memory, and reading, Grace struggled with numerical operations and story problems in math. Her problem solving skills were good when she could leverage her strengths: connecting abstract ideas and thinking at the macro level. Hence, when she could connect a concept to a real life problem, she could inevitably come up with a creative solution and grasp the concept; however, her poor numerical operations skills were still holding her back. The therapist remembered Grace's interest in color and tactile learning style and introduced her to a number of "hands-on" ways of solving the problem: calculating probability with colored marbles, using her fingers for multiplication, and solving equations with objects to represent the variables. In this manner, Grace not only grasped the concept that was presented at the macro-level, but using her love of color and keeping her hands moving she could reliably solve for the answer. Employing colored pencils for numbering steps or placing hash marks in multi-step directions helped Grace stay on point and not skip steps in complex problems. These strategies were incorporated into her 504 Plan and were communicated to her math teacher.

Case Study Two:

Amy has a diagnosis of dyslexia. She enjoys creative writing, fashion, and art. She is extremely bright and has a strong memory. She benefits from rule-based instruction. If you tell her a rule once, she will be able to recite it to you the next time you see her. She delights in being able to be the teacher and teach the rules herself or correct others’ errors.

Amy’s stories often jumped around without any cohesion or plot. The clinician suggested that Amy work on her stories on a daily basis. Amy drafted her stories about glamorous people and enjoyed illustrating their wardrobes. Her clinician helped her to expand and revise her story using a multi-sensory tool to teach her the parts of story grammar. She was able to revise her own story, by adding the components of a good plot (characters, setting, initiating event, internal response, plan, and resolution). With several revisions, she produced a well-developed story and colorful illustration that was framed and displayed. The combination of using Amy’s interests, learning style, and a powerful reinforcement (framing and displaying the finished product) lead Amy to become proficient in telling stories and in revising her own work.

Case Study Three:

Ryan has a diagnosis of PDD-NOS that affects his language, social, and literacy skills. He also struggles with anxiety. He has a number of interests including: pirates and treasure, cooking, watching his favorite TV shows, and drama. Ryan has a strong memory and conveys a great deal of social knowledge when he is acting or drawing.

Due to Ryan’s anxiety associated with reading and writing, he often protested and completely shut down when presented with something to read or write. Ryan watched a number of shows that taught lessons about friendship or had a “moral to the story.” He was able to take some of those themes and stories and modify them, inserting kids from his school as the characters, and adding himself as a character and narrator. Given his interest in drawing, he illustrated his story, and made it into a short book.

The clinician wanted to incorporate his interest in writing and illustrating stories to improve his social skills. The therapist suggested that Ryan make his story into a play, and that he could be the director. Through a series of role-plays, Ryan was able to overcome his social anxiety and invite a peer to act in his play. Numerous social skills were targeted: greetings, turn-taking, active listening, problem solving, and flexibility for handling unforeseen circumstances. Ryan has now directed four plays, and has written countless others. To date, five of his peers have come and acted in his plays. (It has become a “cool” thing to do in Ryan’s social circle). He has gained a great deal of confidence in relating to his peers and in his strength of writing and directing plays.

In addition to social skills, Ryan has struggled with reading and following directions, asking for clarification, and comprehending and using abstract vocabulary. These areas were addressed using his interests in cooking and treasure hunts. Ryan participated in a number of baking projects that required him to locate the directions on the package, sequence and follow each step in a sequence, and determine the meaning of new vocabulary. Since this was in a context that he enjoyed, his attention was high and his anxiety was non-existent. Furthermore, Ryan had the opportunity to learn a new recipe and build on his strength for baking. Since his learning was in context, he was able to remember the meanings of abstract vocabulary. Ryan’s social skills were targeted when he went to the various offices in the building and offered his baked treats. He inevitably received positive social feedback.

Another motivating context for boosting Ryan’s reading for directions and vocabulary skills was participating in scavenger hunts around the building. He enjoyed the challenge of complex directions because there was an element of surprise and adventure. There was a notable consequence if he incorrectly followed the directions. This created the opportunity for Ryan to ask for directions or seek clarification. Since his learning was in context (i.e., he was looking at a fire extinguisher when he was reading the word for the first time), it was memorable. Many conjunctions (but, therefore, so, if) and sequence words (when, at the same time, before, after, next) were targeted multiple times, which led to mastery. This multi-sensory activity was enjoyable for both Ryan and the clinician. For Ryan, it resulted in greater participation, gains, and retention than traditional teaching approaches.

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Using reverse mentoring to support inclusivity

Antonia Aluko, a student in Greek and Latin, worked with Dr Mazal Oaknin to reverse mentor a group of educators working in Gender Studies on how to make their teaching more inclusive.

15 April 2024

Only got a minute? Jump straight to Antonia's and Mazal's top tips

I worked with Dr Mazal Oaknin, Associate Professor (Teaching) in Spanish Language and Literature and Gender Studies, to formulate this project in response to our growing understanding of the non-inclusive teaching models in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities.

Our project “Decolonising Gender Studies Through Reverse Mentoring in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities” took place within the 2023-4 academic year. 

The aim this reverse mentoring project was to inform and equip teaching staff in our faculty on how to be more considerate of the multi-faceted experiences and interests of their students. 

Facilitated by students

We facilitated three sessions on inclusive teaching:

• Session 1: we explored some of the legislation regarding inclusivity and engagement in the classroom, as well as introducing participants to key scholars that have not always been included in traditional Gender Studies reading lists.
• Session 2: we focused on the benefits of inclusive teaching for students and how this increased student satisfaction and attainment
• Session 3: we shared techniques and methods of inclusive teaching so that participants could have inclusive teaching resources to use in their everyday teaching experiences

Together, the group discussed their own personal experiences in classrooms as educators and students. They used these conversations to form opinions and strategies on how to approach the modules that they are teaching with intersectionality, diversity, and inclusion in mind . 

Each session included a lunch or coffee break where participants had time to interact and socialise. 

Our approach and preparation

Intersectionality was at the forefront of our approach. We ensured that our project answered questions in regard to disability, race, gender, class as well as other protected characteristics.

Over a month, Dr Mazal Oaknin offered training and support to equip me with the tools to facilitate the sessions with confidence and ease .  

I collated a questionnaire for prospective mentees and shortlisted candidates who were selected out of UCL’s teaching staff. I also prepared handouts and presentations for the sessions, to give mentees a sense of an agenda and structure.  

We were delighted with the feedback from staff after the sessions. 100% of the attendees found the sessions very helpful. All attendees all said they would recommend the project to their colleagues and felt they left with practical ideas for making their classes more inclusive.  

Antonia's top tips:

• Always adapt sessions so participants are shown examples relevant to them. 
• Use a range of materials, including videos, Mentimeters and interactive activities. 
• Plan in tasks that get people talking, allowing there to be a space for open communication and discussion. 

Mazal's top tips and how staff can benefit from reverse mentoring:

• Staff mentees are exposed to new ideas to make modules more diverse and inclusive . Be ready to apply the lessons learnt to the modules you are teaching.
• Through participative discussions, professional friendships are developed between participants with different levels of seniority. Encourage a social atmosphere in the sessions and if possible offer food and drinks. Time for mingling is a must!
• Staff mentees gain new perspectives, skills, and insights from the student mentor: Make sure you listen to your mentor. Offer your help, but make sure not to take the lead .
• Staff mentees become more aware of different biases and more committed to escalating complaints.  Show cultural humility, become an ally, acknowledge power imbalances and practice self-reflection .
• Participants can promote and share good practices with the rest of participants, and also with other colleagues in and beyond UCL. Share the lessons learnt in your departmental meetings, committees, conferences, townhalls. 

Antonia Aluko: 

“ I think it makes the case for the benefit of reverse mentoring and how it can benefit the experiences of teaching staff at UCL by being educated on the student experience by their students. Additionally, I think it combats issues of un-inclusive experiences as a student within UCL by considering the nuanced experiences and various backgrounds of students and their educators.  I think it makes the case for the benefit of reverse mentoring and how it can benefit the experiences of teaching staff at UCL by being educated on the student experience by their students. Additionally, I think it combats issues of un-inclusive experiences as a student within UCL by considering the nuanced experiences and various backgrounds of students and their educators. 

Anonymous attendee: 

It was very useful to hear practical suggestions from Antonia and colleagues, and to exchange experiences in different scenarios in a safe, friendly environment.” I think it makes the case for the benefit of reverse mentoring and how it can benefit the experiences of teaching staff at UCL by being educated on the student experience by their students. Additionally, I think it combats issues of un-inclusive experiences as a student within UCL by considering the nuanced experiences and various backgrounds of students and their educators. 

Case studies 

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ABM Students Participate at NGA Show

Gained valuable experience at grocery industry event.

Best Bagger

Students assisted with the "Best Bagger" competition.

Student Standout Awards

Students evaluated products and services for the Student Standout Awards.

Case Study Competition

Students developed a business strategy for a grocery chain.

April 16, 2024

Seven agribusiness and food industry management students recently brought home valuable experience and recognition from the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show.

Held at Caesar's Palace Forum in Las Vegas, the NGA Show is a premier event for the grocery industry, bringing together retailers, wholesalers, and a passionate student community that included students from Cornell, University of Findlay, St. Joseph’s University, Arizona State, Kansas State, Auburn, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and Fresno State.

Students Justin Kipper, Carmen Diaz, Elizabeth Vargas, Ariadna Castro, Megan Ebner, Avalon Anderson, and Irvin Ayon were not just attendees; they were active participants at the show in several activities.

One of the activities was the Student Standout Awards, which tasked them with forming cross-university teams and evaluating hundreds of products and services showcased on the expansive NGA Show Expo Floor.

The floor included 350 companies eager to connect with industry stakeholders. From Center Store and Fresh Food innovations to cutting-edge technology solutions, the students had a front-row seat to the future of grocery retailing.

The cross-university teams each tackled a specific award category: Center Store, Fresh, Health & Wellness, Pharmacy, Operational Services, Sustainability in Store Design & Equipment, and Technology.

Armed with a set of insightful questions, they approached each booth, engaging with company representatives and learning how these products and services could empower independent grocers.

Through these insightful dialogues, the expo transformed into a real-world learning lab for the students, exposing them to the grocery landscapes and giving them invaluable industry knowledge while honing their critical thinking and communication skills.

Best Bagger Competition

Cal Poly Pomona students Castro, Vargas, and Diaz also assisted with the Best Bagger Competition, which puts the spotlight on a fundamental skill in the grocery industry – bagging – and on customer service and company pride.

Grocery store baggers from across the country battled it out for the coveted championship title and a grand prize of $10,000.

The students’ support ensured a smooth-running event and exemplified the collaborative spirit fostered by the agribusiness program.

Student Case Study

In the ever-evolving landscape of the grocery industry, maintaining a competitive edge requires not just adaptation but forward-thinking strategies that anticipate future trends.

This was the challenge the agribusiness management students embraced in the Student Case Study.

Their mission was clear: to revitalize Niemann Foods Inc. by transitioning its County Market stores into B-level stores, rebranded as "Niemann's Market."

Niemann Foods faced the dual challenge of executing a successful rebranding strategy to build customer loyalty while adapting to the changing dynamics of the grocery industry.

The team was comprised of Kipper, serving as the senior program manager, Anderson as head of marketing strategy, Ayon as senior community activities director, Diaz as visual design manager, with valuable contributions from Vargas, Castro, and Ebner.

Under the expert guidance of Lecturer Katie Horvath, a seasoned professional with 15 years of experience in the grocery and consumer packaged goods) retail sector, the student consultant team embarked on a journey to redefine the shopping experience at Niemann's Market

The key questions posed to the student team revolved around creating an integrated shopping experience, aligning the rebranding with future customer preferences—especially in the fresh category—and differentiating Niemann's Market in the coming decade.

The students' proposal focused on leveraging technology and community engagement to revolutionize the shopping experience at Niemann's Market. Their strategic plan included the implementation of Custom Shelf Talkers and new cost-saving Electronic Shelf Labels (ESL) Digital Shelf Tags.

These innovations aimed not only to enhance the in-store experience but also to achieve significant cost savings through labor reduction and efficiency in promotional activities.

Furthermore, the team devised a compelling marketing strategy titled "Look closer, find more at Niemann's," emphasizing the unique value proposition of the rebranded stores. By integrating these elements, the students projected a rate of investment of 73 percent or more, with substantial savings in labor and material costs, while also saving valuable time spent on price changes each week.

Gerry Kettler, Niemann’s director of consumer affairs, lauded the students' presentation, highlighting the impactful ideas they brought to the table.

"Your students rocked the presentation with their ideas! I cannot wait to work with these students," he remarked.

Although the team did not clinch the top prize, their innovative cost-saving initiative caught the attention of independent grocers across the United States, with seven grocers keen on implementing their strategies.

As these bright minds continue to make their mark on the industry, the experience gained from the Student Case Study serves as a foundation for their future endeavors. Their work with Niemann's Market is a testament to the transformative power of innovative thinking in maintaining a competitive edge in the dynamic grocery industry.

The collaboration between Cal Poly Pomona students and Niemann Foods, Inc. exemplifies the potential for academic institutions and industry leaders to work together in addressing real-world challenges.

The students' ability to apply their knowledge, creativity, and strategic thinking to a complex business scenario underscores the quality of education and training provided by agribusiness and food industry management program at the Huntley College of Agriculture.

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Case study: Balancing JEE preparations with sports and extra-curriculars

For students aiming to excel in competitive exams such as jee and neet, striking a balance between academic rigour and extracurricular activities can be quite challenging..

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Many say that a lack of balance between education, game & extracurricular activities can lead to a dullness in a student’s personality. This timeless saying highlights an essential truth: finding balance is crucial for a satisfying and prosperous life. For students aiming to excel in competitive exams such as JEE and NEET, striking a balance between academic rigour and extracurricular activities can be quite challenging.

As we talk of sports and extracurricular activity it is critical to distinguish between mindless and conscious leisure activities. While mindless pursuits such as binge-watching TV or incessantly browsing through social media may bring short respite, they yield little in the way of personal development. Mindful leisure activities, on the other hand, such as playing sports, reading, or listening to music, not only refresh the mind but also improve general well-being.

TAKING EXAMPLES OF VARIOUS STUDENTS

Take, for instance, Sriyashas Mohan Kalluri, a remarkable student who embodies the FIITJEE ethos. Starting from the FIITJEE’s Four Year Classroom Programme (IX - XII), upgraded to PINNACLE - Two Year Integrated Program (XI – XII), excelled not only academically but also in the field of sports. As a national-level archer and Khelo India athlete, Sriyashas showcased his prowess beyond the academic sphere, culminating in a remarkable achievement of 100 NTA score in JEE Main 2024 Session 1.

Consider Harshit Singh, a student from FIITJEE’s Four Year Classroom Programme (IX-XII), secured an impressive All India Rank (AIR) 112 in JEE Advanced 2022. Despite his rigorous academic schedule, Harshit remained deeply involved in basketball, even representing his institute in the inter-IIT Sports meet where he clinched the third position in basketball. Harshit thanks his success to FIITJEE which not only honed his academic skills but also facilitated his growth as a sportsman.

A West Bengal state topper, Harshit points to the importance of concept building skills imparted by FIITJEE, which alongside the invaluable study materials provided, proved to be instrumental in his JEE Main & JEE Advanced preparation.

" I want to thank FIITJEE for my achievements and the study material, specifically the rankers study material given after finishing the syllabus, proved to be really important resources containing JEE Advanced focused questions to me," said Harshit.

Similarly, Madhav Bansal's journey exemplifies the holistic approach fostered by the institute. Beginning his educational journey from the FIITJEE’s UDAYA : Two-Year Classroom Programme (VII - VIII), which extended to the Four-Year Classroom Programme (IX-XII), Madhav's pursuit of excellence raged beyond academics. A Hindustani Classical Music Distinction Holder, Madhav's multifaceted talents were nurtured alongside his academic endeavours, resulting in another remarkable feat—a perfect 100 NTA score in JEE Main 2024 Session 1.

It's not merely about excelling in academics; it's about nurturing talents, fostering a well-rounded personality, and instilling a sense of balance that transcends the confines of textbooks. FIITJEE's Integrated School Programmes offer a structured yet flexible approach, allowing students ample time for both academic pursuits and extracurricular activities. With a stress-free environment and effective time management strategies, the institute empowers students to thrive intellectually while actively participating in a variety of activities.

Nisarg Chadha's journey exemplifies the multifaceted development encouraged by the institute, which works in offering stress reduction and better academic strategies. Nisarg achieved remarkable success in JEE Main 2020, securing All India Rank (AIR) 2, while also excelling in table tennis and pursuing his passion for music. Nisarg who also plays the tabla, credits FIITJEE’s stress-free environment and supportive ecosystem for enabling him to manage his academic pursuits alongside extracurricular interests and competitive examinations such as NSEP, NSEC, NSEA, INPhO, and INChO. He attributes his ability to navigate these exams to FIITJEE's computer-based All India Test Series, which familiarised him with test patterns and enhanced his preparedness.

Ankit Mondal , an All India Rank (AIR) 172 in JEE Advanced 2021, shares his experience of striking a balance between academics and personal interests during his Two-Year Classroom Programme (XI-XII) at FIITJEE. Despite his rigorous study schedule, Ankit dedicated his evenings to his passion for painting and actively participated in school activities, maintaining an active social life.

“Following the schedule devised by teachers along with their advice is what helped me effectively tackle stress and focus on everything in life while aiming big and scoring high”, shares Ankit .

Another student, Jasraj Singh’s journey from FIITJEE, highlights that supportive environment and personalised guidance are essential to get success in academics and extra-curricular activities. Alongside his commitment to basketball, Jasraj also excelled academically under the guidance of FIITJEE’s faculty, who provided additional support during periods of absence due to sports commitments. Jasraj underscores the role of the institute in not only facilitating his academic preparation but also in raising awareness about various competitive exams and providing guidance to navigate them successfully.

Countless success stories demonstrate the efficacy of balanced preparation. Students like Sriyashas, Madhav, Jasraj, Ankit, Nisarg, and Harshit, along with numerous other peers, have demonstrated the potential to achieve a harmonious balance between excelling in competitive tests and actively engaging in sports and extracurricular activities. These achievers demonstrate that academic brilliance and comprehensive growth are not mutually exclusive.

“Sports should be an integral part of our everyday life. Some people think that sports is important only for physical well-being, I feel sports is important for overall development of an individual. We are a large and diverse nation, and sports can be a great means of national integration. From sports, we learn the sportsman spirit and that acts as a lubricant in our social life. More than winning, sports help you learn to deal with defeats. It helps you become a fighter, and teaches you not to lose heart after defeats,” PM Modi has said earlier while calling for the promotion of sport in India.