Case Study Method in Distance Education

bullet1 Build a Case Study

bullet2 2. Analyze forces

There are two alternate routes to accomplish this step:


System Analysis
The case is conceived like a micro-system that he/she has certain inputs, processes and products. The develoer will proceed to:

1. Describe the input elements: these are data, documents, regulations and other inputs that a certain agent of decision receives when he/she will analyzes a situation. For example, if the case refers to a vegetable plague, the expert will receive location maps, evaluations of crops, communication routes circling the affected area, and several lists of costs of manpower and materials for combating plagues.
2. Define the processes that take place in game in the situation: these they can be conceived as groups of activities such as diagnostic, planning, organization of work, education of the client, and evaluation of effectiveness. The nature of the case determines what kind of processes and activities are involved.
3. Define the desirable product and the way of assesing quality: this refers fundamentally to the student's report. The developer will determine, what should contain this report - for example, specifying the titles of sections and criteria of quality for each one.


Analysis of Antagonistic Forces
The case is conceived a social situation in which people are involved with different interests. The author of the case will proceed to:

1. Identify the “nodes” of action, meaning the issues make the people react. It might be convenient to revise some similar situations in the real world, or to interview people that has been involved in such kind of problems in order to have a first hand view.
2. Analyze the negative forces or barriers that impede the achievement of solutions to the case. The logical question is: If this is a problem, why is it so hard to solve? These antagonic forces are the "challenge"; they make interesting the case and they should be emphasized in the description. Common abtagonic forces are environmental limitations, lack of resources, the participants' interpersonal conflicts, and educational carencies.
3. Analyze the positive forces that can facilitate the achievement of solutions. The author of the case may put in the plate of the student some elements that would allow to look for a solution. If the case is totally negative, there is not incentive to work on it.