Case study case study as pedagogical technology. Case - study (case method)

17.11.2023

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CASE STUDY METHOD AS A MODERN TRAINING TECHNOLOGY

The case study method is an active problem-situational analysis based on learning by solving specific problems - solving cases. The case method is associated with solving problem situations where students' creative ideas are used. The case characterizes the presence of a real problem, the need for choice.

Key words: case study, teaching technology, method, presentation

The case study method is an active problem-situational analysis based on learning by solving specific problems - situations. The case method refers to non-game simulation active teaching methods.

The immediate goal of the case study method is the ability, through the joint efforts of a group of students, to analyze the situation that arises in a particular state of affairs and develop a practical solution. The end result is an evaluation of the proposed algorithms and selection of the best one in the context of the problem posed.

Today, the case study method has gained a leading position in teaching, is actively used in foreign business education and is considered one of the most effective ways of teaching students the skills to solve common problems.

The introduction of the case study method into practice is accompanied by problems that are caused by two trends:

The first follows from the general direction of the development of education, its orientation not so much on obtaining specific knowledge, but on the formation of professional competence;

The second follows from the development of requirements for the quality of a specialist who, in addition to meeting the requirements of the first trend, must also have the ability to behave optimally in various situations, be distinguished by systematic and effective actions in crisis conditions.

Despite this, the case study method has been used quite often recently. This method allows, during the analysis of situations, students to act in a “team”, conduct analysis and make management decisions.

The ideas behind the case study method are quite simple:

1. The method is intended for obtaining knowledge in disciplines when there is no unambiguous answer to the question posed, but there are several answers that can compete in the degree of truth; the task of teaching immediately deviates from the classical scheme and is focused on obtaining not just one, but many truths and orientation in their problem field.

2. The emphasis of learning is shifted not to the mastery of ready-made knowledge, but to its development, to the co-creation of the student and the teacher; hence the fundamental difference between the case study method and traditional methods - democracy in the process of acquiring knowledge, when the student essentially has equal rights with other students and the teacher in the process of discussing a problem.

3. The undoubted advantage of the situation analysis method is not only the acquisition of knowledge and the formation of practical skills, but also the development of students’ value system, professional positions, life attitudes, and a unique professional attitude.

4. The case study method overcomes the classic defect of traditional teaching associated with the “dryness”, unemotional presentation of the material - emotions, creative competition.

The case study method is a tool that allows you to apply theoretical knowledge to solve practical problems. The method promotes the development of independent thinking in students, the ability to listen and take into account an alternative point of view, and to express their own with reason. Using this method, students have the opportunity to demonstrate and improve analytical and evaluation skills, learn to work in a team, and find the most rational solution to a given problem.

Being an interactive teaching method, the case study method wins a positive attitude on the part of students, ensuring the development of theoretical principles and mastery of the practical use of the material; it influences the professionalization of students, promotes their maturation, creates interest and positive motivation in relation to learning. At the same time, the case study method also acts as a teacher’s way of thinking, his special paradigm, which allows him to think and act differently, to renew his creative potential.

Cases differ from problems used in practical classes because the purposes of using problems and cases in teaching are different. Problems provide material that provides students with the opportunity to study and apply individual theories, methods, and principles. Case-based learning helps learners acquire a wide variety of skills. Problems usually have one solution and one path leading to this solution. Cases have many solutions and many alternative paths leading to it.

By analyzing a case, students actually receive a ready-made solution that can be applied in similar circumstances. An increase in the student’s “baggage” of analyzed cases increases the likelihood of using a ready-made solution scheme for the current situation, and develops skills in solving more serious problems.

There are many different cases; cases can be classified according to various criteria:

Illustrative educational situations are cases, the purpose of which is to teach students, using a specific practical example, an algorithm for making the right decision in a certain situation;

Training situations - cases with the formation of a problem, in which the situation in a specific period of time is described, problems are identified and clearly formulated; the purpose of such a case is to diagnose the situation and make an independent decision on the specified problem;

Training situations are cases without forming a problem, which describe a situation that is more complex than in the previous version, where the problem is not clearly identified, but is presented in statistical data, assessments of public opinion, authorities, etc.; the purpose of such a case is to independently identify the problem, indicate alternative ways to solve it with an analysis of available resources;

Applied exercises that describe a specific current situation and suggest finding ways out of it; The purpose of such a case is to find ways to solve the problem.

Cases can be classified based on the goals and objectives of the learning process. In this case, the following types of cases can be distinguished:

Teaching analysis and evaluation;

Teaching problem solving and decision making;

Illustrating a problem, solution, or concept as a whole.

Regarding the form in which cases can be presented, it should be noted that they can range from a few sentences on one page to many pages. However, it should be borne in mind that large cases cause some difficulties for students compared to small ones, especially when working for the first time. A case may contain a description of one event in one organization or the history of the development of many organizations over many years. The case may include known academic models or may not fit any of them.

But this does not mean that there are no certain rules and methods for providing case solutions. The case should:

Be written in an interesting, simple and intelligible language;

Expressively identify the “core” of the problem;

Show both positive and negative examples;

Meet the needs of the selected student population, contain the necessary and sufficient amount of information.

Defining and qualifying the problem occupies an extremely important place in the process of constructing a situation model. At the same time, the text of the case should not suggest any solution to the problem posed.

The maximum benefit from working on cases will be obtained if students, upon preliminary acquaintance with them, adhere to a systematic approach to their analysis. Approximate points of a systematic approach:

1. Write down key ideas from the relevant sections of the academic discipline in order to refresh your memory of the theoretical concepts and approaches that you will use when analyzing the case.

2. Read the case quickly to get a general idea of it.

3. Read the questions for the case carefully and make sure that you clearly understand what you are being asked to do.

4. Read the case text again, carefully noting any factors or issues that are relevant to the questions posed.

The general rule for working with cases is that you cannot use information that is “outside the scope.” For example, if a student read an article in a newspaper about the very company whose problems are described in the assignment, it is prohibited to take facts from it, since the manager making the decision, and the situation is simulated when the student is in his place, has only the information that is presented in task. Sometimes, on the contrary, the student may be given the opportunity to add facts from a specific market situation that existed during the time period under consideration. In such cases, the student’s erudition and degree of mastery of the material should be taken into account.

Organizing a discussion of a case involves formulating questions for students and including them in the discussion. Questions are usually prepared in advance and offered to students along with the text of the case. When analyzing a learning situation, the teacher can take an active or passive position, and sometimes limits himself to summing up the discussion.

Organizing case discussions is usually based on two methods. The first of them is called the traditional Harvard method - open discussion. An alternative method is a method associated with an individual or group interview, during which students make a formal oral assessment of the situation and offer an analysis of the presented case, their solutions and recommendations, i.e. making a presentation. This method makes it easier for the teacher to monitor, although it allows some students to minimize their learning efforts, since everyone is questioned once or twice per lesson. The method develops students' communication skills and teaches them to clearly express their thoughts.

Discussion is central to the case study method. It is advisable to use it in the case when students have a significant degree of maturity and independence of thinking, and are able to argue, prove and substantiate their point of view. The most important characteristic of a discussion is the level of its competence, which consists of the competence of its participants. Students' lack of preparation for discussion makes it formal.

A major factor in the debate is the degree to which it is led by the teacher. When leading a discussion, the teacher must seek the participation of each student in the discussion, listen to the arguments for and against and explanations for them, control the process and direction of the discussion, but not its content.

The ability to publicly present an intellectual product, advertise it well, show its advantages and possible areas of effective use, and also withstand a barrage of criticism is a very valuable integral quality. The presentation hones many deep personality qualities: will, conviction, focus, dignity, etc.; she develops skills in public communication and the formation of her own image.

The effectiveness of a teacher who implements the case study method in his teaching practice is associated with compliance with a number of principles:

The principle of partnership, cooperation;

The principle of shifting the role of the teacher from broadcasting and “chewing” knowledge to organizing the process of obtaining it is reducing the role of the teacher as the only “holder” of knowledge, increasing his role as an expert and consultant helping the student navigate the world of scientific information;

The principle of creativity, which involves turning a case and a lesson using it into an individually unique creative product (involving students in creativity, strengthening the role of creative improvisation during training, etc.).

Using the case study method in economics lessons, it shows that students enthusiastically take on solving the problem described in the case, since this technology allows them to show their creativity and independence in judgment.

Below is an example of tasks used in economics lessons.

A plant producing building materials was faced with a situation of a significant increase in demand for its products, caused by the ongoing construction of a cottage village in the vicinity of the city. In this regard, the plant manager decided to increase production volume by 40%.

At a meeting held by the manager, it turned out that the “weak spot” that makes it difficult to solve the task is the distribution of work between performers and the utilization of production capacity.

To solve this problem, the following options have been proposed:

Introduction of a basic calendar plan that provides flexibility in work and is convenient when fulfilling urgent orders, used most often with a constant range of products and in the presence of experienced craftsmen;

Transition to the continuous loading method, which differs from the previous method by greater detail in the progress of production, the use of various kinds of reporting and accounting forms showing the entire progress of work, as well as loading schedules;

The use of schedules according to the stages of the task, allowing for more detail in the progress of the production process, indicating the time for setting up equipment, the start and end dates of work, the time of movement of materials, the number of products manufactured and the machines involved, etc., at the same time, this is a more expensive option.

This case characterizes the presence of a real problem, the need for choice. Work on the case can take place both in the classroom and outside the classroom (at the preparatory stage) for the teacher and students. The teacher prepares a case on the following issues: identify cases, the relationship of persons in a difficult case situation; develop beginning, development and completion; discover questions that arise during the case and the arguments that students emphasize. The developed questions help students find the right solution; develop a case evaluation system. The introduction of the case method helps to monitor students’ mastery of the ability to apply their knowledge and experience to solve problems modeled on real life situations. When using cases for control, the teacher can include the solution of cases among the control tasks during the training session. The first option is widely represented in methodological developments for various training courses. The teacher organizes the solution to the case in the classroom using a printout or electronic version case.

The advantage of control when using cases is the following: firstly, it is a large audience coverage, since unlike a regular survey, where the teacher manages to interview two or three students during a lesson, when using cases it becomes possible to survey the entire audience at once. Secondly, since cases are available to students not only in class. And thirdly, since the teacher himself composes cases and requires a more detailed answer in them, it becomes possible to control whether the student himself answers questions, whether he takes information from the Internet by copying the text, or someone tells him. The use of cases as a means of control is to ensure that students can achieve their goals in the educational process. When a student understands that he can only count on his own knowledge, he will begin to learn much more, strive for his goals, and from being a class listener, he will begin to move into the class of active learners.

An important advantage of the case during control is that knowledge is acquired by the learner, and is not given in a ready-made form.

Literature

1. Dolgorukov A. Case-study method as a modern technology of professionally oriented training, www.vshu.ru/lections.php?tab_id=3&a=info&id=2600

2. Polukhina A.K. Case as a means of control in the educational process // Sidorov S.V. Website of a teacher-researcher.

Method case-study

The case-study method or the method of specific situations (from English case - case, situation) is a method of active problem-situational analysis based on learning by solving specific problems - situations (solving cases). The case-study method refers to non-game simulation active methods training and is designed to gain experience in the following areas:

identifying, selecting and solving problems;
working with information – understanding the meaning of the details described in the situation; analysis and synthesis of information and arguments; working with assumptions and conclusions; evaluation of alternatives; making decisions;
listening and understanding other people, including group work skills.

The immediate goal of the case-study method is to work together with students to analyze a case situation that arises in a specific state of affairs and develop a practical solution; the end of the process is the evaluation of the proposed algorithms and selection of the best one in the context of the problem posed.

The case itself is a written description of certain conditions from the life of an organization, a group of people or individuals, orienting students towards formulating a problem and searching for options for solving it. A case is always a simulation of a life situation, and working with a case allows you to consider a problem at your desk and offer your own unique solution.

The case contains comprehensive information about: what is happening, who is involved in it, when the result should be obtained, why all this is needed (i.e. the purpose of the task), what resources (time, money, people, authority, etc.) can be used? There is only no answer to the question: how to achieve the goal and get the desired result? This is what the participant is asked to solve, who, like a mathematical problem, must solve the case.

Ideas for the case-study method

The method is intended to obtain knowledge in disciplines in which the truth is pluralistic, i.e. there is no single answer to the question posed, but there are several answers that can compete in terms of truth; the task of teaching immediately deviates from the classical scheme and is focused on obtaining not just one, but many truths and orientation in their problem field.
The emphasis of learning is shifted not to mastering ready-made knowledge, but to its development, to the co-creation of the student and the teacher; hence the fundamental difference between the case-study method and traditional methods - democracy in the process of acquiring knowledge, when the student essentially has equal rights with other students and the teacher in the process of discussing a problem.
The result of applying the method is not only knowledge, but also professional skills.
The technology of the method is as follows: according to certain rules, a model of a specific situation that occurred in real life is developed, and the complex of knowledge and practical skills that students need to obtain is reflected; in this case, the teacher acts as a facilitator, generating questions, recording answers, supporting the discussion, i.e. in the role of manager of the co-creation process.
The undoubted advantage of the method of situational analysis is not only the acquisition of knowledge and the formation of practical skills, but also the development of students’ value system, professional positions, life attitudes, a unique professional attitude and world transformation.
In the case-study method, the classic defect of traditional teaching is overcome, associated with the “dryness”, unemotional presentation of the material - emotions, creative competition and even struggle in this method, so much that a well-organized discussion of a case resembles a theatrical performance.

Case-studies are educational specific situations specially developed on the basis of factual material for the purpose of subsequent analysis during training sessions. During the analysis of situations, students learn to act in a “team”, conduct analysis and make management decisions.

The case-study method is a tool that allows you to apply theoretical knowledge to solving practical problems; the use of this method contributes to the development of independent thinking in students, the ability to listen and take into account an alternative point of view, and to express their own with reason. Using this method, students have the opportunity to demonstrate and improve analytical and evaluation skills, learn to work in a team, and find the most rational solution to a given problem. Being an interactive teaching method, the case-study method ensures mastery of theoretical concepts and mastery of the practical use of the material; influences the professionalization of students; creates interest and positive motivation towards learning.

Case requirements

Case - an example taken from real life, is not just a truthful description of events, but a single information complex that allows you to understand the situation. A good case must satisfy the following conditions:

comply with the clearly stated purpose of creation;
have an appropriate level of difficulty;
illustrate several aspects of economic life;
do not become outdated too quickly;
be relevant today;
illustrate typical situations;
develop analytical thinking;
provoke discussion;
have multiple solutions.

Technological features of the case-study method

Case-study method

represents a specific type of research analytical technology, i.e. includes operations of the research process, analytical procedures.
acts as a technology of collective learning, the most important components of which are work in a group (or subgroups) and mutual exchange information.
in training can be considered as a synergetic technology, the essence of which is to prepare procedures for immersing a group in a situation, creating the effects of multiplying knowledge, insight, sharing discoveries, etc.
integrates technologies of developmental education, including procedures for individual, group and collective development, the formation of diverse personal qualities of students.
acts as a specific type of design technology. In the usual educational project technology there is a process of solving an existing problem through the joint activities of students, while in the case-study method there is a formation of a problem and ways to solve it based on a case, which simultaneously acts as terms of reference and a source of information to understand options for effective action.
concentrates significant achievements of the technology of “creating success”. It provides for activities to activate students, stimulate their success, and highlight the achievements of students. It is the achievement of success that is one of the main motivators
their strengths of the method, the formation of sustainable positive motivation, the increase in cognitive activity.

Case classification

Basis - complexity:

illustrative educational situations - cases, the purpose of which is to teach, using a specific practical example, an algorithm for making the right decision in a certain situation; educational situations - cases with the formation of a problem, which describe the situation in a specific period of time, identify and clearly formulate problems; the purpose of such a case is to diagnose the situation and make an independent decision on the specified problem;
educational situations - cases without forming a problem, which describe a situation that is more complex than in the previous version, where the problem is not clearly identified, but is presented in statistical data, assessments of public opinion, authorities, etc.; the purpose of such a case is to independently identify the problem, indicate alternative ways to solve it with an analysis of available resources;
applied exercises that describe a specific current situation and suggest finding ways out of it; The purpose of such a case is to find ways to solve the problem.

Basis – goals and objectives of the learning process:

teaching analysis and evaluation;
teaching problem solving and decision making;
illustrating a problem, solution, or concept as a whole.

The basis is information richness:

a highly structured “case” in which a minimum number of additional information; when working with it, the student must apply a certain model or formula; problems of this type have an optimal solution;
"small sketches" (short vignetts), containing, as a rule, from one to ten pages of text and one or two pages of appendices; they introduce only key concepts and when analyzing them, the student must also rely on his own knowledge;
large unstructured “cases” (long unstructured cases) of up to 50 pages - the most complex of all types of educational tasks of this kind; the information in them is very detailed, including completely unnecessary; the most necessary information for analysis, on the contrary, may be missing; the student must recognize such “tricks” and cope with them;
ground breaking cases, in the analysis of which students are required not only to apply already acquired theoretical knowledge and practical skills, but also to offer something new, while students and teachers act as researchers.

Reason – degree of influence of sources:

practical cases that reflect absolutely real life situations (the main task of a practical case is to reflect a life situation in detail. In fact, such a case creates a practical, what is called an “acting” model of the situation. Moreover, the educational purpose of such a case can be reduced to training students, consolidation of knowledge, skills and behavior (decision-making) in a given situation. Such cases should be as clear and detailed as possible; their main meaning is to understand life and gain the ability to perform optimally);
training cases, the main task of which is training (a case with a dominant teaching function does not reflect life one to one: firstly, it reflects typical situations that are most frequent in life, and which a specialist will have to face in the course of his professional activities; secondly, secondly, in the teaching case, educational and educational tasks come first, which predetermines a significant element of convention when reflecting life in it; the situation, problem and plot here are not real, practical, but as they can be in life);
research cases focused on carrying out research activities (the case acts as a model for obtaining new knowledge about the situation and behavior in it. Such a case is built according to the principles of creating a research model, so it is better to use it not as a method of teaching in basic educational fields, but as a method advanced training or professional retraining of specialists).

Sources of case formation

Fiction and journalistic literature that can suggest ideas, and in some cases determine the plot outline of cases in the humanities. The use of fiction and journalism gives the case a cultural function and stimulates the moral development of the student’s personality.
Using “local” material as a source for forming cases. The most rich and interesting discussion of cases about the activities of different companies occurs when the company and its products have a certain personal meaning for the student. The case about the Samsung company works best when there are students in the group who have products produced by this company at home. The case of the development of ski tourism in Demino is discussed with the greatest interest by ski fans...
The scientificity and rigor of the case are given by statistical materials, information about the state of the market, socio-economic characteristics of the enterprise, etc.; Moreover, these materials can play the role of a direct tool for diagnosing the situation, or they can act as material for calculating indicators that are most essential for understanding the situation. Statistical materials are placed either in the text of the case itself or in the appendix.
Good materials for the case can be obtained through the analysis of scientific articles, monographs and scientific reports devoted to a particular problem. The use of scientific literature when developing a case gives it greater rigor and correctness. Scientific publications can perform two functions in the case-study method: the first is that scientific publications and their fragments can act as components of cases by including them in the fabric, and the second is that they can be included in the list of literature necessary for understanding the case.
An inexhaustible source of material for cases is the Internet with its resources. This source is characterized by significant scale, flexibility and efficiency.

Main stages of creating cases

Formation of didactic goals of the case. This stage includes determining the place of the case in the structure of the academic discipline, determining the section of the discipline to which this situation is devoted; formulation of goals and objectives; identifying the “area of responsibility” for the knowledge, skills and abilities of students.
Definition of the problem situation.
Construction of a program map of the case, consisting of the main points that need to be embodied in the text.
Search for an institutional system (company, organization, department, etc.) that is directly related to the theses of the program map.
Collection of information in the institutional system regarding the theses of the case program map.
Construction or selection of a situation model that reflects the activities of the institution; checking its compliance with reality.
Selecting a case genre.
Writing a case text.
Diagnostics of the correctness and effectiveness of the case; conducting a methodological educational experiment, built according to one scheme or another, to determine the effectiveness of a given case.
Preparation of the final version of the case.
Introduction of the case into teaching practice, its use during training sessions, as well as its publication for dissemination in the teaching community; If the information contains data on a specific company, permission for publication must be obtained.
Preparation of methodological recommendations for using the case: development of a task for students and possible questions for conducting a discussion and presentation of the case, description of the expected actions of students and the teacher at the time of discussing the case.

Requirements for the format and structure of the case

The plot part is a description of the situation containing information that allows you to understand the environment in which the situation develops, indicating the source of the data:

the presence of a real-life situation on the basis of which the case was developed;
company name, product name, product description, its features;
names and positions of the main characters;
description of the state of the market in a given area (products, consumers, production, distribution, etc.); analysis of the main competitors (their strategies, market positions, marketing and distribution policies);
the general state of affairs in the company, its strengths and weaknesses; dealers and partners; management strategy; organizational relations; key figures in the management team; manufacturing operations, products and processes; financial position of the company; marketing information; employee interaction.

Information part – information that will allow you to correctly understand the development of events:

stages of company development, important moments in the history of development, successes and failures;
the company's operating style, management style;
a brief description of the problem, it is advisable to give several different points of view (as it is seen by different participants in the events);
a specific chronology of the development of the situation, indicating actions or influencing factors, it is advisable to evaluate the results of their impact;
actions taken to eliminate the problem (if any), what results they gave;
what resources can be allocated to solve this situation.

The methodological part explains the place of this case in the structure of the academic discipline, formulates tasks for analyzing the case for students and a note on teaching a specific situation for the teacher.

The case study method is an independent method, but its basis is the students’ search for a solution to a specific situation. Therefore, we will classify it as search and research technologies.

The method is based on the analysis of specific cases. Situations (cases) for analysis are collected and described in a special way. This method training is designed to improve skills and gain experience in the following areas : identifying, selecting and solving problems; working with information - understanding the meaning of the details described in the situation; analysis and synthesis of information and arguments; working with assumptions and conclusions; evaluation of alternatives; making decisions; ability to work in a group. The purpose of the method is to analyze the situation and develop a practical solution through the joint efforts of a group of students. The situation should be taken from practice.

A. Dolgorukov gives the following definition: “The case-study method, or the method of specific situations (from English case - case, situation) is a method of active problem-situational analysis, based on learning by solving specific problems - situations (solving cases)."

The case study method is most widely used in teaching economics and business abroad. It was first used in 1870. In pedagogy, this method can also find wide application. It has its prototype in the form of a long-known method for solving pedagogical problems or pedagogical situations. It differs from pedagogical tasks only in the thoroughness and detail of the description of the situation for the case (for example, in business, the volume of cases can reach from 3-5 to several dozen pages).

The relevance of introducing the case study method into educational practice is caused by two trends:

The focus of education is not so much on obtaining specific knowledge, but on the formation of professional competence, abilities and skills of mental activity, the development of individual abilities, among which special attention is paid to the ability to learn, changing the paradigm of thinking, and the ability to process huge amounts of information;

Requirements for the quality of a graduate, who must have the ability to behave optimally in various situations, systematic and effective actions.

Case Study Method Ideas(A. Dolgorukov):

1. The method is intended to obtain knowledge in disciplines in which the truth is pluralistic, in which there are several answers; The teacher’s task is to obtain not just one, but many truths and to develop in students the ability to create and solve a problem field.

2. The emphasis of teaching is shifted to the development of knowledge, to the co-creation of the student and the teacher; the child has equal rights with other students and the teacher in the process of discussing the problem.

3. The result of applying the method is not only knowledge, but also operational skills.

4. The technology of the method is as follows: according to certain rules, a model of a specific situation that occurred in real life is developed, and the complex of knowledge and practical skills that students need to obtain is reflected; in this case, the teacher acts as a facilitator, generating questions, recording answers, and supporting the discussion.

5. In the process of work, students not only acquire knowledge and develop practical skills, but also develop their system of values, positions, life attitudes, and attitudes.

6. The method overcomes the defect of traditional teaching associated with the “dryness” and unemotional presentation of the material.

The case is not just a truthful description of events, but a unified information complex that allows you to understand the situation.

A good case must satisfy the following requirements:

Comply with the clearly stated purpose of creation;

Have an appropriate level of difficulty;

Illustrate several aspects of economic life;

Don't become outdated too quickly;

Be relevant today;

Illustrate typical situations;

Develop analytical thinking;

Provoke discussion;

Have multiple solutions.

The peculiarity of the method is that it provides for activities to activate students, stimulate their success, and emphasize the achievements of students. It is the achievement of success that is one of the main driving forces of the method; it underlies the formation of sustainable positive motivation and the increase in cognitive activity. The main function of the method is to teach children to solve complex unstructured problems that cannot be solved analytically.

Cases can be classified according to various criteria. According to complexity they are distinguished:

Illustrative educational situations are cases, the purpose of which is to teach students, using a specific practical example, an algorithm for making the right decision in a certain situation;

Applied exercises that describe a specific current situation and suggest finding ways out of it; The purpose of such a case is to find ways to solve the problem.

N. Fedyanin and V. Davidenko highlight:

A highly structured case that provides a minimum amount of additional information; when working with it, the child must apply a certain model or formula; problems of this type have an optimal solution;

- “small sketches” (short vignetts), usually containing from one to ten pages of text and one or two pages of appendices; they introduce only key concepts and when analyzing them, the child must also rely on his own knowledge;

Large unstructured cases (long unstructured cases) of up to 50 pages are the most complex of all types of educational tasks of this kind; the information in them is very detailed, including completely unnecessary; the most necessary information for analysis, on the contrary, may be missing; the child must recognize such “tricks” and cope with them;

Ground breaking cases, in the analysis of which students are required not only to apply already acquired theoretical knowledge and practical skills, but also to offer something new, while children and teachers act as researchers.

Another classification distinguishes:

Practical cases that reflect absolutely real life situations;

Training cases, the main task of which is training;

Research cases focused on the implementation of research activities.

A. Dolgorukov identifies the main stages of creating cases:

1. Formation of didactic goals of the case (determining the place of the case in the structure of the academic discipline, determining the section to which the situation is devoted; formulating goals and objectives; identifying the “area of responsibility” for the knowledge, skills and abilities of students).

2. Definition of the problem situation.

3. Construction of a program map of the case, consisting of the main theses that need to be embodied in the text.

4. Search for an institutional system (organization, department, school, etc.) that is directly related to the theses of the program map.

5. Collection of information in the institutional system regarding the theses of the case program map.

6. Construction or selection of a situation model that reflects the activities of the institution; checking its correspondence to reality.

7. Selecting a case genre.

8. Writing the text of the case.

9. Diagnostics of the correctness and effectiveness of the case; conducting a methodological educational experiment, built according to one scheme or another, to determine the effectiveness of a given case.

10. Preparation of the final version of the case.

11. Introduction of the case into teaching practice, its use in training sessions, publication for the purpose of dissemination in the teaching community; If the information contains data on a specific organization, permission for publication must be obtained.

12. Preparation of methodological recommendations for using the case: development of a task for students and possible questions for conducting a discussion and presentation of the case, description of the expected actions of students and teachers at the time of discussing the case.

Case includes:

A) The plot part - a description of the situation, information that allows you to understand the environment in which the situation is developing, indicating the source of the data: the presence of a real-life situation; name of the company, product, its features; names and positions of the main characters; description of the state of pedagogical theory and practice; etc.

B) Information part - information that will allow you to correctly understand the development of events: stages of development of the situation, important moments in the history of development, successes and failures; a brief description of the problem, it is advisable to give several different points of view (as it is seen by different participants in the events); chronology of the development of the situation indicating actions or influencing factors, it is advisable to evaluate the results of their impact; the actions taken to eliminate the problem (if any), what results they gave; what resources can be allocated to solve this situation.

C) The methodological part, which explains the place of this case in the structure of the academic discipline, formulates tasks for analyzing the case for students and a note on teaching a specific situation for the teacher.

The plot and information parts can exist either relatively independent (information can be included in the appendix) or closely intertwined. But in any case, its purpose and task must be clearly formulated. The case may contain video, audio, materials on electronic media or any others.

Students are given a version of the text of the situation, applications, and possible questions on a floppy disk, CD, or hard copy, but without a methodological note.

1. Familiarity with the situation and its features.

2. Identification of the main problem (main problems), identification of factors and personalities that can really influence.

3. Suggesting concepts or topics for brainstorming.

4. Analysis of the consequences of making a particular decision.

5. Case solution - offering one or more options (sequence of actions), indicating the possible occurrence of problems, mechanisms for their prevention and solution. Presentation of results can be written or oral, in a group or individually.

The maximum benefit from working on cases will be obtained if students, when first familiarizing themselves with them, adhere to a systematic approach to their analysis.

To do this, the teacher can give the following tasks:

1. Write down key ideas from the relevant sections of the academic discipline in order to refresh your memory of the theoretical concepts and approaches that you will use when analyzing the case.

2. Read the case quickly to get a general idea of it.

3. Read the questions for the case carefully and make sure that you clearly understand what you are being asked to do.

4. Read the case text again, carefully noting any factors or issues that are relevant to the questions posed.

5. Consider which ideas and concepts relate to the problems you are asked to consider when working with the case.

Surgut State Pedagogical University

Educational and methodological management

Department of Certification and Methodological Support of the Educational Process

Case study technology

Review

There are different designations for this learning technology. In foreign publications you can find the “case study method”, the “business story method” and, finally, simply the “case method”. Russian publications most often talk about the method of analyzing specific situations (CAS), business situations, the case method, and situational tasks.

The method of case study analysis emerged at the beginning of the 20th century. at Harvard Business School (USA). The main feature of the method is the students’ study of precedents, i.e., situations from business practice that existed in the past. The essence of the method is that students are given a description of a certain situation that a real organization has encountered in its activities or which is modeled as real. The student should become familiar with the problem (for example, on the eve of class) and think about ways to solve it. In class, small groups discuss the given case study. Having analyzed many unimagined problems, students will “get their hands on” solving them, and, if in the future practical activities If they find themselves in a similar situation, it will not confuse them.

Case technologies that activate the learning process include:

− method of situational analysis (method of analysis of specific situations, situational tasks and exercises; case studies);

− incident method;

− method of situational role-playing games;

− method of analyzing business correspondence;

− game design;

− method of discussion.

Thus, case technology is an interactive technology for short-term learning based on real or fictitious situations, aimed not so much at mastering knowledge, but at developing new qualities and skills in students. Its main purpose is to develop the ability to work through various problems and find solutions to them, and learn to work with information.

The case study method (case method, case-study) is most widely used in teaching economics and business sciences abroad. In modern education, it was first applied at Harvard Business School. In 1910, Dr. Copeland began to use new teaching technologies in addition to lectures and seminars, involving discussions with students of real management situations. Heads of companies and organizations were invited to the classrooms, who shared with students some internal company problems, analyzed them, and developed recommendations for solving them.

The case study method is an intensive active learning technology; it is interactive, focused on collaboration and business partnership, as the work takes place in groups. It can be considered as a synergistic technology, the essence of which is to prepare procedures for immersing a group in a situation, to create the effects of multiplying knowledge. The case study method has the following features:

1) the presence of a model of the socio-economic system, the state of which is considered at some discrete point in time, the use of actual organizational problems;

2) the possible participation of the maximum number of people in their study, finding out other points of view, comparing different views and making collective decisions;

3) the minimum degree of dependence of students on each other, everyone has the right to correct and incorrect answers, mutual exchange of information;

4) multi-alternative solutions, the fundamental absence of a single solution;

5) the presence of a system for group performance assessment;

6) the organizer of the lesson guides students through all stages of the scenario and performs the functions of an expert, a catalyst for the educational process and a trainer.

The case study method is based on the following principles:

1. The method is intended for teaching disciplines in which the truth is pluralistic, that is, there is no unambiguous answer to the question posed. At the same time, the teacher’s tasks are to activate students in the search for various truths and approaches and help them navigate the problem field.

2. The emphasis in training is shifted from mastering ready-made knowledge to its development, to co-creation between the student and the teacher. Hence the fundamental difference between this method and traditional methods is democracy in the process of obtaining knowledge, that is, the equality of everyone with everyone and with the teacher in the process of discussing the problem.

3. The results of the use of case studies, in addition to knowledge, are professional skills, as well as the development of a system of values, professional positions, life attitudes, a unique attitude and world transformation.

In the case study method, the main character is the learner. The participants of the lesson are involved in the discussion of the real situation and therefore take an active position. The purpose of a case study is to work together as a group to analyze the situation that arises in a particular state of affairs and develop a practical solution. The choice of the best solution in the context of the problem posed occurs through an analysis of the situation and an assessment of the developed alternatives.

The method of situational analysis, with its skillful use and application, makes it possible to optimally solve three pedagogical problems simultaneously:

1) subordinate the educational process to the control influence of the teacher;

2) ensure the inclusion of students in active educational work - both trained students and beginners;

3) establish feedback, establish constant monitoring of the quality of training and the process of knowledge acquisition.

The case method as a form of training and activation of the educational process allows you to successfully solve the following problems and form meta-competencies:

Master the skills and techniques of a comprehensive analysis of situations from the field of professional activity;

Make decisions promptly (“here and now”);

Practice the ability to request additional information necessary to clarify the initial situation, i.e. correctly formulate questions for development and understanding;

Visually represent the features of decision-making in a situation of uncertainty, as well as various approaches to developing an action plan aimed at achieving the final result;

Acquire verbalization skills, i.e. clear and accurate presentation of one’s own point of view orally or in writing;

Develop presentation skills, that is, convincingly present, justify and defend your point of view;

Practice skills in constructively critically assessing the points of view of others;

Develop the ability to make decisions independently based on a group analysis of the situation;

Gain practical experience and benefit from your own and others’ mistakes, relying on feedback data.

Cases should be developed and implemented in the educational process taking into account a number of principles that ensure the effectiveness of their use in training programs:

1) the case must correspond to the learning objectives;

2) the case should be as close as possible to real professional activity (a real event or an artificially created situation, where part of the real material is compiled with some typical problem);

3) the task must be selected in such a way that it is possible to use different ways to find solutions;

4) cases may differ in the level of generality, in the amount of information presented in them, in the complexity of the problem;

5) the case material should not be outdated, it should be updated in parallel with changes in real practice.

In teaching practice, various types of situations are used.

Standard situation- to a certain extent typical, often repeated under the same circumstances; has the same sources, reasons; can be both negative and positive.

Critical situation - atypical, as a rule, unexpected, i.e. it takes you by surprise, destroys initial calculations and plans; threatens to violate established norms, regimes, systems of rules, values; may cause material and moral damage, be harmful to health and the environment; requires immediate and radical intervention, revision of criteria, regulations, and standards.

Extreme situation(or emergency) - unique, has no analogues in the past; leads to negative and sometimes destructive changes in any objects, processes, views, relationships; entails material, physical and moral losses; requires the involvement of unplanned and unforeseen material and human resources; encourages radical action, unconventional solutions, and seeking help, for example: earthquake, fire, flood, storm, volcanic eruption, avalanche.

Depending on the nature of the lighting and presentation of the material, illustration situations, assessment situations and exercise situations can be used.

Illustration situation - it is a case study (both positive and negative) and a way to resolve the situation. Situation-assessment is a description of the situation and a possible solution in a ready-made form: you only need to evaluate how legal and effective it is. Situation-exercise consists in the fact that a specific episode of managerial or socio-psychological activity is prepared in such a way that its solution requires some standard actions, for example: calculating standards, filling out tables, using legal documents, etc.

In the literature, situations are also distinguished according to other criteria: by the degree of generality or the degree of novelty (known, unknown (new), standard and modifiable), by the frequency of occurrence and the degree of difficulty in finding their solutions (problematic and trivial), etc. At the same time, Practice shows that it is sometimes impossible to isolate the situation in its pure form. In any of them, some elements of situations of other types may also be present. The type of situations used in the educational process in each specific case will depend on the specifics of the course being studied, the contingent of students, the set educational goal, study time and experience of the students.

Despite the variety of types of cases, they all have a standard structure. Typically, a case includes:

Situation (case, problem, real life story);

Context of the situation (chronological, historical, context of place, features of the action or participants in the situation);

Questions or tasks for working with the case;

Applications.

Case development stages:

Determining the place of the case in the system of educational goals;

Search for an institutional system that will be directly related to the topic of the case;

Construction or selection of a situation model;

Creating a description;

Gathering additional information;

Preparation of the final text;

Presentation of the case, organization of discussion.

− holding consultations;

Consideration of situations takes place in several stages.

Analysis of the practical situation in the subgroup. This is the stage of students' independent work. In case of a small number of trainees, you can divide those present into pairs. Discussing the situation in subgroups (small groups) allows you to achieve several goals. Firstly, it allows each learner to take part in the discussion, express their point of view and gain insight into the opinions of other participants. Secondly, it promotes the development of collaborative, teamwork skills. Thirdly, it forces everyone to be fully prepared for work, since in small group it is impossible to hide incompetence. The main task of the subgroup at this stage is to prepare to formulate its findings and conclusions before the intergroup discussion. A small group can prepare:

List of key events in time;

Table of tasks and decisions made;

Consequence diagram;

Graphs of changes in technical and economic indicators;

Visually designed solutions in the form of symbols;

Classification groups of actions and events, tables and graphs.

Preliminary discussion of the situation in the audience. This stage is necessary for the teacher to make sure that the students have well mastered the material and that everyone present correctly understands the problems presented in the situation. The teacher answers questions that arise from participants in the analysis. Moreover, only those questions are allowed that relate to the explanation of events or facts, and not to the explanation of reasons or options for decisions and actions, if any are described. The subgroup's report includes an assessment of the positive and negative consequences of possible decision options, a list of risks and potential problems, and assumptions about possible subsequent developments.

Intergroup discussion. This stage is carried out on the basis of reports from subgroups. Representatives delegated to each of the subgroups to present the final material present their analysis and proposed solutions, and participants from other subgroups act as opponents. The teacher controls the situation and plays the role of coordinator and leader of the discussion, and, if necessary, an opponent and critic, activating and directing the discussion. It is most appropriate to organize a discussion between the participants in the analysis, so you can redirect questions to other trainees. The case analysis method allows you to involve students in the conversation through direct appeal, for example: “What would you do in this case?”, “What do you think about this?”, “What decision would you make?” etc. These questions should be used both to find out the opinions of individual participants in the analysis who are active in the classroom, and to involve in the discussion those who prefer to remain silent due to shyness or other reasons.

Summarizing. It is carried out first by those wishing to speak from the audience, and then by the teacher himself leading the lesson. It evaluates the conclusions of the subgroups and individual participants, as well as the overall progress of the discussion. At the same time, options for actions that were not proposed, mistakes made, if any, are formulated and justified, and particularly productive solutions are highlighted.

− adequate analytical methods for processing information have been demonstrated;

This method can be regularly used on almost any topic of study, both before the start of the lecture, and during it, and at the end, to check the mastery of the material. The situations can be applied independently and in seminars and practical classes. Using micro-situations like “What are your actions?” creates an opportunity for the teacher to introduce elements of creativity into the educational process, and requires new independent conclusions and generalizations from students, focusing their attention on the material being studied.

When planning the educational process, time reserves must first be found for training using the case method without compromising the quality of theoretical training. In this regard, it is advisable to provide each student with high-quality teaching aids for course modules. Teachers also note the need to change the norms of educational and methodological load when using the case method.

The specificity of planning the educational process using the case method is manifested, first of all, when developing programs for academic disciplines. This work has much in common with similar work in traditional training. However, when using cases it is required:

The article discusses the general features of case development, the choice of the main features of the case, the structure of the plan and the text of the case. An opinion was expressed about the need to take into account the attitude of students to the topic of a future case: students are interested in those cases in which they can see themselves in the position of a decision maker in the near future. The study of the objectives of the case should begin with the formation of a list of all the concepts, theories, tools and techniques presented in the course, as well as the problems and difficulties that the student may encounter in the practical use of the course material. A three-dimensional description of the difficulties of the case is given.

The author focuses on the fact that the case plan is a fundamental document that defines the basis and purpose of the case, its organization, information content and completion plan. Five components of the case plan are identified: an introductory paragraph, a brief description of the learning objectives, a case diagram described by subheadings, lists of required data, and a development schedule.

The stages of developing the case text and methodological note are briefly described.

Kachalin, case method in the process of teaching disciplines of subject training to students of a pedagogical college // Innovations in education. – 2009. - No. 1. – P. 110-116.

Referring to interactive teaching methods, the case method generates interest and positive motivation, ensures students' emotional involvement in the educational process, and effectively contributes to their professionalization.

Compiling cases is a labor-intensive process for a teacher, but their use is an effective means of developing the professional qualities of students. Another undoubted advantage of cases is the practical demonstration and implementation of intra-subject and inter-subject connections.

The main sources of case content are public life, including pedagogical practice (plot, problem, factual base), education (goals, objectives and methods of teaching and upbringing), science (methodology). The correlation of these sources in a particular case determines its place in the general typology of cases (practical, educational, research).

The article presents the results of practical experience in applying the case method in secondary vocational education (using the example of teaching the discipline “Theory and Methods of Physical Education of Children” in a pedagogical college), and describes the structure of the teaching case:

1. Introduction: problem statement; name of the institution; names and positions of the main characters.

2. Problem (brief description from the perspective of different participants in the events).

3. Materials for solution (scientific, methodological, statistical,
regulatory, legal, literary and others).

Mikhailova, and the case method: the process of writing a case // School technologies: Scientific and practical journal of school technologist No. 5. – P. 106-116.

The author notes that among the many works devoted to the case method, fundamental works covering the technology of writing a case are almost completely absent. An example of development in the field of case writing technology is given (M. Munter).

Stage 1. Search for initial conditions.

Stage 2. Establishing the first contact.

Stage 3. Collection of information.

Stage 4. Compilation process.

Stage 5. Obtaining permission to publish.

The content of the case material must correspond to several points discovered by the famous specialist in the field of case method P. Lawrenson:

1. In a case, it is advisable to describe one or more events taken from real business practice.

2. The case must provide the necessary information about the organization as a whole and about the people working in it.

3. The case material must contain statements from employees of the organization regarding the problem under consideration.

4. The text of the case should not be overloaded with biographical data of the organization’s employees.

Varieties of case structure are described: temporal, plot and explanatory structure.

Eremin to discuss the case in the audience // Innovations in education. – 2010. - No. 5. – S.

The author notes that a student’s work with a specific case consists of three stages: individual preparation; participation in a case discussion in a small group; Participating in a large group discussion during a classroom lesson. Each stage is described in detail; Recommendations were given to students on individual preparation.

Small groups are formed to allow more students to express their comments and ideas. Recommendations are given for preparing for a case discussion in a small group. The course of the discussion in the small group is described. The author points out some common types of problems that arise in small groups when discussing a case: improper allocation of time, insufficient preparation, interpersonal problems, insufficient recording of consent, recommendations are given for solving these problems.

The sequence of actions of the teacher to prepare for discussing the case in the classroom is presented.

Eremin stage of analysis of educational cases and assessment of students’ work using the case method // Innovations in education. – 2010. - No. 8. – P. 120-141.

The article discusses the features of preparing and conducting a discussion of a case in a large group lesson, evaluating students’ work based on the results of such a discussion, features of writing essays on the most common types of cases, as well as the problem of evaluating student essays.

The features of discussing a case in a large group lesson are revealed. Typical stages of discussion are described: in the classroom before the discussion begins, “warm-up”, discussion, conclusion of the discussion.

indicates the problem of assessing student participation in a case discussion, since it is formed taking into account many factors. In particular, it is necessary to take into account intermediate results, activity and repeated performances of students. Therefore, when taking into account the student’s participation in the discussion of the case, it is inappropriate to use the traditional four-point grading system. It is necessary to evaluate the student for meaningful activity, the components of which are described in the article.

Batovrina-study as a method of training specialists in the field of management // Pedagogical Sciences. – 2009. - No. 1. – P. 138-140.

Training using the case study method allows students to apply their theoretical knowledge in practice, develop the skills and abilities necessary for successful management activities: the ability to make decisions, work in a team, plan, etc. The essence of this method is for students to consider specific problems from practice modern organizations and the formulation of their decisions.

The most important task in preparing to use the case study method for training specialists in the field of management is the selection of situations taking into account the interests of students. The author points out that one of the ways to solve this problem could be to determine the contours of the problem situation by the teacher, giving students the opportunity to supplement and change the parameters of the situation, taking into account their own professional interests.

The article presents the results of this approach, which was tested in the years. when preparing situations for the course “Human Resource Management” for students enrolled in the second higher education program at the Faculty of Public Administration of Moscow State University named after. During testing of the approach, four problem situations were prepared on the key topics of the course: “Staff Recruitment”, “Staff Motivation”, “Personnel Assessment” and “Personnel Development”.

The author comes to the conclusion that the use of this approach makes it possible to increase the effectiveness of using the method of specific situations for training both existing and future leaders, and to expand the capabilities of students to apply the acquired knowledge to solve real practical problems. It is obvious that its use is possible not only within the framework of the “Human Resource Management” course, but also within the framework of a number of other courses and special courses for students of management specialties - management, marketing, organizational behavior, public relations, etc.

Panin ways to enhance learning: textbook. manual for pedagogical students. universities - M.: Academy, 20 Higher professional education). – pp. 92-102.

The concept of “case method” is revealed, its possibilities in vocational training. Case study is a teaching technique that uses descriptions of real economic and social situations. A situation (case) is a written description of a specific real situation in a company. The case method is considered as a synergetic technology. The necessity of introducing the case method into educational practice is substantiated. The sources of case formation are listed. The conditions that must be taken into account when drawing up a description of a specific situation are determined. The stages of a teacher's technological activity when using the case method are considered. The stages of working on the situation in the classroom are described in detail: 1) introduction to the case; 2) analysis of the situation; 3) presentation of case solutions; 4) general discussion; 5) summing up. According to the authors, the case method should be used in organic unity with other teaching methods. Recommendations are given for combining the case method and a business game, brainstorming, and modeling; Tips for using discussion in the case method are provided.

Panfilov pedagogical technologies. Active learning: textbook. a manual for university students in the specialties "Pedagogy and Psychology" and "Pedagogy". - M.: Academy, 20 Higher professional education). – P. 37-56.

The case study method is considered as one of the technologies for analyzing situations for active learning (action learning). Such technologies, according to the author, include: the method of situational analysis, including the analysis of specific situations, the method of situational learning - case studies, the case method, the “incident” method, the method of analyzing critical precedents, the method of playing roles, game design. The goals of the situation analysis technology are listed, as well as the meta-competencies that are formed when applying situation analysis. The prerequisites for analysis contained in the educational situational task are described. Specific and basic situations are considered, as well as such types of situations as standard, critical and extreme. Based on the nature of the lighting and presentation of the material, situations-illustrations, situations-assessments and situations-exercises are distinguished.

The method of situational exercises and situational tasks is described. The characteristics of a situational task that distinguish it from a specific situation are listed.

The method of situational learning (case study) is considered as the construction of single and multiple case designs. The characteristics of this method are given, the types of situations are described, and the provisions underlying the method are characterized. Characteristics are given of the types of analytical activity necessary to understand the situation. Means of supporting emotional tension in play groups are proposed for the effectiveness of the lesson using case studies. The stages of considering situations are described.

As a variation of the case study method, the method of case analysis is considered - the most acceptable interactive technology for short-term training, aimed rather at the formation of new psychological qualities and skills than at the assimilation of knowledge. The principles of development and implementation of cases in the educational process are indicated.

The method of analyzing incidents is also considered - an incident, incident, collision, usually of an unpleasant nature. It differs from the case method in that its goal is to search for information for the student to make decisions and teach him how to search for the necessary information. Possible forms of organizing a lesson are described, as well as the advantages of the “incident” method.

A method for analyzing critical incidents is described. It is based on the assumption that a deeper understanding of all circumstances can be achieved through a detailed analysis of one specific aspect of the situation, the so-called critical incident (an event or incident that clearly influenced the results of work). The critical incident interview method is a procedure for collecting observed incidents that are most important or "critical" to effective performance. The stages of the interview are described: preparation, defining the interviewee's work goals, finding out a general understanding of the incident, finding out the context in which the incident occurred, finding out the interviewee's role in the incident, creating a diagram of the incident, ending the interview.

The method of playing roles (staging), or the method of “acting out” situations in roles, is considered. Its goal is to recreate in front of the audience a true managerial or socio-psychological situation and then give students the opportunity to evaluate the actions and behavior of the participants in the game - the performers.

Guryanova learning technologies - the basis of quality education // Quality. Innovation. Education. − 2010. − No. 2. − P. 12-17.

The article discusses a topic that is relevant for higher education in Russia - improving the quality of education based on innovative teaching technologies. Among the promising and effective non-traditional forms of conducting classes that have appeared in Russian higher education not so long ago, the author examines the analysis of business situations based on the case method. The stages of technology for analyzing business situations based on the case method are listed: 1) determining the purpose of the lesson on analyzing a business situation. Familiarity with the situation and its features; 2) identifying key problems, authors and personalities who can actually act; 3) “brainstorming”; 4) analysis of the consequences of making a particular decision; 5) offering one or more options for solving problems from a business situation; 6) reflection. The “brainstorming” stage is described in detail. The author comes to the conclusion that the analysis of business situations based on the case method is an innovative teaching technology that significantly improves the quality of education and contributes to the effectiveness of the educational process.

Breev teacher and student in the learning process // Pedagogical Sciences No. 6. - P. 107-108.

The most common forms of cooperation between teacher and students are the following: joint completion by students of tasks proposed by teachers; brainstorm; polylogical discussion; case study.

Currently, there are two classical schools of case studies: Harvard and Manchester, respectively American and Western European. Their difference is that American cases are large in volume, while in Western Europe cases are 1.5-2 times shorter. In addition, Harvard cases suggest a search for the only correct solution, whereas in the American school the solutions are multivariate. The methodology for conducting classes using a case study at Manchester Business School is described.

Maximov of Russia in Pikalevo // Sociological Research No. 4. - pp. 42-53.

Using the case study method, the article analyzes events in the city of Pikalevo, which involve subjects (actors) from hired workers to the chairman of the government. Typical and specific features of actions (interactions) of social actors, changes in their behavior, factors of various levels and nature are analyzed. According to the author, this is the property of cases: to reflect, as in a drop, the entire or almost the entire ocean of social life. Today, when sociologists are limited for one reason or another in conducting large-scale research, case analysis can be a completely acceptable alternative. The reflection of all of Russia is the red thread of the presented case: in it almost all the actors in society entered the arena and played their role in typical circumstances. Sources of information include interviews with employees of various social and professional groups, analysis of documents and publications.

Eremin educational work using the case method // Innovations in education No. 4. - pp. 77-90.

The following aspects of ensuring educational work using the case method are considered: advanced training of teachers, legal support for the creation and use of cases in the educational process, planning the educational process using the case method, the formation of a fund of cases.

When planning the educational process, time reserves must first be found for training using the case method without compromising the quality of theoretical training. In this regard, it is advisable to provide each student with quality teaching aids by course modules. Teachers also note the need to change the norms of educational and methodological load when using the case method.

The specificity of planning the educational process using the case method is manifested primarily in the development of academic discipline programs. This work has much in common with similar work in traditional training. However, when using cases it is required:

− determine the goals to achieve which it is necessary to use cases;

− determine the relative amount of classroom time associated with case analysis;

− indicate the sections of the academic discipline in the study of which cases should be used, and specific cases related to these sections;

− indicate the didactic orientation of working with specific cases (leading students to the need to use theory, methods, tools; preparing for subsequent work with cases);

− determine the part of students’ total time allocated for working with cases, including independent work and training by others;

− determine how students’ work with cases and work in an academic discipline that uses cases will be assessed.

When determining the goals of an academic discipline, it is necessary, first of all, to take into account the direction of training and the characteristics of students. The goals differ significantly whether students have or do not have experience working with cases.

The program should include not only case studies, but also independent study of additional materials, as well as the collection of additional information. All this should be taken into account as the time required for students to independently prepare for case analysis.

The case fund of a particular university should be formed from both domestic and foreign sources. Along with this, cases developed at this university can be used. Currently, the Higher School of Management of St. Petersburg State University is implementing the non-profit project “Russian Resource Center for Study Cases”. The center is an electronic library of educational cases containing methodically structured descriptions of cases borrowed from real business practice. Other case databases are described.

The creation of cases and their use in the educational process on the legal basis of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation requires careful documentation of the rights to use cases, ensuring the rights and guarantees of the authors-developers of these didactic tools, as well as compliance with these rights by employers and students.

The analysis of issues related to the implementation of the case method in higher education in Russia allows us to draw some general conclusions:

− planning of the educational process becomes more complicated;

− the implementation of the case method will expand during the transition to training based on the Federal State Educational Standard for Higher Professional Education;

− it is advisable to change the ratio of the volumes of educational and educational work of teachers;

− a large amount of work must be carried out by universities (improving the qualifications of teachers, planning the educational process using the case method, forming a fund of cases, methodological support for a fundamentally new form of organizing the educational process for most universities).

Case technologies in the educational process // Public education No. 2. - pp. 172-179.

Case technology is an interactive learning technology based on real or fictitious situations, the main purpose of which is to develop the ability to work through various problems and find their solutions, and learn to work with information. The author highlights such methods of case technologies as the method of situational analysis, the incident method, the method of situational role-playing games, the method of analyzing business correspondence, game design, and the discussion method. The article provides a brief description of each method and shows the possibility of using case technologies in school practice.

The results of working with a learning situation can be presented both in written and oral form. Presentation of the results of the case analysis can be group or individual. The report can be individual or group depending on the complexity and scope of the task. An individual presentation creates a sense of responsibility, composure, and will; group – analytical skills, ability to summarize material, see the project systematically.

When evaluating a public presentation, the teacher pays attention to:

− for a speech that characterizes an attempt at a serious preliminary analysis (correctness of proposals, preparedness, argumentation, etc.);

− range of issues that require in-depth discussion;

− demonstration of the ability to think logically, if points of view expressed earlier are summarized and lead to logical conclusions;

− offering alternatives that were previously ignored;

− proposal of a specific action plan or plan for implementing a decision; identification of essential elements that must be taken into account when analyzing the case;

− significant participation in the processing of quantitative data and calculations;

− summing up the discussion.

A case analysis made by a student during a non-public (written) presentation can be considered satisfactory if:

− most of the problems in the case were formulated and analyzed;

− the maximum possible number of calculations has been carried out;

− made their own conclusions based on information about the case, which differ from the conclusions of other students;

− adequate analytical methods for processing information have been demonstrated;

− the documents drawn up meet the requirements in terms of meaning and content;

− the arguments presented as a result of the analysis are in accordance with previously identified problems, conclusions drawn, assessments and analytical methods used.

An approximate sequence of actions for a teacher when using case technologies:

− giving homework to students;

− determination of deadlines for completing the task;

− familiarizing students with the case solution evaluation system;

− determination of the technological model of the lesson;

− holding consultations;

− work on the situation in the classroom;

− teacher's introductory speech; asking basic questions, if necessary, distributing students into small groups (4-6 people in each);

− organizing students’ work in small groups, identifying speakers;

− presentation of solutions in small groups;

− organization of general discussion;

− generalizing speech of the teacher, its analysis and evaluation.

Compiled by: Ph.D., OSiMSOP specialist, OSiMSOP specialist.

Almost every human action in life, not just studying, is associated with the need to assimilate and process certain knowledge, this or that information. To teach how to learn, namely to assimilate and properly process information, is the main thesis of the activity-based approach to learning.

A modern teacher must not only be fluent in the subject, methods, means and forms of organizing the educational process, but he must also apply in his work and modern technologies training. Recently, the project method, computer modeling, business games, etc. have been actively used in Belarusian schools. I recently discovered a “new” method? case - study?. The birthplace of the method?case - study? are the United States of America, namely the Harvard Business School. In 1910, the dean of Harvard Business School advised teachers to introduce into the educational process, in addition to traditional classes - lectures and workshops - additional ones, conducted in the form of discussions with students. This method is very popular in the West, but for Belarusian educational institutions the case method is a fairly new technology.

The case method is a method of active learning based on real situations. Translated from in English"case" is a case, and "case - study" is a training case. The term “case method”, “case technology” translated from English as the concept “case” means:

1 - description of a specific practical situation, a methodological method of teaching according to the principle “from typical situations, examples - to the rule, and not vice versa”, assumes an active teaching method based on the consideration of specific (real) situations from the practice of students’ future activities, i.e. use of situational training methodology “case - study”;
2 - a set of specially developed educational and methodological materials on various media (printed, audio, video and electronic materials), issued to pupils (students) for independent work.

The advantage of cases is the ability to optimally combine theory and practice, which seems quite important when training a specialist. The case method promotes the development of the ability to analyze situations, evaluate alternatives, choose the best option and plan its implementation. And if this approach is used repeatedly during the educational cycle, then the student develops a stable skill in solving practical problems.

What is the difference between a case and a problem situation? The case does not present students with a problem in an open form, and participants in the educational process will have to isolate it from the information contained in the description of the case.

The technology for working with a case in the educational process is relatively simple and includes the following steps:

- individual independent work of students with case materials (identifying a problem, formulating key alternatives, proposing a solution or recommended action);
- work in small groups to agree on the vision of the key problem and its solutions;
- presentation and examination of the results of small groups in a general discussion (within the study group).

The essence of the case-study method is to use, when organizing the learning process, specific educational situations, descriptions of certain conditions from the life of an organization, a group of people or individuals, guiding students to formulate a problem and search for options for solving it, followed by analysis in training sessions.

One of the new forms of effective teaching technologies is problem-based learning using cases. The introduction of educational cases into the practice of Belarusian education is currently a very urgent task. A case is a description of a specific real situation, prepared in a specific format and intended to teach students how to analyze different types information, its generalization, skills in formulating a problem and developing possible solutions to it in accordance with established criteria.

Typically cases include:

1. introductory case(information about the presence of a problem, situation, phenomenon; description of the boundaries of the phenomenon under consideration);
2. information case(the amount of knowledge on a topic (problem), presented with varying degrees of detail);
3. strategic case(development of the ability to analyze the environment under conditions of uncertainty and solve complex problems with hidden determinants);
4. research case(similar to group or individual projects - the results of the analysis of a certain situation are presented in the form of presentation);
5. training case(aimed at strengthening and more fully mastering previously used tools and skills - logical, etc.).

When working technologically with a specific situation, the student is “immersed” in certain circumstances, his own understanding of the situation, assessment of the situation, determination of the problem and its essence. Then the student determines his role in solving the problem and develops an appropriate line of behavior. During summing up, the participant in the situational analysis must correct his views, correlate them with group views and develop plans for the future.

A case represents a real life situation, the description of which reflects some practical problem. Ideally, a problem should not have a clear solution. The method is a specific type of research technology, i.e. combines the operations of the research process and analytical procedures. The case acts as a collective learning technology that integrates developmental learning technologies, including procedures for individual, group and collective development, and the formation of certain personal qualities of students.

The case must meet the following conditions:

* the presence of a really existing group of people, an organization on the basis of which the situation was developed;
* a certain chronology of events, time frames,
* presence of a real problem, conflict,
* the situation should be presented in an “event” style, where not only events are reflected, but also characters, their actions, actions;
* the action unfolding in the case must contain intrigue.

The method is a specific type of research technology, that is, it combines the operations of the research process and analytical procedures. The case is a collective learning technology that integrates developmental learning technologies, including procedures for individual, group and collective development, and the formation of certain personal qualities of students.

Methodologically, the case method can be represented as a complex system into which other, more simple methods knowledge. It includes modeling, system analysis, problem method, thought experiment, methods of description, classification, game methods that play their roles in the case.

Organization of training based on the method of specific situations.

1. Preparatory stage (before the start of classes).

The purpose of the stage: to specify goals and develop a specific situation and course of the lesson.

2. Introductory stage (during class)

The purpose of the stage: involvement in the analysis of the real situation, selection of the optimal form of presenting the material for familiarization.

3. Analytical stage (beginning of discussion of the case).

The purpose of the stage: analyze the case in a group and develop a solution.

4. Final stage (presentation of group solutions).

Purpose: to present and justify the group’s decision/conclusions regarding the case.

During the discussion of the case, the teacher usually tries to refrain from answering questions. Instead, he asks questions from the audience and lets the students answer them themselves. In the process of discussion, a discussion ensues, and the truth is born in the dispute. Case study technology places the main emphasis on independent thinking, the ability to convey one’s thoughts to an audience and constructively respond to criticism from one’s opponents.

Distribution of functions between students and teacher:

Work phase	Teacher actions	Student Actions
Before class	1. Selects a case 2. Identifies basic and auxiliary materials for preparing students 3. Develops a lesson scenario	1. Receives a case and a list of recommended literature 2. Individually prepared to class
During class	1. Organizes a preliminary discussion of the case 2. Divides the group into subgroups 3. Leads the discussion of the case in subgroups, provides students with additional information	1. Asks questions that deepen understanding of the case and problem 2. Develops solutions and takes into account the opinions of others 3. Makes or participates in decision making
After class	1. Evaluates student work 2. Evaluates decisions made and questions raised	1. Compiles a written report on the lesson in a given form

Discussion is central to the case-study method. It can be expediently used in cases where students have a significant degree of maturity and independent thinking, and are able to argue, prove and substantiate their point of view. The most important characteristic of a discussion is the level of its competence, which consists of the competence of its participants. Students' unpreparedness for discussion makes it formal and turns it into a process of them extracting information from the teacher, rather than obtaining it independently.

A major factor in the debate is the extent to which it is guided by the teacher. When leading a discussion, the teacher must seek the participation of each student in the discussion, listen to the arguments for and against and explanations for them, control the process and direction of the discussion, but not its content.

Cases are classified into:

* practical cases. These cases should reflect the introduced situation or case as realistically as possible;
* training cases. Their main task is training;
* research cases that are focused on involving the student in research activities.

In fact, each case carries a teaching function, only the degree of expression of all shades of this function in different cases is different.

Undoubtedly, the use of the case method has some advantages and risks. Firstly, the case method makes it possible to optimally combine theory and practice and develop skills in working with a variety of sources of information. Students do not receive ready-made knowledge, but learn to obtain it on their own; decisions made in a life situation are remembered faster than memorizing rules. Secondly, the process of solving the problem outlined in the case is a creative process of cognition, which implies the collective nature of cognitive activity. Consequently, students learn to follow the rules of communication: work in groups, listen to interlocutors, argue their point of view, building logical schemes for solving a problem that has an ambiguous solution. During the lesson, students will not be bored, but will think, analyze, and develop discussion skills. And finally, even low-performing students will be able to participate in the discussion of questions, since there are no clear answers that must be learned. They themselves will be able to offer answers.

However, like any other method, this method also has its difficulties in use. First of all, it takes a lot of time to properly prepare a case for a lesson. The teacher must think over the form of presenting the case and plan the children’s activities, combining individual and group forms of work. A difficult moment for a teacher is assessment, because it is necessary to evaluate each participant, his activity and originality, at the same time it is necessary to objectively evaluate his knowledge. It should be noted that the traditional ten-point system for assessing results does not allow assessing the activity of students and their repeated performances. The hundred-point knowledge assessment system is more flexible and allows you to more objectively determine the level of training of students. Therefore, when assessing each participant, we will try to combine the ten-point and one-hundred-point systems. To get a final “10” students need to score 90-100 points, to get a “9” 70-89 points, a student gets “8” if they score less than 60-70 points, and a student gets “7” if they score less than 60 points . Since everyone will be involved in the discussion, even students with low communication abilities, I think there will be no need to give bad grades when using the case method.

The case method can be successfully used in foreign language classes, since this method is complex and contains all types of speech activities: reading, speaking, writing, listening. Students have a real opportunity to communicate in a foreign language in the process of interaction with other group members and the teacher. The success of the case method depends on three main components: the quality of the case, the preparedness of the students, and the readiness of the teacher himself to organize work with the case and conduct a discussion.

There are several classifications of cases

By structure:

· Structured cases (highly structured cases) - a short and precise presentation of the situation with specific numbers and data.
· Unstructured cases. They represent material with a large amount of data and are designed to assess the style and speed of thinking, the ability to separate the important from the secondary, and skills in a particular area.
· Ground breaking cases can be either very short or long. Observing the solution of such a case makes it possible to see whether a person is able to think outside the box, how many creative ideas he can come up with in the allotted time. If there is a group decision, can he pick up someone else’s idea, develop it and use it in practice?

To size:

· Full cases(average 20-25 pages) are intended for team work over several days and usually involve a team performance
· Condensed cases (3-5 pages) are intended for analysis directly in class and involve general discussion
· Mini-cases (1-2 pages), like condensed cases, are intended to be taught in class and are often used to illustrate theory taught in class

Distinctive features of the case method are:

· description of a real problem situation;
alternative solution to a problem situation;
· a common goal and collective work to develop a solution;
· functioning of a system for group evaluation of decisions made;
· emotional stress of students.

A difficult task for a teacher, requiring erudition, pedagogical skill and time, is developing a case, i.e. selection of appropriate real material, which models a problem situation and reflects the complex of knowledge, skills and abilities that students need to master. Cases, usually prepared in written form, are read, studied and discussed. These cases form the basis of teacher-led class conversation. The case method includes both a special type of educational material and special ways of using this material in the educational process.

The case also represents some kind of role-playing system. The high concentration of roles in a case leads to the transformation of the case method into a gaming method of teaching, combining a game with a subtle technology of intellectual development and a total control system. The actions in the case are either given in the description, and then they need to be understood (consequences, effectiveness), or they must be proposed as a way to solve the problem. Students must solve the problem and get a reaction from others (other students and the teacher) to their actions. At the same time, they must understand that various solutions to the problem are possible. Therefore, the teacher should help students reason, argue, and not impose their opinion on them. Students must understand from the very beginning that the risk of making decisions lies with them; the teacher only explains the consequences of making rash decisions. The role of the teacher is to guide the conversation or discussion with the help of problematic questions, to control the work time, to encourage students to abandon superficial thinking, to involve all students in the group in the process of analyzing the case.