Table 1. Action verbs that lend themselves to case studies.

DOE-HDBK-1116-98

After the learning objectives have been written, the instructional developer should consider what

instructional strategies (i.e., the settings and methods) should be used to teach the objectives.

Whether designing lesson plans for initial or continuing training, or revising existing lesson plans,

the instructional developer has many choices to make when considering the instructional strategy

of a lesson. A case study is but one of those strategies that can be used.

When reviewing the objectives, an instructional developer should look for key words that indicate

a higher-level objective that may be suitable for a case study. Higher-level learning objectives

are those objectives that require a trainee to use problem-solving skills rather than simple recall

or memorization. Table 1 contains examples of action verbs that lend themselves to using a

case study.

Table 1. Action verbs that lend themselves to case studies.

OBJECTIVE

HIGHER LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONS

DOMAIN

AND KEY WORDS

DIAGNOSIS

analyze, classify, compare, detect, diagnose,

examine, identify, recognize, troubleshoot

COGNITIVE

DEVELOPMENT

conclude, derive, design, develop, discuss,

formulate, organize, plan, predict, relate,

restate, solve, summarize, write

EVALUATION assess, decide, choose, defend, determine, evaluate,

rate, select

PROMOTION

advocate, model, support

AFFECTIVE

DEFENSE

argue, debate, defend, prevent

Before an instructional developer can develop and use case studies, an understanding of what

they are and why they are useful is necessary.

1.4.1 What Are Case Studies, and Why Use Them?

A case study is a presentation of real or hypothetical situations used to stimulate analytical and

problem solving approaches. The key words to note here are "..analytical and problem solving

approaches." By design, a case study requires a trainee to analyze the situation and solve the

problems using previous or newly acquired knowledge or skills.

An instructional developer can help motivate the trainees to learn by designing lessons that allow

them to participate in the learning activity. Trainee interest is aroused and maintained by making

them active rather than passive participants. The trainees examine situations that have actually

occurred, could have occurred, or are occurring. The trainees are given specific facts about

events and are then required to think through the case study to arrive at a conclusion.