Using Case Studies and Problem Based Learning in Science: A Historical Perspective of the Science Case Network

With roots in business and medical education and a legacy of case studies in the history of science, the use of stories (cases or problems) to situate biology learning has been formalized over the last 20 years by the work of several projects. In 2011, five of these projects developed the Science Case Network (SCN) for faculty interested in using, designing or studying the effectiveness of case studies and PBL for teaching science.

Timeline for Case Study and PBL Projects An increasing number of faculty development workshops, presentations,

collaborations, publications, curriculum materials development, cases development, and conferences result from these US funded projects.

1991 Development of case studies in undergraduate science begins at SUNY Buffalo (FIPSE US Department of Education)1994 University of Delaware (UD) begins preparing its science faculty and courses for PBL (NSF) 1996 BioQUEST begins Investigative Case Based Learning (ICBL), a type of PBL linking investigations and cyberlearning to cases. Website with cases (HHMI, NSF) 1996 Case IT makes ICBL-style cases a central feature of its molecular biology simulations. Software and website with cases (NSF) 1997 Formation of UD’s Institute for Transforming Undergraduate Education for faculty development on PBL (NSF and FIPSE USDE) 1999 Buffalo project becomes the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. Website with case collection. (Pew Charitable Trusts, NSF) 2000 UD PBL-Clearinghouse online collection of PBL materials (Pew Charitable Trusts)2003 CASES Online (PBL/ICBL cases) comes out of NSF funded GK-12 PRISM grant that prepares future faculty2009 Beginnings of ScienceCaseNet (NSF)2012 ScienceCaseNet.org website and first network conference (NSF)

Case studies? PBL? What’s the difference?Case studies come from the tradition of business education. Case studies are longer, with well developed characters , settings and decisions. Originally the pedagogy involved giving students the case in advance and having them study it, answer questions and then discuss the case and alternatives in a teacher-led discussion.

PBL comes from the tradition of medical education where cases are shorter (often multipart) and may include less detail than a fully developed case study. Originally the pedagogy involved giving the case/problem out to small groups for immediate analysis and discussion. The goal is to develop an agenda of questions to be studied. The group reconvenes after study for discussion and getting additional parts of the case for further analysis and study. Teacher is a group facilitator.

Both of these pedagogies are modified for use in science courses. In 2013, there are still differences between these two approaches to using stories to teach science, but each approach has learned from and borrowed from the other. Multiple forms of case study and PBL have been developed, and the diverse ways in which faculty use them shows their flexibility as tools for teaching and learning.

Ethel StanleyMargaret Waterman

Pat MarstellerKaren KlyczekMark Bergland

Deborah AllenKipp Herreid

Project Directors

2013

1991

SCN is a Research Coordination Network in Undergraduate Biology Education funded by NSF grant #1062049