An Examination of Postsecondary Agricultural Education Instructors' Perspectives of the Case Study Instructional Technique and the Development of a Model to Encourage Use

Abstract

In an effort to evaluate the current use of case studies as a teaching technique in postsecondary agricultural education and to develop a model for integrating technologies into the case study technique (CST), a qualitative study was conducted that explored the current use of case studies, examined the effectiveness of the technique, and explored the technology skills held by instructors. Study findings revealed benefits and limitations to the use of CST within postsecondary agricultural education as well as methods for integrating technology into the process. Benefits of CST to students included (a) preparation for real-world application of knowledge, (b) development of higher-order thinking skills, and (c) communication skills improvement. Limitations of CST included (a) students’ lack of prior experience, (b) difficulty for instructors to find quality cases, and (c) the need for skilled facilitators. Ways to address these limitations were identified through the research and involved the integration of technology. Research findings provided a foundation for the development of a model to integrate technology with CST. While further research is needed to confirm the effectiveness of the model, the research implies that the use of the resulting model could increase the use of CST and improve teaching effectiveness.