Camill, Philip.2006. Case Studies Add Value to a Diverse Teaching Portfolio in Science Courses, Journal of College Science Teaching, 36, 31-37.
Summary: This article compares teaching and financial diversification. Only using one teaching style, such as lectures, is like investing all your money in only stock. Teachers need to diversify by incorporating a variety of teaching styles and methods in the classroom. Otherwise, teaching portfolios can be too narrow and fail to adequately meet teaching objectives and standards. Teaching styles should vary to individualize the material for the array of learning styles present in every classroom. Different categories of skills should be incorporated, as well: knowledge content, such as lectures, discussions, labs, and reading; process skills, which emphasizes lab skills, active use of a scientific method, analysis, reasoning, and collaboration; context material, like field trips, interdisciplinary reasoning, and problem solving; application of material, as in how science is done and its impact on personal lives and society. Diverse styles will raise the overall learning by the students by successfully engaging students with different learning styles. Use of case studies in Camill’s classes allows him to diversify his teaching across all learning styles important to him and his students. His style teaches the variety of skills before mentioned and to reach different styles of learners. He begins each unit with three to four days of lecture to introduce and clarify fundamental concepts. When the content and locations are appropriate, he goes on a field trip to give students a conceptual image of concepts they will learn about. Two to three more days of lecture follow to provide content and context. By beginning units this way, students see topics before they learn about it and receive key information through lecture and readings. Through case studies and inquiry-based labs, students gain application, process skills, content, and context. Camill uses case studies as the end of units as a capstone to apply their knowledge to contemporary scientific issues. Students read the introductory paragraphs of the studies. Students then work in teams to pose a possible research question to address the issues raised. They are asked to state explicit hypotheses and design field experiments to test them. He then gives them the actual data from the study. As a class, preconceptions compared to the actual data are discussed. They also have to form an opinion about the societal issue and defend it as a citizen. Students also complete a scientific-style writing assignment of analyzing the data from the cases study in the form of a journal article. Through this single activity students learn content, process skills, context, and application skills. Students are able to practice a scientific method. They are also asked to formulate value judgments, just as in the real world. Through course evaluations it is shown that Camill’s students feel engaged and thrive through diversified teaching.
Reaction: This has been the most beneficial article I have read about methods for teaching science. I really liked how he laid out the form he follows in units and the different skills that are emphasized through his methods. Using case studies in an activity incorporates all the skills and material for a worthwhile learning tool. Students work together, put the scientific method to use, and must refer to their knowledge of the material to formulate and defend an opinion about science and its personal and societal effects. I will incorporate case studies and shadow his teaching methods, as I feel this is an effective way to teach process skills, in addition to others.