This document provides an overview of case studies, including: - A case study involves the collection of detailed information about a particular situation from a participant or small group. - Case studies can focus on individuals, communities, social groups, organizations, or events. - There are four main types of case studies: evaluative, educational, ethnographic, and action research. - Case studies are useful for learning as they allow participants to engage actively, develop analytical skills, and consider different outcomes. However, the data from a single case study may not be generalizable to the wider population.

1. CASE STUDY
PREPARED BY:
MARYJO R. LIBOON
MS GENERAL SCIENCE EDUCATION
CENTRAL MINDANAO UNIVERSITY

2. CONTENTS
 What is a Case Study?
 Focus of Case Study
 Case Studies Analysis Framework
 Characteristics of Case Study
 Types of Case Study
 Case study approach to learning
 Why use Case Study?
 Advantages of Case Study
 Disadvantages of Case Study
 Generalizing Case study

3. What is a Case Study?
 It refers to the collection and presentation of
detailed information about a particular
situation by a participant or small group.
Frequently including the accounts of subject
themselves.
 Provides a systematic way of looking
at events, collecting data analyzing
information, and reporting the results
 In-depth analysis of topic using multiple
sources of evidence

4. FOCUS OF CASE STUDY
Case studies are classified according to the
focus of study. This can include:
Individuals
Communities
Social groups
Organizations, institutions,
events, roles, relationships, and interactions.

5. Case Studies Analysis Framework
4 Steps Process:
 Define the problem
 Formulate alternative course of action to
solve problem
 Analyze alternatives in terms of strength
and weaknesses
 Alternatives accepted recommended
course of action

6. Characteristics of Case study
 It aims at deep and detailed study of the
unit.
 It is a comprehensive study, it covers a
wide span of time.
 The number of units may vary from
single unit to a few dozen. They are not
selected according to some scientific
technique of sampling.

7. Types of Case Study
1. Evaluative: to provide decision makers with
information in order to evaluate a program or an
institution.
2. Educational: to understand an educational
action
3. Ethnographic: to study from an outsider’s view,
emphasizing causal or structural patterns of the
actor.
4. Action research: To study the development of a
case, using feedback to guide revision of an action.

8. Case Study Approach to learning
Uses of Case Studies
 Primarily for adult learners in training
situations including recertification.
 Team building activities in organizations.
 Practice client interaction skills.
 Practice use of analytical skills.
 To ask “what if” questions and review basic
knowledge

9. Why use Case study?
The case study method is amongst the most
flexible of research designs, and is particularly
useful in researching issues related to
sustainability and institutional systems. It
incorporates a number of data-gathering
strategies: •document analysis, •surveys,
•participant or non-participant observation, and
•participatory or action research.

10. Case study research can serve a variety of
functions: exploratory (enabling researchers
to get a feeling for potentially important
variables and to describe phenomena in the
appropriate contextual setting), for testing
hypotheses or theories (relating to cause and
effect in a quasi-experimental fashion), and
for policy analysis (teasing out prescriptions
for action).

11. Advantages of Case Study
 A well chosen case study will be relevant to all
participants.
 Everyone is actively engaged in the case study
process.
 Develops analytical thinking
 Develop strategic planning skills
 Facilitates learning regarding analysis of impact
of decisions taken

12. Disadvantages of Case study
 One of the main criticisms is that the data collected cannot necessarily
be generalized to the wider population. This leads to data being
collected over longitudinal case studies not always being relevant or
particularly useful.
 Some case studies are not scientific. Freud used case studies for many
of his theories or studies. Such examples are that of Anna O and Little
Hans. Both of these are not scientific nor are they able to be
generalized. This can be attributed to them being case studies, but also
Freudian theory in general.
 Case studies are generally on one person, but there also tends to only
be one experimenter collecting the data. This can lead to bias in data
collection, which can influence results more than in different designs.
 It is also very difficult to draw a definite cause/effect from case studies.

13. Generalizing Case Study
Case studies are an important and useful method of
data collection, especially in cases of rare phenomena.
It would be extremely unethical to go taking parts of
peoples brains out just to make a larger sample size to
use a different experimental design method. However,
as data is collected on new cases I think it is
important to always refer back to previous data in
order to build on existing knowledge and ensure
findings are as applicable to real life as possible.”