Case Studies Educational Case Studies 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following is a key characteristic that distinguishes a well-written educational case study from a simple news article?
- It focuses only on positive outcomes
- It contains discussion questions that prompt analytical thinking (Correct answer)
- It avoids mentioning specific organizations or individuals
- It is always written in first person
Correct answer: It contains discussion questions that prompt analytical thinking
Educational case studies include structured discussion questions that guide learners to analyze, evaluate, and apply concepts rather than passively read.
Question 2: In a case study on school leadership, a principal implements a new reading curriculum that raises test scores but lowers student morale. This situation best illustrates which concept?
- Confirmation bias
- Unintended consequences (Correct answer)
- Sunk cost fallacy
- Anchoring effect
Correct answer: Unintended consequences
Unintended consequences occur when an action produces outcomes beyond what was intended, such as improved scores but decreased motivation.
Question 3: What is the role of a 'teaching note' accompanying an educational case study?
- It summarizes the case for students who did not read it
- It provides instructors with analysis, facilitation tips, and discussion guidance (Correct answer)
- It lists all factual sources used in the case
- It assigns a grade rubric for student submissions
Correct answer: It provides instructors with analysis, facilitation tips, and discussion guidance
A teaching note is an instructor-only document that offers case analysis, suggested questions, potential student responses, and facilitation strategies.
Question 4: When a case study is described as 'disguised,' what does that mean?
- The ending has been intentionally withheld
- Identifying details of the organization or individuals have been altered to protect confidentiality (Correct answer)
- The case was written from a fictional perspective
- The main problem is hidden within the narrative
Correct answer: Identifying details of the organization or individuals have been altered to protect confidentiality
Disguised cases change names, locations, or other identifying information to protect the privacy of the real organization while keeping the educational substance intact.
Question 5: A medical school uses a case in which a patient's symptoms are presented incrementally as students make diagnostic decisions. This technique is called:
- Progressive disclosure (Correct answer)
- Retrospective analysis
- Iterative benchmarking
- Formative simulation
Correct answer: Progressive disclosure
Progressive disclosure reveals information in stages, mimicking real clinical uncertainty and teaching students to make decisions with incomplete data.
Question 6: Which of the following frameworks is commonly used in educational case studies to evaluate an organization's internal and external environment?
- The 5 Whys technique
- SWOT analysis (Correct answer)
- The Delphi method
- Root cause analysis
Correct answer: SWOT analysis
SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) is a foundational framework for structured evaluation of organizations in case study discussions.
Question 7: What is meant by 'cold calling' in the context of the Harvard case method classroom?
- Contacting industry experts during class for real-time input
- The instructor calling on a student without prior warning to begin the discussion (Correct answer)
- Phoning a company to verify case facts
- Assigning unprepared students to present the case solution
Correct answer: The instructor calling on a student without prior warning to begin the discussion
Cold calling in the case method means the instructor unexpectedly selects a student to open the discussion, ensuring all participants prepare thoroughly.
Case Studies Educational Case Studies 2
Which of the following is a key characteristic that distinguishes a well-written educational case study from a simple news article?