Case-based instruction is a valuable instructional strategy for instructional designers, who must be prepared to exercise a high level of problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and reasoned judgment in their work.
Case studies and examples help online learners relate to the subject matter and see how it ties into real world situations.
They are also good at teaching more complex knowledge and experiences.
They are necessary to ensure that learners are able to make sense of illustrated concepts.
Specifically, in an eLearning course, it is essential for instructional designers to ensure that the examples and case studies that you provide to the learners aren’t just text blocks thrown onto a page.
It is important that you create the content so that it is interactive and engaging for your online learners. Otherwise, they will get bored and not even review it.
What Are Case Studies?
Case studies are stories that present realistic, complex, and contextually rich situations. They often involve a dilemma, conflict, or problem that one or more of the characters in the case must negotiate.
They vary in length and detail, and can be used in a number of ways, depending on the case itself and on the instructional designer's goals.
- They can be short (a few paragraphs) or long (e.g. 20+ pages).
- They can be real, with all the detail drawn from actual people and circumstances, or simply realistic.
- They can provide all the relevant data learners need to discuss and resolve the central issue, or only some of it, requiring learners to identify, and possibly fill in (via outside research), the missing information.
- They can require learners to examine multiple aspects of a problem, or just a circumscribed piece.
- They can require learners to propose a solution for the case or simply to identify the parameters of the problem.
Why Use Case Studies in eLearning?
Case studies contain features such as facts, stats, and first person accounts that are supported by reliable sources. They are hypothetical situations that are based in reality.
What About Examples?
Examples are important because they help bridge the gap between theory and practice. They can be used both deductively and inductively.
Deductive examples illustrate a concept or show the steps of a procedure that was previously introduced.
Whereas, inductive examples stimulate thinking and reflection prior to providing definitions and principles.
4 Tips to Designing Case Studies & Examples for eLearning
1. Connect Using Story and Emotions
One way of increasing engagement is by framing the content using a compelling storyline with characters. People relate to stories on an emotional level.
Providing your online learners with stories allows them to put themselves into the role of the main character and connect with them on an emotional level, watching the events unfold.
2. Integrate a Variety of Media
When presenting a case study or example, it is great practice to present the content using a variety of media. Include text, audio narrations, pictures, or even videos. This will help increase learner engagement.
In addition, it may be helpful to present a case study or example to your learners in action using a presentation tool.
These links can reveal more information about the particular topic, like clues, helping the learners solve the mystery.
One tool that is great for making interactive presentations is Prezi.
3. Create an Infographic
Infographics are perfect for case studies, as they provide a visual representation of the key facts and ideas.
With infographics you can easily integrate images, graphs, and charts that illustrate the key points. You can also include timelines to highlight trends or important eLearning events.
You shouldn't illustrate every aspect of the case study or example, but the most relevant pieces of data. There are a variety of different infographic tools, but a great one to use is Piktochart.
4. Blend It With a Discussion
The adoption of online discussion forums has now become a common training strategy in eLearning.
Online discussion forums enable flexible and independent learning and knowledge construction and develop critical thinking skills.
Incorporating an example or case study with an online asynchronous discussion is a great way to increase active participation and learning among learners online.
Research has shown a significant improvement in knowledge retention and increases workload for learners by including peer-to-peer learning.
Conclusion
Case studies and examples are better tools in combating learners’ boredom and enhancing an online course. Using these instructional strategies will definitely help instructional designers increase engagement and interactivity in eLearning.
The best created online modules in applying these instructional strategies are within your reach...
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