Case Studies as Educational Tools
Case studies (also called "case histories") are descriptions of real situations that provide a context for engineers and others to explore problems. Case studies typically involve complex issues where there is often no single correct answer--you may be asked to select the "best" answer given the situation.
Case studies allow you to:
- Explore the nature of a problem and circumstances that affect a solution
- Learn about others' viewpoints and how they may be taken into account
- Define your priorities and make your own decisions to solve the problem
- Predict outcomes and consequences
Image Credit: The Case Study By Binuri Ranasinghe Used Under: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Case Studies Web Resources
- National Center for Case Study Teaching in ScienceA collection of essays examining every aspect of the case study method and its use in the science classroom.
Case Studies From the Library
Beyond Failure by Call Number: TA219 .D45 2009
Case Based Design by Call Number: Q338.8 .A97 2008
Case Studies in Engineering Design by Call Number: TA174 .M382 1998
Engineering and Environment Ethics by Call Number: TD153 .E54 1998
Unnatural Disasters by Call Number: GF75 .G85 2003
Biomedical Ethics for Engineers by Call Number: EBOOK
Safety Ethics by Call Number: T55 .P32 2005
