Case study learning embodies four basic principles:

1. Discussion class is a partnership in which students and instructors share the responsibilities and power of teaching and learning
2. Discussion groups must form a learning community with shared values and common goals for learning.
3. Through small group work, students gain command of course materials
4. Dual competency – content, and process.

You can also use the Case-based instruction lesson plan template to help you plan your case-based lesson.  Students can use the PELP Framework Analysis Activity Sheet to help them work through the case analysis. 

A Case-Study for instructional purposes should:

1. Begin with a question that forces action
2. What should X do
3. Encourage analysis of problems confronting the protagonist, the context, and response alternatives
4. Provide opportunities for closure – summing up the learning with a product created jointly and drawing conclusions.

1. Random vs. planned
2. Multiple perspectives vs. all one perspective

Overview

• Stresses the importance of coherence in an organization
• Provides a framework for developing coherent improvement strategies in school systems
• Participants in case study analysis become immersed in the details of the specific cases and their anecdotal experiences and miss the points of the framework, which is to organize thoughts and actions into a coherent strategy for improvement.
• Discipline and focus in the process of framing a strategy and using it to transform the culture of the organization and the actions of the people in it.

Recommendations

• Review PELP framework regularly
• Make connections between parts of the study and guide students to keep an eye on the focus of the strategy (ie goals of the district)
• Make strategy clear and transparent to all.
• Reflect, act, reflect.

1. Learning Objectives
2. Opening discussion questions
3. Organized thoughts and analysis around the elements of the PELP framework
4. Identifying coherence
5. Outline of significant events
6. Connections to Instructional Core
7. Resources
8. Structure
9. Systems
10. Culture
11. A discussion that links to public education and school districts
12. Wrap–up activity

1. Case Study with a focus on Organization Change
2. Case Study with a focus on Organizational Coherence and Effective Strategy Execution
3. Case Study with a focus on Sustaining Large–scale organizational improvement in urban public education

Organization Change 

• Create a clear strategy linked to results
• Analyze organizational coherence to create conditions for successful execution of strategy
• Understand that structures/systems/resources changes lead to change in  the way people behave – this can change what people believe (culture) – change of belief is what leads to sustainable organizational change
• Role of central leadership – from compliance and control to capacity-building and support

• Develop analysis skills to identify and articulate a strategy
• Deepen understanding of the importance of systemic in district-wide implementation
• Understand organizational factors that support or impede implementation
• Practice action planning

• Develop an improvement strategy grounded in a theory of action reflective of a deep understanding of the historical, and racially predictable nature, of the achievement gap in US public schools.
• Understand contributing factors to the achievement gap and identify theories of action behind system responses to these factors.
• Bringing all parts of the system into coherence around an improvement strategy.
• Dynamics of organizations change
• Analytical skill building

• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________

Suggested Opening Discussion Question Frames by Case Theme – Circle or highlight the discussion questions you will use to begin your case-based activity

Organization Change 

• Identify and evaluate the managerial changes during each period. Why was it important for the strategy to evolve over the course of the case study?
• Is the organization positioned to reach its goals at the end of the case? What advice would you give the leader?
• Which of the general ideas presented in the case study about strategy and organizational coherence relate to improvement efforts in a PK-12 school district?

• What is the strategy selected for system improvement? Are there theories of action in play that are driving the strategy selected?
• What are the major problems of the district? Does the selected strategy address the major problems in the organization?
• What is your diagnosis of the degree to which the systems and culture of …. are coherent with the strategy? Is there confusion?
• Discuss action steps that would help the leadership team effectively implement the strategy? Are there priority areas that should be addressed first?

• How would you describe the school systems’ strategy to improve student outcomes?
• What activities must ___ school district be good at to ensure effective implementation of the selected strategy across the district?  At the central office? At individual schools?
• What criteria seem to drive the strategy selected and decisions made? What are the organizational implications for the strategy?
• How will future decisions be made and evaluations of strategy progress be measured?
• What are the biggest barriers to effective strategy implementation, future decision-making, and evaluation of progress?

The opening discussion questions I will use for this activity are: 

• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________

Organization Change 

• Outline of significant events
• Connections to Instructional Core
• Resources
• Structure
• Systems
• Culture

• Outline of significant theories of action as related to the instructional core (ie: if we invest in teacher knowledge and skill student achievement will improve.)
• Resources
• Structure
• Systems
• Culture

• Outline of significant events
• Connections to Instructional Core
• Resources
• Structure
• Systems
• Culture

• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________

Making Links to Public Education by Case Theme

Organization Change 

• Watch for lack of clear strategy
• Lack of accountability
• Role of central leadership at enforcer not supporter
• Technologically behind in an area

• Encourage evaluation of the role of culture
• Systems needed to implement and sustain the strategy
• Resources needed to implement and sustain the strategy
• Redistribution of leadership responsibilities and accountability

• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________

Organization Change 

• Collaboratively create a means for sharing big ideas from case study learning linking to learning objectives and course content.

Organizational Coherence/Effective Strategy Execution 

• Share action plan for improvement with a focus on culture change resulting from leadership management of systems, structures, resource allocations and relationships with stakeholders.

The wrap-up activity(ies) I will use for this case are:

• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________
• __________________________________

Based on your answers to the previous component questions, add your complete case-based instruction plan below.

1. Learning Objectives
2. Opening discussion questions
3. Organized thoughts and analysis around the elements of the PELP framework
4. Identifying coherence
5. Outline of significant events
6. Connections to Instructional Core
7. Resources
8. Structure
9. Systems
10. Culture
11. A discussion that links to public education and school districts
12. Wrap–up activity