
- Abstract. Case-based learning (CBL) is a newer modality of teaching healthcare. ...
- Introduction. Medical and health care-related education is currently changing. ...
- Methods. ...
- Results. ...
- Discussion and Review. ...
- Limitations of this Review. ...
- Conclusions. ...
- Author Contributions. ...
- Footnotes. ...
- References. ...
What is case-based learning in healthcare?
CBL is a teaching tool used in a variety of medical fields using human cases to impart relevance and aid in connecting theory to practice. The impact of CBL can reach from simple knowledge gains to changing patient care outcomes. Case-Based Learning and its Application in Medical and Health-Care Fields: A Review of Worldwide Literature
What is Medical School case-based teaching?
This is usually in the form of private study and reading, but can also include lectures, teaching and clinical placements What is Case-Based Teaching? Case-based teaching is when the Medical School will use a case to pique your interest and then focus on the skills and knowledge you’ll need to solve it.
Is there a literature review of case based learning?
This paper discusses the findings of a literature review of case based learning (CBL) from a multidisciplinary health science education perspective and attempts to draw comparisons with the available literature relating to prehospital education and CBL.
What is problem-based learning in medical education?
What, how and why is problem-based learning in medical education? Problem-based learning, or PBL, is a pedagogical practice employed in many medical schools. While there are numerous variants of the technique, the approach includes the presentation of an applied problem to a small group of students who engage in discussion over several sessions.

What is the meaning of case based learning?
What is Case-Based Learning? Using a case-based approach engages students in discussion of specific scenarios that resemble or typically are real-world examples. This method is learner-centered with intense interaction between participants as they build their knowledge and work together as a group to examine the case.
What are the principles of case based learning?
CBL has several defining characteristics, including versatility, storytelling power, and efficient self-guided learning. In a systematic analysis of 104 articles in health professions education, CBL was found to be utilized in courses with less than 50 to over 1000 students (Thistlethwaite et al., 2012).
What is problem based learning in medical education?
Problem based learning (PBL) is one such effort where student face a real life scenario of patients and they are expected to decipher by their own understanding and reasoning abilities. Teachers act as facilitators here and provide resources.
What is the difference between CBL and PBL?
Case based learning, or CBL, is very similar to PBL, but focuses on specific patient cases to identify learning objectives. It is also taught using small groups with a tutor to guide group discussions. Many students like this approach is it goes hand in hand with cases seen in students clinical placements.
What are advantages of case based learning?
Advantages of using CBL include more focusing on learning objectives compared with PBL, flexibility on the use of the case, and ability to induce a deeper level of learning by inducing more critical thinking skills.
What are the three phases of CBL?
The CBL Framework divides into three interrelated phases: Engage, Investigate, and Act.
Why problem-based learning is used in medical schools?
Problem-based learning is an innovative and challenging approach to medical education--innovative because it is a new way of using clinical material to help students learn, and challenging because it requires the medical teacher to use facilitating and supporting skills rather than didactic, directive ones.
How many medical schools use problem-based learning?
Conclusions. Use of PBL is widespread in the preclinical curricula of U.S. medical schools. That use is limited, however, since fewer than 6% of programs use it for more than 50% of their instruction.
What is problem learning example?
For example, a problem-based learning project could involve students pitching ideas and creating their own business plans to solve a societal need. Students could work independently or in a group to conceptualize, design, and launch their innovative product in front of classmates and community leaders.
Is PBL better than traditional curriculum?
In a study conducted by Lin in Taiwan on nursing students, the group who received PBL as the training method showed more satisfaction, critical thinking and self-motivated learning. And it was shown that PBL training was more effective than conventional teaching (13).
How do you write case based learning?
Case-based learning (CBL) presents students with a case or dilemma situated in an authentic context, which they are required to solve....When designing a scenario:Identify the learning outcomes. ... Decide on your format. ... Choose a topic. ... Identify the trigger event or situation. ... Peer review your scenario.
Is case based learning experiential learning?
Experiential learning is more practical - learning by doing. Case based learning involves studying a certain scenario. Practical training is successfully implemented through a combination of inverted and collaborative learning technologies. First, students are given compact background information about the problem.
What is the case method?
In case-based learning, students learn to interact with and manipulate basic foundational knowledge by working with situations resembling specific real-world scenarios.
How does it work?
Case studies encourage students to use critical thinking skills to identify and narrow an issue, develop and evaluate alternatives, and offer a solution.
What makes a good case?
Case-based learning can focus on anything from a one-sentence physics word problem to a textbook-sized nursing case or a semester-long case in a law course. Though we often assume that a case is a “problem,” Ellet (2007) suggests that most cases entail one of four types of situations:
Why is case based learning important?
Since the focus of case-based learning is on problem solving and decision making, the approach can be very useful in health professions education. Cases can be drawn from actual events or created entirely by you, but they should present students with the type of situation that they are likely to encounter in the clinical setting.
What is case based teaching?
Case-based teaching is a pedagogical approach that engages students in the process of making real-world decisions. You create cases that represent authentic workplace situations to encourage students to apply knowledge gained from the classroom or through additional research in order to solve the case. Case-based teaching allows you ...
What is a case in a course?
A case can be drawn from an actual occurrence, or it could be created to address a specific learning objective for the course. Regardless, it needs to be authentic. The question or problem at the heart of the case needs to be practical, relevant, and timely. It may have multiple possible answers, even if one answer is more appropriate than others. The goal is to create a scenario that the students will want to explore; students are interested in cases that they can recognize as both “real” and important.
How to design a case study?
Hence, when designing an effective case study the first place to start is by considering a question or problem that helps achieve the course outcomes and is tied to professional goals.
What is the learning outcome of a case?
Equally, or perhaps more important, is the effort of students to develop a skill set for identifying and resolving authentic problems while recognizing appropriate resources that are applicable to the clinical setting. Hence, a learning outcome could be a correct diagnosis, or a redesign of a treatment protocol, or the development of public health policy.
What is the narrative of a case?
The narrative might include information about who was involved in the case, what happened, and perhaps some possible explanations of why it happened. The case can be presented chronologically either through the viewpoint of one character (as in a detective story) or from the perspective of an omniscient narrator.
How to introduce a case to a class?
A case can be introduced to a class through an initial presentation or discussion before the groups break off to work independently with the case materials. Once the investigations are underway, observe the conversations and clarify any unclear components.
What is case based learning?
Case-based learning (CBL) is an established approach used across disciplines where students apply their knowledge to real-world scenarios, promoting higher levels of cognition (see Bloom’s Taxonomy ). In CBL classrooms, students typically work in groups on case studies, stories involving one or more characters and/or scenarios. The cases present a disciplinary problem or problems for which students devise solutions under the guidance of the instructor. CBL has a strong history of successful implementation in medical, law, and business schools, and is increasingly used within undergraduate education, particularly within pre-professional majors and the sciences (Herreid, 1994). This method involves guided inquiry and is grounded in constructivism whereby students form new meanings by interacting with their knowledge and the environment (Lee, 2012).
What is a case study in public health?
Public Health – A case study describes a pandemic of a deadly infectious disease. Students work through the case to identify Patient Zero, the person who was the first to spread the disease, and how that individual became infected. Sample cases: The Protective Parent. (link is external)
What is CBL used for?
CBL has a strong history of successful implementation in medical, law, and business schools, and is increasingly used within undergraduate education , particularly within pre-professional majors and the sciences (Herreid, 1994).
How does CBL work in a classroom?
CBL can introduce more noise (and energy) in the classroom to which an instructor often quickly becomes accustomed.
What is a CBL class?
In CBL classrooms, students typically work in groups on case studies, stories involving one or more characters and/or scenarios. The cases present a disciplinary problem or problems for which students devise solutions under the guidance of the instructor.
How does CBL help students?
In a review of the literature, Williams (2005) describes how CBL: utilizes collaborative learning, facilitates the integration of learning, develops students’ intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to learn, encourages learner self-reflection and critical reflection, allows for scientific inquiry, integrates knowledge and practice, and supports the development of a variety of learning skills.
What is a case study story?
The stories within case studies serve as a means by which learners form new understandings through characters and/or scenarios. CBL is often described in conjunction or in comparison with problem-based learning (PBL).
Why is case based learning important?
Case-based learning has been linked with the effective development of critical thinking, problem solving, clinical reasoning and analysis, which in turn are characteristics of a deep approach to learning. It also can be used to facilitate a model of self-directed and reflective learning that serves students very well in future courses and careers. (Dunne and Brooks, 2004).
What is case based teaching?
Over the past number of years, one of the most commonly used student-centred approach to teaching has been case-based learning (or the case method). This as particularly been the case in professional education (Law, Business, Education, and Medicine, for example), but is increasingly being used in the Sciences, Social Sciences, and Humanities. The case method is defined, by the Association for Case Teaching, as “a means of participatory and dialogical teaching and learning by group discussion of actual events” and (Dunne and Brooks, 2004, 9).
What are the characteristics of a good case?
Ten characteristics of a good case 1 Has pedagogic utility 2 Represents a general issue beyond the case itself 3 Tells an engaging story 4 Focuses on an interest-arousing or controversial issue 5 Poses a problem that has no obvious right answer 6 Creates empathy with the central characters 7 Requires the reader/viewer to use information in the case to address the problem 8 Requires the reader/viewer to think critically and analytically to address the problem 9 Brevity – has just enough information for a good analysis 10 Is relevant to the students
What is Problem-Based Learning?
Problem-based learning is patient-centric and means you’ll be exposed to patients very early on during your studies. It was pioneered by the University of Manchester and has been adopted by most Medical Schools – but the level of focus on problem-based learning will vary with each University.
What is the basic structure of problem based teaching sessions?
The basic structure of problem-based teaching sessions are: Your group will brainstorm possible hypotheses and solutions, and decide what you’ll need to learn in order to ‘solve’ the problem at hand. These are called your ‘learning objectives’.
What is Enquiry Based Teaching?
Enquiry based teaching is when you look at questions, problems and scenarios instead of being given facts. It puts you in charge of your own learning because this Med School teaching style is more about how you learn, rather than a lecturer teaching you. The emphasis is on you identifying and researching issues and asking questions so you can develop your knowledge.
What is Traditional Teaching?
Traditional teaching describes the way Traditional Courses are taught: you learn the scientific theory first and move to clinical settings after a few years. This is how Oxford and Cambridge teach, but you won’t find it anywhere else.
What is problem based learning?
Problem-based learning, or PBL, is a pedagogical practice employed in many medical schools. While there are numerous variants of the technique, the approach includes the presentation of an applied problem to a small group of students who engage in discussion over several sessions. A facilitator, sometimes called a tutor, provides supportive guidance for the students. The discussions of the problem are structured to enable students to create conceptual models to explain the problem presented in the case. As the students discover the limits of their knowledge, they identify learning issues – essentially questions they cannot answer from their fund of knowledge. Between meetings of the group, learners research their learning issues and share results at the next meeting of the group.
What student skills should we encourage for PBL-focused medical education?
Students in PBL-based curricula increase the level of self-direction they bring to learning. The more self-direction they develop as undergraduates, the more likely it is that they will become independent learners as practicing professionals. Lifelong learning uses a set of skills that develop over time and require practice.
How do faculty members participate in this process?
Faculty members often participate as facilitators. Indeed, the role of the facilitator and the nature of the problem are key to successful implementation. Facilitators must be supportive rather than directive. They ask questions to assist students with identifying the limits of their knowledge, monitor the group process (encouraging participation) and provide a framework for constructing models of understanding. Content expertise on the part of the faculty may be helpful but is not considered necessary for effective facilitation. Deeper understanding of the topic may allow the facilitator to guide student discussions to be more comprehensive. It also may increase the challenge of maintaining a nondirective role. Problems presented in cases are constructed at a level of complexity to activate students’ existing knowledge and require integration and application of new knowledge. Cases contain contextual information so that the patients become more real to the students and therefore more memorable.
Why is PBL important in medical school?
PBL has become popular in medical schools that have undergone curriculum reforms incorporating multidisciplinary-system-based courses rather than discipline-specific ones. For example, students may learn biochemistry as it relates to organ systems of the human body while they are solving problems presented in clinical cases. This approach provides relevance, encourages self-directed learning, targets higher-order learning and engages students in ways that result in better long-term retention of content than traditional, lecture-based courses.
Why do students need lab work?
In summary, students need opportunities to assess their knowledge, identify and remedy knowledge gaps, and integrate and apply knowledge to real-world problems as part of a team.
Is content expertise necessary for effective facilitation?
Content expertise on the part of the faculty may be helpful but is not considered necessary for effective facilitation. Deeper understanding of the topic may allow the facilitator to guide student discussions to be more comprehensive. It also may increase the challenge of maintaining a nondirective role.
What is problem based learning?
Problem based learning (PBL) is considered the founding paradigm that models such as CBL have been based upon. There is a plethora of literature on PBL within many different disciplines; however, there is a paucity of literature within the contexts of prehospital education.
Who wrote the evaluation of teaching in a problem-based learning context?
Mullins G . The evaluation of teaching in a problem-based learning context. In: Chen SE, et al, eds. Reflections on problem based learning. NSW: Australian Problem Based Learning Network, 1995.
What is the significance of the Kassebaum study?
The study by Kassebaum et al8 was able to demonstrate several important aspects to students’ attitudes to CBL after alternating their teaching methods during several work sessions. They were able to show that students undertaking the CBL format were better able to ask questions and make comments during class and CBL made the learning more enjoyable. The lecture format produced an interesting result; students felt the lecture method was more helpful in preparing for a written exam. 8
What is CBL in education?
CBL allows students to develop a collaborative, team based approach to their education and their profession. It is intended to foster learning for competence, deep level understanding 2 and provide opportunities for vertical and horizontal integration of the syllabus.
What is the difference between CBL and PBL?
Educational fusions of problem based learning (PBL) 6. The fundamental difference is that P BL requires no prior experience or understanding in the subject matter, whereas CBL requires the students to have a degree of prior knowledge that can then assist in solving the problem (fig 2).
How does Naidu et al describe their nursing education experiences?
Naidu et al16 and Thomas et al17 in their discussion papers describe their nursing education experiences from a web and interactive multimedia CBL perspective. Naidu et al stated that the premise came about by the need to alter the educational focus from content centred to case based. The main theme in both papers was the question of whether clinical practice or clinical decision making could be achieved through these modes. Naidu et al add: ‘Our proposition combines powerful educational technologies and proven learning strategies to build self paced technology enhanced learning environment…”. 16 They attempted to achieve this by using authentic and real life situations within a typical medical ward through the architecture of clinical reasoning and clinical problem solving. The student would be led through the scenario through streaming audio and video attachments until finally submitting their treatment plan to the lecturer. Thomas et al developed two cases through standard web browsing in the area of psychiatry nursing. Each module was organised in normal phases of care to ensure the student would observe accurate patient care skills. Although both articles refer to “authentic” cases this has direct implications in web learning because the situations are prestructured and often constrained thereby reducing independent learning responses. 17
What is a CBL?
CBL is an educational paradigm closely related to the more common PBL. This PBL approach is andragogical (adult teaching/learning), posing contextualised questions that are based upon “real life” problems that may be clinical or non-clinical. 2

What Is The Case Method?
How Does It Work?
- Case studies encourage students to use critical thinking skills to identify and narrow an issue, develop and evaluate alternatives, and offer a solution. In fact, Nkhoma (2016), who studied the value of developing case-based learning activities based on Bloom’s Taxonomy of thinking skills, suggests that this approach encourages deep learning through critical thinking: Sherfield (2004…
What Makes A Good Case?
- Case-based learning can focus on anything from a one-sentence physics word problem to a textbook-sized nursing case or a semester-long case in a law course. Though we often assume that a case is a “problem,” Ellet (2007) suggests that most cases entail one of four types of situations: 1. Problems 2. Decisions 3. Evaluations 4. Rules 1. What are the facts you know abou…
About Case-Based Teaching
- Since the focus of case-based learning is on problem solving and decision making, the approach can be very useful in health professions education. Cases can be drawn from actual events or created entirely by you, but they should present students with the type of situation that they are likely to encounter in the clinical setting. The goal is for st...
Opportunities
- Engages students in authentic application of knowledge
- Promotes collaboration and cooperation
- Facilitates assessment of student knowledge
Design of A Case Study
- Case studies involve participants in the effort to answer questions or solve authentic problems. Hence, when designing an effective case study the first place to start is by considering a question or problem that helps achieve the course outcomes and is tied to professional goals. A case can be drawn from an actual occurrence, or it could be created to address a specific learning objecti…
Facilitation Strategies
- A case can be introduced to a class through an initial presentation or discussion before the groups break off to work independently with the case materials. Once the investigations are underway, observe the conversations and clarify any unclear components. In general, your role is to provide feedback on students’ progress with accessing appropriate resources, analyzing and …
General Tips
- Groups and group sizes
The exploration and resolution of a case is most often performed in groups. Groups can range from 4-8 participants, depending on the size of the class. One person within the group may be assigned the role of reporter, with the expectation that he or she will present the results of the gr… - Pre-written cases
There are websites and printed resources that have pre-packaged cases for use in health care education classrooms (see resources below). When using a pre-written case, consider whether the goals of the case are aligned the goals for the course. Cases may be able to be modified by …
Extensions
- Mini-cases
You can create a short-mini case dealing with a very specific topic, such as a pharmacist’s interview, or a pre-surgical consult. Mini cases take less than a class period and can be used in a lab or lecture class to assess previous knowledge or prepare students for the content of the clas… - Interrupted cases
Most cases are presented to students in their entirety at the beginning of the session. In this extension, you can present elements of the case at different intervals. Students generate likely solutions or resolutions based on the information received up to that point, after which they rece…
Resources
- "Teaching with Case Studies," Speaking of Teaching, Stanford University Newsletter on Teaching, Vol. 5, No. 2, Winter 1994. Case Method Website (John Foran, Department of Sociology, UC Santa Barbara). http://www.soc.ucsb.edu/projects/casemethod/intro.html National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science (State University of New York at Buffalo). Williams, B. (2005)Emerg M…