Introduction to Course Design and Case Teaching

Robert F. Bruner (Copyright © 2000, Robert F. Bruner)

Effective course design and the attention to classroom delivery should be a high priority for instructors, in part because of our obligation to serve our students, but also because teaching and course design express who we are. One should strive to express well in course designs and in the classroom, for the same reasons that scholars polish their research or artists perfect their creative work: these works comprise our legacy. Effective case method course design and teaching skills are learned. Here are some steps you can take to sharpen these skills:

Get a view: At the outset, it is very important to know in your mind why you wish to teach and design case method courses. Successful case method teachers tend to share the belief that the case method teaches best because the student learns best from those activities which he or she must self-invent solutions. Several resources present this case for the case method--my own "view" about teaching was especially influenced by Teaching and the Case Method, by Louis B. Barnes, C. Roland Christensen, and Abby J. Hansen.¹ Under the auspices of Darden, I produced a videotape of comments by Darden faculty on their "views" of case method instruction, "Excellence in Case Discussion Leadership," (UVA-VIDEO-8286) which may be purchased from Darden. Also, a few years ago, I designed the graphics for two china mugs dealing with the role of the instructor and the student in the case method classroom--the sayings in these designs may help you consider the motives for the case method. An essay of mine, "The Role of the Student in the Case Method Environment" (UVA-G-619) may be useful in reflecting on the students' responsibility for the success of the case method. Finally, an important element of one's teaching "view" must be some kind of vision about the end results toward which one's teaching aims; my "vision statement" about MBA curriculum may help stimulate the development of your own vision.
Direct observation of others: One can aim to observe two or three effective teachers, speakers, and presenters over a period of time like a year. The trick here is to observe in a very purposeful and careful manner. Many universities have centers (for instance, the University of Virginia Teaching Resource Center) that promote the development of teaching skills, and can help instructors develop a sense of what one looks for in observing other teachers. Suffice it to say, really careful observation is hard work. I try to observe a few teachers each year. In a similar vein, one should aim to study designs of effective courses, and generally, to try to form a vision of study in your field.
Personal study: Reading in the area of case discussion leadership and curriculum design can be helpful. Regarding curriculum design, give some attention to the content and structures of courses that are successful. A new electronic journal, Financial Economic Network Course Abstracts, publishes abstracts of notable courses in the field of finance. The syllabus for my current course in mergers and acquisitions may be viewed in the M&A Course section. The electronic journal that I edit with Steven Kaplan, Finance Teaching and Case Abstracts, provides a steady stream of suggested new case materials. Regarding personal study of case discussion leadership, I strongly recommend books co-authored by Professor C. Roland Christensen.² Two of my essays drawn from my casebook have been helpful to some instructors: one deals with on course design, and the other deals with preparing to teach.
Feedback and reflection: Never teach a class or give a course without inviting some evaluation by the students. The possible benefits of evaluations by students depend crucially on the quality of questions asked: as the saying goes, "garbage in, garbage out." A university teaching resource center can help design student evaluation questionnaires. Simply asking exemplars in your field, or at your school for a copy of their student feedback questionnaires can get you started on designing your own.
Coaching: There are two classic forms of coaching for teachers: a) short programs offered by universities (I know of a public program at Harvard Business School--this is complemented by programs universities may offer for their own faculty, such as at the UVA Teaching Resource Center), and b) mentoring programs that stretch over one or more years. The short programs can be extremely helpful in identifying issues and setting agendas for personal development. The mentoring programs can produce dramatic improvement, but demand high commitment and can be very time-consuming. The key is to find a thoughtful mentor with whom you develop an effective relationship. In theory, one could get started by just asking one's professional colleagues to observe you, though in my experience, casual coaching by others has been relatively less helpful. Looking for a good teaching mentor is like looking for a good Significant Other: it takes some instinct, a little analysis, and a certain amount of trial and error. UVA's Teaching Resource Center has formalized a mentoring program in the form of a number of annual Teaching Fellowships.

¹This classic is now in the third edition (Harvard Business School Press, 1994 (ISBN 0-87584-403-0).
²See, for instance, Education for Judgment: The Artistry of Discussion Leadership, edited by C.R. Christensen, David A. Garvin, and Ann Sweet (Boston: Harvard Business School Press, 1991).