Motivating students to study through cases

By Prof. Bholanath Dutta Department of MBA CMR Institute of Technology

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Why cases ?

• Akin to the study, practice and profession of medicine & law • Simulation of events in the corporate world • Practical orientation and value addition to theory Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept 2

What is a case?

• Case is a detailed account of a real-life business situation, describing the dilemma of the "protagonist"—a real person with a real job who is confronted with a real problem. • Case presents the story exactly as the protagonist saw it, including ambiguous evidence, shifting variables, imperfect knowledge, no obvious right answers, and a ticking clock that impatiently demands action. - HBS Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept 3

Why this approach ?

• Not possible to have extended internship durations • Very vast field (management) with many divisions • Much practical knowledge available already – compare students’ insights with “solutions” already propounded; but solutions may not be the same always • More comprehensive coverage of subjects • Students “get into” the situations in the case and participate – better learning for them • Simulation of analysis and decision making Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept 4

Why this approach …cont’d

• Opportunity to apply theoretical concepts in given situations ( this is not to rule out intuitive thinking) • Involving students in the learning process • The onus is on the student to read, understand and suggest courses of action • Involving students gives them the opportunity and freedom to role-play • Encourages multifaceted thinking and application/ elimination of alternatives • Encourages students to work in groups – experience in handling group dynamics 5 Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept

Why this approach …cont’d

• Students have the satisfaction of having thought of a solution, rather than being told that by the faculty • Newer insights will enrich the discussion – both the student population and the faculty can learn something new • Encourages participation – agreement/debate/criticism etc • Business is practice – what is practiced in the corporate world finds its way into textbooks; hence, this is simulated practical exposure • Cross-functional or interdisciplinary learning is possible • Opportunity for all participants to contribute to the discussion 6 Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept

Cases because…

The case method forces students to grapple with exactly the kinds of decisions and dilemmas managers confront every day. In doing so, it redefines the traditional educational dynamic in which the professor dispenses knowledge and students passively receive it. The case method creates a classroom in which students succeed not by simply absorbing facts and theories, but also by exercising the skills of leadership and teamwork in the face of real problems. Under the skillful guidance of a faculty member, they work together to analyze and synthesize conflicting data and points of view, to define and prioritize goals, to persuade and inspire others who think differently, to make tough decisions with uncertain information, and to seize opportunity in the face of doubt.

Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept HBS

Preparation

• Teaching a case is an unpredictable business. There is no familiar lecture to deliver, and no telling quite which way the conversation might turn. Recent events in the business world may cast the case in an entirely new light. • Thus, just as students must prepare intensely for every class, faculty should spend a great deal of time preparing for each class as well, alone and in teaching teams, even for cases they wrote themselves or have taught many times before. • And because students bring so much new energy and insight to every discussion, case teaching is a process of constant intellectual renewal and growth in which the teachers can learn as much as the students do.

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Driving the process…

• The hallmark of great faculty—and what students remember and value most—is their extraordinary passion, commitment, and skill as teachers – the ability to be famously "close to practice": Many serve as business leaders, entrepreneurs, consultants, and board members in their own right. • Drawing on that experience as well as their intellectual rigor, they should produce some of the most influential business research in the world, and they should write by far the greatest number of cases used in business classrooms around the globe. Yet they need to truly

come alive in the classroom, pursuing their mission to educate the next generation of leaders who will make a difference

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Case KM

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What to highlight

• Using a case-based approach engages students in discussion of specific situations, typically real-world examples. This method is learner-centered, and involves intense interaction between the participants. • Case-based learning focuses on the building of knowledge and the group works together to examine the case. The instructor's role is that of a facilitator and the students collaboratively address problems from a perspective that requires analysis. • Much of case-based learning involves learners striving to resolve questions that have no single right answer. Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept 11

What to highlight

• Cases add meaning by providing students with the opportunity to see theory in practice. Real world or authentic contexts expose students to viewpoints from multiple sources and see why people may want different outcomes. • Students can also see how a decision will impact different participants, both positively and negatively. • Cases usually require students to analyze data in order to reach a conclusion. Since many assignments are open-ended, students can practice choosing appropriate analytic techniques as well. 12 Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept

Learning from cases

• ( Instructors who use case-based learning say that their students are more engaged, interested, and involved in the class. ) • In their effort to find solutions and reach decisions through discussion, students sort out factual data, apply analytic tools, articulate issues, reflect on their relevant experiences, and draw conclusions they can relate to new situations. In the process, they acquire substantive knowledge and develop analytic, collaborative, and communication skills. 13 Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept

The faculty’s role

• For the case method to succeed, it is imperative that students do the background reading and attempt the questions the teacher has structured. For this purpose, we may need to assign parts of the questions to different students. This requires students to engage in sub-group discussions in preparation for the seminar. • Here is a list of matters you may wish the students to consider during your preparation: – What is the decision to be made?

– What are the key issues to consider in order to reach a decision?

– Are there specific constraints the actors may face within the environment in which the decision is to be reached?

– Are there alternative actions the decision maker may take?

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Faculty preparation

Suggestions for Teaching in Your Classroom: Motivating Students to Learn 1. Use behavioral techniques to help students exert themselves and work toward remote goals.

2. Make sure that students know what they are to do, how to proceed, and how to determine when they have achieved goals.

3. Do everything possible to satisfy deficiency needs - physiological, safety, belongingness, and esteem.

a. Accommodate the instructional program to the physiological needs of your students.

b. Make your room physically and psychologically safe. c. Show your students that you take an interest in them and that they belong in your classroom.

d. Arrange learning experiences so that all students can gain at least a degree of esteem.

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Faculty preparation

4. Enhance the attractions and minimize the dangers of discussions getting out of focus. 5. Direct learning experiences toward feelings of success in an effort to encourage an orientation toward achievement, a positive self-concept, and a strong sense of self-efficacy.

a. Make use of objectives that are challenging but attainable and, when appropriate, that involve student input.

b. Provide knowledge of results by emphasizing the positive.

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Faculty preparation

• 6. Try to encourage the development of need achievement, self-confidence, and self-direction in students who need these qualities.

– a. Use achievement-motivation training techniques.

– b. Use cooperative-learning methods.

• 7. Try to make learning interesting by emphasizing activity, investigation, adventure, social interaction, and usefulness 17 Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept

How to succeed with the Case Method

• The emphasis on study groups is the key to success. Offering a miniature version of the diversity in a section as a whole, a study group is a place to clarify difficult concepts, test ideas, ask "dumb questions," and learn new ways of attacking a problem. • Assigning weightage for class participation, prompts everyone to contribute.

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My experiences

• Students do not come prepared- quiz them / random selection of anchor • Students are “smartly” prepared – intro , body etc. Switch students • Students are prepared – meaningful discussion + possibility of role plays + application of concepts becomes possible • Students talk of cases being “dated” - take them through the learnings . Students say the case is too long – they need to be sensitized to long cases also . Students talk of the case being just a narration of events – take them through 19 Prof Bholanath Dutta/CMRIT/MBA Dept