A volume in Adult Education Special Topics: Theory, Research,
and Practice in Lifelong Learning
Series Editor: Kathleen P. King, Fordham University
Case studies have become a widely-used instructional tool in many educational
environments. The use of case studies began in the 1950s at Harvard Business
School. Today, they may be used as part of a course of study, or as the main
focus of a course, to which other material is added. While the use of case studies
is prevalent in schools of business and medicine, they are not often used in adult
education or human resource development. This may be because there are no
current major publications that deal with the use of case studies in these disciplines; nor are there any major
databases of adult education or human resource development case studies for instructors to use. Good case
studies can bring reality into the classroom. They can provide frameworks for discussion based on issues that
must be faced in real life. Complex case issues can be broken down and examined for greater understanding,
then pulled together again for resolution.
Case studies can be used successfully in adult education. I propose a book
based on the use of case-based learning in adult education and human
resource development (HRD). The book could be positioned as a
supplement to course textbooks for courses in adult education and HRD. I
would write the cases and develop the exercises, but could also get others
to contribute a case study or exercise to the book. Cases would each be a
half-page to maybe 2-3 pages at the long end, and would include questions
for students/readers. Supplementary information (possibly in the form of a
DVD) could be put together for instructors. This information would
include case study focal points and examples of possible responses for
each study/exercise.