Teaching Science Through Case Studies

As a science teacher in an alternative high school, I spend many hours trying to develop lessons that actively engage my students, a diverse group of reluctant learners. Today's review of the news ideas revealed a new way to present science to students in the classroom: teaching through case studies. This pedagogical method can be applied in the high school classroom as easily as in a collegiate setting with undergrads. It is at the heart of inquiry-based Best Practices. The key is to present the students with a problem (the case study) that engages them by having relevance to their lives. In developing a new elective course for my school, this is the challenge I face. Fortunately, through my research today, I found out about the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science. I believe this is a resource that can be used by science teachers at all levels. Please check it out!