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Experimental Online Case Study for a Breakthrough in Student Engagement: Focus Group Results

by Sloan-C Team

Author Information

Author(s):

James Theroux, Isenberg School of Management

Author(s):

Cari Carpenter, Isenberg School of Management

Author(s):

Clare Kilbane, School of Education

Institution(s) or Organization(s) Where Research Occured:

University of Massachusetts

Volume and Issue Information

Volume:

8

Issue:

3

Month:

June

Year:

2004

A new type of case study, called the real-time case (RTC), was produced in the fall of 2001 and distributed via the Internet to business classes at four universities in the US and Canada. The real-time case presented the story of one company's growth and development throughout a 14-week semester. A case writer stationed full-time at the subject company published case installments weekly on the Web, allowing students to view the company-building process as it happened. The 14-week coverage of RTC enabled students to study the subject company in unprecedented depth and detail. RTC's real-time interactivity allowed students to share their analyses and best thinking with the company leadership during the company’s decision-making process. A major objective in producing the case was to heighten student engagement with the case material. To evaluate whether this objective was achieved, a survey and a focus group discussion were conducted with one of the participating MBA classes. Results from the survey and the focus group showed a high degree of engagement, plus many other benefits from the new type of case study.

Find related content with this links:

• Access
• Learning Resources
• Pedagogy
• Learning Outcomes
• Faculty
• Volume 8:3 - June 2004
• Live case study
• Real-time