September 16-17, 2016

Amherst, NY 14226

Classroom interaction is a fundamental tool teachers use to try to engage students in active learning. However, it can be difficult to establish a class culture in which discussion is an integral part of learning. Fostering communication in technical courses where there is often only one “right” answer is especially challenging. Classroom interaction has great potential, but the results sometimes are disappointing. This conference explored the challenges teachers face in fostering effective classroom interaction and provided strategies to promote interactions through the use of case studies.

Businesses and law schools have a long tradition of using real or simulated stories, or cases, to teach students about their fields. Other disciplines such as medicine, psychology, and teacher education also have found the method effective in capturing the imagination and the attention of students. The formal use of case studies in the science classroom is still relatively new, however. Yet cases have great pedagogical potential, not only in teaching scientific methodology, ethics, and the relationship of scientists to society, but also for delivering content-rich courses. This conference helped to cover the many aspects of case studies, the different kinds, and the variety of ways to teach with them.