OLPD5056: Case Studies for Policy Research

This course introduces students to knowledge and skills appropriate for the conduct of rigorous case study research in educational, organizational, and other social settings. Underlying purposes and assumptions of case study methods will be examined as well as a variety of methodological approaches. The course focuses on the use of qualitative and mixed-methods approaches as these are the predominant strategies employed in contemporary case study research. Accordingly, it emphasizes links between research purposes, the conceptualization of case study projects, and the development of researchable questions. It also takes up a variety of ethical and political issues related to working with participants during the research process, aswell as contemporary trustworthiness criteria for case study reports. The bulk of the course is given to training in observation, generating field notes, interviewing, collecting material cultural artifacts, using surveys, and analyzing, interpreting, and writing up case study data. The first segment of the course focuses on a critical discussion of research paradigms and epistemological assumptions of a variety of case study approaches. Students choose and critique a published case study from their field of interest. The second part of the course is devoted to a very small scalecase study project which students design and carry out themselves. This project is supported by relevant readings and in-class activities (including peer review) related to the actual conduct of case study research.

View on University Catalog