Teaching the Culture of Collaboration: The Validity of a Case-Based, Interactive Teaching Methodology in Higher Education.

This study explored the usefulness of case-based teaching, examining college students’ perceptions of the Person Focused Learning (PFL) process and investigating what types of knowledge, skills, and dispositions were impacted by the PFL process. The study hypothesized that there would be a difference in students’ attitudes toward people with disabilities before and after the PFL treatment was applied in the classroom. Participants were 71 college students and 7 families including persons with disabilities. The PFL interwove families and people with disabilities into the teaching act. Teaching partnerships were implemented according to principles of family centered care. Students teamed to brainstorm developmental or environmental concerns identified by the families or individuals with disabilities. They also interviewed the families and, as a group, identified appropriate adaptations or supports. Students provided oral and written self-reflection regarding their learning outcomes and experiences as team members and completed surveys regarding attitude change. Families provided reactions to team projects. Results revealed a change in students’ attitudes toward people with disabilities as a result of participating in the collaborative learning model. Students who had more experience with people with disabilities had more positive attitudes toward such individuals than did students with limited exposure. (Contains 22 references and 3 tables.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Teaching the culture of collaboration Teaching the culture of collaboration: The validity of a case-based, interactive teaching methodology in higher education PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. Kathleen C. Sadao University of the Pacific Stockton, CA Nancy B. Robinson California State University, Chico Chico, CA Paper presented at AERA, April 1, 2002 New Orleans, LA Corresponding Author: Kathleen C. Sadao, Assistant Professor, University of the Pacific, Benerd School of Education, 3601 Pacific Ave, Stockton, CA 95211. [email protected] BEST COPY AVAILABLE Page 1 of 10 Teaching the culture of collaboration Teaching the culture of collaboration: The validity of a case-based, interactive teaching methodology in higher education Purpose Educators and human service professionals are increasingly required to work collaboratively, employ critical thinking, and apply problem-solving skills to meet the complex needs of child and families from diverse backgrounds. Teaching practices in higher education have shifted from traditional didactic models to interactive, collaborative and problem-solving approaches. Research in preservice education has explored the use of case based learning to address the schism between theoretical and applied knowledge acquisition in professional service settings (Anderson & Baker, 1999; Cranston-Gingras, Raines, Paul, Epanchin, & Rosselli, 1996; Gerber, English, & Singer, 1999). “Person-focused learning”, an adaptation of case based learning, was developed by the authors of this study to examine ways to further modulate the formulation of preservice students’ knowledge and skills to ensure later application in the field. Personfocused learning offers a context to integrate collaborative teaching principles in the classroom setting, by directly including persons with disabilities and family members as partners in the teaching and learning process, increasing the opportunities for exposure to real life problems. The purpose of the study was to explore the usefulness of case-based teaching methodology with a focus on a person-focused learning process through a missed methods design including a qualitative, participatory action research model and a quantitative treatment design. Limited research exists on case-based instructional methodology or outcomes (McNaughton, Hall, & Maccini, 2001). This multi-campus effort examined the impact of person focused learning across disciplines on student learning outcomes including disposition, knowledge and skills required for effective practice with persons with disabilities. The validity of implementing an interactive teaching approach was demonstrated across several levels of evaluation including observation, interviews, open-ended student evaluations, student team products and a pre and post disability attitude survey. Further, the interdisciplinary, interactive teaching approach was incorporated into the study as a method of triangulation of the research findings across instructors, sites, disciplines, and courses. Theoretical Framework Case-based, interactive teaching in higher education encompasses a variety of collaborative and problem based, instructional approaches. The authors based the development of the person-focused model (PFL) implemented in this study on three interactive teaching models. First, problem based learning (PBL) was examined as the overarching model that was developed within medical education to increase application of medical theory and information with specific patient case studies and has since extended to nursing, occupational therapy, and other fields (Chabon & Lee-Wilkerson, 2000). Recently, PBL has been examined as a way to close the gap between research and practice in special education (Cockrell, Hughes-Caplow, & Donaldson, 2000; Gerber, English & Singer, 1999). Secondly, case based learning (CBL), uses a case study process to encourage student responsibility for learning outcomes. Parallel to PBL, CBL presents cases and the application of a problem-solving process that students use to identify relevant issues that require further research.