Communication Concepts in Action: Best Practices in Case Study Pedagogy in the Organizational Communication Course

Abstract

Analyzing case studies is a useful way to assist students in drawing connections between organizational communication concepts and real-world experiences. As faculty members who teach organizational communication, we regularly use case study pedagogy. Case study pedagogy provides a rich narrative through which complex organizational communication concepts can be identified, analyzed, and reflected upon. This article provides 10 best practices for utilizing and assessing case study pedagogy in the organizational communication course. These practices include: to make clear connections between case studies and course materials, scaffold learning, choose a mix of cases, cultivate a sense of community in the classroom, enable self-directed learning, vary assessment formats, welcome ambiguity, evaluate analyses and provide directed feedback, use varied case study formats, and encourage students to write case studies.