Case studies as pedagogy for reading development within a vocational education context

Abstract

Case studies often do not receive due recognition as a work-integrated learning (WIL) modality for reading development. This article focuses on the case study as a reading strategy to draw on world of work experience as a means of acculturation to professional knowledge and practice. The purpose of this research project was to determine whether case studies used at first and third year levels in a Marketing diploma achieved the desired objective of introducing students to workplace dynamics. The findings from student questionnaires revealed that although case studies seemed to be effective in merging the world of work with conceptual knowledge of the field of study, constructing meaning seemed to be illusive for many students due to ineffective reading strategies and lack of textual comprehension. For the lecturer, case studies were affordances for learning, but student feedback suggests that case studies might have been missed opportunities for engagement due to minimal interaction with the texts to elicit depth of understanding. This article foregrounds the need for lecturers to incorporate interactive reading strategies aligned with using case studies as a pedagogy for reading development to ensure that both students and lecturers share a common understanding of purpose, approach and intended learning experience.