case study research in education pdf

Action Research Methods pp 69–79 Cite as

A Case for Case Study Research in Education

• Kit Grauer  

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This chapter makes the case that case study research is making a comeback in educational research because it allows researchers a broad range of methodological tools to suit the needs of answering questions of “how” and “why” within a particular real-world context. As Stake (1995) suggests, case study is often a preferred method of research because case studies may be epistemologically in harmony with the reader’s experience and thus to that person a natural basis for generalization.

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Bassey, M. (1999). Case study research in educational settings . Buckingham, England: Open University Press.

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Yin, R. K. (2003). Case study research: Design and methods (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

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Grauer, K. (2012). A Case for Case Study Research in Education. In: Klein, S.R. (eds) Action Research Methods. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137046635_4

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In This Article Expand or collapse the "in this article" section Case Study in Education Research

Introduction, general overview and foundational texts of the late 20th century.

• Conceptualisations and Definitions of Case Study
• Case Study and Theoretical Grounding
• Choosing Cases
• Methodology, Method, Genre, or Approach
• Case Study: Quality and Generalizability
• Multiple Case Studies
• Exemplary Case Studies and Example Case Studies
• Criticism, Defense, and Debate around Case Study

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Case Study in Education Research by Lorna Hamilton LAST REVIEWED: 21 April 2021 LAST MODIFIED: 27 June 2018 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199756810-0201

It is important to distinguish between case study as a teaching methodology and case study as an approach, genre, or method in educational research. The use of case study as teaching method highlights the ways in which the essential qualities of the case—richness of real-world data and lived experiences—can help learners gain insights into a different world and can bring learning to life. The use of case study in this way has been around for about a hundred years or more. Case study use in educational research, meanwhile, emerged particularly strongly in the 1970s and 1980s in the United Kingdom and the United States as a means of harnessing the richness and depth of understanding of individuals, groups, and institutions; their beliefs and perceptions; their interactions; and their challenges and issues. Writers, such as Lawrence Stenhouse, advocated the use of case study as a form that teacher-researchers could use as they focused on the richness and intensity of their own practices. In addition, academic writers and postgraduate students embraced case study as a means of providing structure and depth to educational projects. However, as educational research has developed, so has debate on the quality and usefulness of case study as well as the problems surrounding the lack of generalizability when dealing with single or even multiple cases. The question of how to define and support case study work has formed the basis for innumerable books and discursive articles, starting with Robert Yin’s original book on case study ( Yin 1984 , cited under General Overview and Foundational Texts of the Late 20th Century ) to the myriad authors who attempt to bring something new to the realm of case study in educational research in the 21st century.

This section briefly considers the ways in which case study research has developed over the last forty to fifty years in educational research usage and reflects on whether the field has finally come of age, respected by creators and consumers of research. Case study has its roots in anthropological studies in which a strong ethnographic approach to the study of peoples and culture encouraged researchers to identify and investigate key individuals and groups by trying to understand the lived world of such people from their points of view. Although ethnography has emphasized the role of researcher as immersive and engaged with the lived world of participants via participant observation, evolving approaches to case study in education has been about the richness and depth of understanding that can be gained through involvement in the case by drawing on diverse perspectives and diverse forms of data collection. Embracing case study as a means of entering these lived worlds in educational research projects, was encouraged in the 1970s and 1980s by researchers, such as Lawrence Stenhouse, who provided a helpful impetus for case study work in education ( Stenhouse 1980 ). Stenhouse wrestled with the use of case study as ethnography because ethnographers traditionally had been unfamiliar with the peoples they were investigating, whereas educational researchers often worked in situations that were inherently familiar. Stenhouse also emphasized the need for evidence of rigorous processes and decisions in order to encourage robust practice and accountability to the wider field by allowing others to judge the quality of work through transparency of processes. Yin 1984 , the first book focused wholly on case study in research, gave a brief and basic outline of case study and associated practices. Various authors followed this approach, striving to engage more deeply in the significance of case study in the social sciences. Key among these are Merriam 1988 and Stake 1995 , along with Yin 1984 , who established powerful groundings for case study work. Additionally, evidence of the increasing popularity of case study can be found in a broad range of generic research methods texts, but these often do not have much scope for the extensive discussion of case study found in case study–specific books. Yin’s books and numerous editions provide a developing or evolving notion of case study with more detailed accounts of the possible purposes of case study, followed by Merriam 1988 and Stake 1995 who wrestled with alternative ways of looking at purposes and the positioning of case study within potential disciplinary modes. The authors referenced in this section are often characterized as the foundational authors on this subject and may have published various editions of their work, cited elsewhere in this article, based on their shifting ideas or emphases.

Merriam, S. B. 1988. Case study research in education: A qualitative approach . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

This is Merriam’s initial text on case study and is eminently accessible. The author establishes and reinforces various key features of case study; demonstrates support for positioning the case within a subject domain, e.g., psychology, sociology, etc.; and further shapes the case according to its purpose or intent.

Stake, R. E. 1995. The art of case study research . Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE.

Stake is a very readable author, accessible and yet engaging with complex topics. The author establishes his key forms of case study: intrinsic, instrumental, and collective. Stake brings the reader through the process of conceptualizing the case, carrying it out, and analyzing the data. The author uses authentic examples to help readers understand and appreciate the nuances of an interpretive approach to case study.

Stenhouse, L. 1980. The study of samples and the study of cases. British Educational Research Journal 6:1–6.

DOI: 10.1080/0141192800060101

A key article in which Stenhouse sets out his stand on case study work. Those interested in the evolution of case study use in educational research should consider this article and the insights given.

Yin, R. K. 1984. Case Study Research: Design and Methods . Beverley Hills, CA: SAGE.

This preliminary text from Yin was very basic. However, it may be of interest in comparison with later books because Yin shows the ways in which case study as an approach or method in research has evolved in relation to detailed discussions of purpose, as well as the practicalities of working through the research process.

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Using Case Study in Education Research

• By: Lorna Hamilton & Connie Corbett-Whittier
• Publisher: SAGE Publications Ltd
• Series: BERA/SAGE Research Methods in Education
• Publication year: 2013
• Online pub date: December 22, 2014
• Discipline: Education
• Methods: Case study research , Research questions , Educational research
• DOI: https:// doi. org/10.4135/9781473913851
• Keywords: collaboration , debates , education studies , knowledge , teaching , virtual environments , young people Show all Show less
• Print ISBN: 9781446208175
• Online ISBN: 9781473913851
• Buy the book icon link

Subject index

This book provides an accessible introduction to using case studies. It makes sense of literature in this area, and shows how to generate collaborations and communicate findings.

The authors bring together the practical and the theoretical, enabling readers to build expertise on the principles and practice of case study research, as well as engaging with possible theoretical frameworks. They also highlight the place of case study as a key component of educational research.

With the help of this book, graduate students, teacher educators and practitioner researchers will gain the confidence and skills needed to design and conduct a high quality case study.

Front Matter

• Research Methods in Education
• Acknowledgements
• About the Authors
• Introduction
• Chapter 1 | Defining Case Study in Education Research
• Chapter 2 | Ideas as the Foundation for Case Study
• Chapter 3 | Key Purposes
• Chapter 4 | Key Decisions
• Chapter 5 | Ethics in Research
• Chapter 6 | Carrying Out Your Case Study
• Chapter 7 | A Practitioner Perspective
• Chapter 8 | Approaches to Data Analysis
• Chapter 9 | Using Technology to Manage and Analyse Your Data
• Chapter 10 | Finding Your Voice
• Chapter 11 | Sharing Case Study: Quality and Communication
• Chapter 12 | Virtual Environments and Collaborations
• Chapter 13 | Community Building

Back Matter

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Resources for research

Case studies in educational research

31 Mar 2011

Dr Lorna Hamilton

To cite this reference: Hamilton, L. (2011) Case studies in educational research, British Educational Research Association on-line resource. Available on-line at [INSERT WEB PAGE ADDRESS HERE] Last accessed [insert date here]

Case study is often seen as a means of gathering together data and giving coherence and limit to what is being sought. But how can we define case study effectively and ensure that it is thoughtfully and rigorously constructed?  This resource shares some key definitions of case study and identifies important choices and decisions around the creation of studies. It is for those with little or no experience of case study in education research and provides an introduction to some of the key aspects of this approach: from the all important question of what exactly is case study, to the key decisions around case study work and possible approaches to dealing with the data collected. At the end of the resource, key references and resources are identified which provide the reader with further guidance.

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CASE STUDY RESEARCH IN EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS

Related Papers

This article presents the case study as a type of qualitative research. Its aim is to give a detailed description of a case study-its definition, some classifications, and several advantages and disadvantages-in order to provide a better understanding of this widely used type of qualitative approac h. In comparison to other types of qualitative research, case studies have been little understood both from a methodological point of view, where disagreements exist about whether case studies should be considered a research method or a research type, and from a content point of view, where there are ambiguities regarding what should be considered a case or research subject. A great emphasis is placed on the disadvantages of case studies, where we try to refute some of the criticisms concerning case studies, particularly in comparison to quantitative research approaches.

Bedrettin Yazan

Case study methodology has long been a contested terrain in social sciences research which is characterized by varying, sometimes opposing, approaches espoused by many research methodologists. Despite being one of the most frequently used qualitative research methodologies in educational research, the methodologists do not have a full consensus on the design and implementation of case study, which hampers its full evolution. Focusing on the landmark works of three prominent methodologists, namely Robert Yin, Sharan Merriam, Robert Stake, I attempt to scrutinize the areas where their perspectives diverge, converge and complement one another in varying dimensions of case study research. I aim to help the emerging researchers in the field of education familiarize themselves with the diverse views regarding case study that lead to a vast array of techniques and strategies, out of which they can come up with a combined perspective which best serves their research purpose.

johnpatrick gonzales

Waleed Alabri

Nina Oktavia

Case study is believed as the widely used kind of research to view phenomena, despite of some critics on it concerning mostly on its data reliability, validity and subjectivity. This article therefore discusses some aspects of case study which are considered important to be recognized by novice researchers, especially about the way how to design and how to make sure the quality and reliability of the case. In addition, the case studying educational research also becomes the focus to be discussed, completed with some examples, to be able to open our mind to the plenty opportunities for case study in education.

Dr. BABOUCARR NJIE

A. Biba Rebolj

American Journal of Qualitative Research

Nikhil Chandra Shil, FCMA

Daniel Fasko

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How UCL research helped achieve the UKs’ first cyberflashing conviction

25 March 2024

The first conviction of cyberflashing represents a milestone for the Online Safety Bill in England and Wales, which was directly informed by UCL research evidencing the harms of a ‘dangerously normalised’ practice.

The Bill’s introduction meant that ‘cyberflashing’ became a criminal offence in January this year as part of the Online Safety Act.  

UCL researchers Professor Jessica Ringrose and Kaitlyn Regehr (then University of Kent) teamed up with the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) and the School of Sexuality Education to investigate teenager’s experiences of non-consensual image sharing of a sexual nature. 

Their findings have now led to the UK government recognising this practice as cyberflashing, and in turn understanding it is a form of sexual harassment. Furthermore the Bill is significant for recognising the connection between this practice and other harms, from depression and anxiety among teens to serious acts of sexual violence and abuse.  

The research further found that teenage girls are overwhelmingly affected by the impact of unwanted image-sharing. 

Professor Ringrose and Dr Regehr’s research found that the behaviour has become so common among young people aged 12-18 years old that most never report it - 51% of participants said they hadn’t told anyone, while only 15% reported it on social media platforms, 5% to parents, and 2 % to their school. When asked why they didn't report the incident, around a third said ‘I don’t think reporting works’. 

One 15-year-old participant, Kathryn, commented: “when I first started getting d*ck pics I’d be like disgusted, but then I just got so used to it, and every time a d*ck appears on my screen I’m like – great, again. It’s normal.” The first conviction is a milestone in this area as it sends a message that unsolicited sexual images should not be normalised and that recipients do not have to tolerate it.  

The research has raised awareness of the harms associated with cyberflashing, for example using 'nudes’ to pressurise recipients into a transactional exchange of content, which 44% of girls and 15% of boys have felt pressured to fulfill, and gaining content for ‘revenge porn’. 

The researchers argue that future action needs to go beyond the criminal legislation, and recommend a number of things that schools, parents and carers, tech companies can do to tackle the problem. Their forthcoming book: ‘Teens, Sexting & Consent: Understanding and Preventing Image Based Sexual Harassment and Abuse’ will be published by Palgrave in September 2024.

• In The Times: 'I’ve been cyberflashed, like all my female friends'
• Read the report: ' Understanding and Combatting Youth Experiences of Image-Based Sexual Harassment and Abuse '
• IOE research informs Online Safety Bill
• Young peoples’ rates of reporting online sexual harassment and abuse are ‘shockingly low’
• Tackling image-based sexual harassment and abuse
• Professor Jessica Ringrose’s UCL profile
• Dr Kaitlyn Regehr’s UCL profile

Stanislaw Mikulski / Adobe Stock

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