How Novices Use Expert Case Libraries for Problem Solving

Abstract

Proponents of problem-based learning suggest that learners should solve problems that are representative of the types of issues that practitioners face. However, this is challenging because novices lack the essential experiences that inform solutions. According to case-based reasoning, one way to overcome this gap is by providing a set of cases that depict how experts solved similar cases, also known as case libraries. While both qualitative and quantitative research has been done on case libraries, much of the available data focus on learning outcomes or post hoc reflections of cases. Therefore, it is still unclear the emergent cognitive processes that learners undergo as they interact with expert cases. To address this gap, we used think aloud and semi-structured interviews with five junior-level marketing students as a way to further understand their perceptions of the case library in supporting their problem solving. The results of the think aloud study indicate that learners engage in the following processes: index generation, index prioritization, alignment with prior knowledge, abstraction, and reuse. Results also show that learners seemed to especially struggle with the alignment to prior knowledge and reuse phases. Implications for practice are also discussed.

Publication Title

Technology, Knowledge and Learning

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