When You've Only Got One Class, One Chance: Acquiring Sociocultural Knowledge Using Eclectic Case Pedagogy

From Section:
Theories & Approaches
Published:
May. 10, 2010

Source: Teaching Education, Volume 21, Issue 3, 2010, Pages 313 – 328.

This article describes the creation of an eclectic case pedagogy.
This pedagogy is based on case-based methods, sociocultural learning theory and visual studies successfully used in a university teacher education course designed to help students acquire sociocultural knowledge about schooling and teaching.

Qualitative data were collected across three semesters and four offerings of the course.

The authors outline the types of cases that made up the eclectic case pedagogy, as well as how students recognized the efficacy and significance of this pedagogic method for their learning.

Students highlight three specific kinds of learning opportunities afforded to them when engaging with the eclectic case pedagogy including: guided participation, dismantling and building connections and close in(tro)spection of schooling and society.

The benefits students attribute to this approach suggest the eclectic case pedagogy may especially befit courses that aim to expand preservice teachers' knowledge base around issues of historical inequalities in schools, institutional barriers to equity, and teaching within and about difference.


Updated: Jan. 17, 2017
Keywords:
Case studies | Learning strategies | Preservice teacher education | Teaching methods | Theories | Universities