use of video case studies in an adolescent development course
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Video Case Studies 1
Running Head: VIDEO CASE STUDIES
Uses of Video Case Studies in an Adolescent Development Course
M Cecil Smith
Northern Illinois University
June 16, 2008
Word count: 1,155
Contact information:
M Cecil Smith, Ph.D.Department of LEPFNorthern Illinois UniversityDeKalb, IL 60115(815) 753-8448(815) 753-8750 (f)mcsmith@niu.edu
Video Case Studies 2
Abstract
Students in an adolescent development course write case study papers based on excerpts
from self-documentary videos produced by high school students. These case study papers
require students to draw upon different theories of adolescent development to analyze,
interpret, and understand adolescent development and behavior. Students’ evaluations of
the case study assignments indicate that an important result is that students have a deeper
understanding of theory and appreciation of adolescents themselves.
Video Case Studies 3
Uses of Video Case Studies in an Adolescent Development Course
Case studies are common in developmental psychology courses (Leonard,
Mitchell, Meyers, & Love, 2002; McBride-Chang & Chang, 2001; McManus, 2000). A
case study is "an in-depth look at an individual ... [providing]
information about a person's hopes, fears, fantasies, traumatic
experiences, family relationships, health, or anything that will help ...
understand the [individual's] development" (Santrock, 1993, p. 71). As
such, case studies serve two broad purposes for developmental
psychology courses. First, they enable students to gather information
about an individual child or adolescent. Second, students can analyze
and interpret this information, drawing upon course materials (e.g.,
lecture notes, textbook chapters) to achieve an informed
understanding of both the case study subject and the course contents.
Perhaps the main benefit of conducting a case study is that it makes
the subject matter "come alive" in students' minds. Thus, case studies
can promote active, self-directed learning (Perkins, 2000) and
personalize abstract developmental theories and behavioral concepts,
thereby making these more meaningful. As McManus (2000) notes,
case studies have been used successfully to improve student learning
and motivation. This article describes my use of video case studies in a
course on adolescent development. The videos were made by high
school students, as part of a larger project on adolescents'
perspectives for teachers (Author et al., 2005). The videos focused on
Video Case Studies 4
the adolescents themselves as subjects.
Adolescent Development Course
I teach a graduate course in adolescent development. While the majority of
students are seeking teacher certification for high school teaching, other students are
working on masters’ degrees in education, psychology, counseling, or public health.
Except for a few secondary teachers in the class, most students have little or no
experience working with adolescents.
Video cases. Students’ case studies are based on any of 120 excerpts (avg. length:
3 mins.) drawn from videos that were filmed by 20 high school students, each of whom
created a one-hour “documentary” about themselves. These students were informed that
the purpose of their videos was to educate and prepare the “next generation” of high
school teachers by helping them better understand adolescents’ lives. Upon completion,
each student’s video was edited to capture the most salient, interesting, and relevant
content. While some videos yielded only a single brief excerpt, as many as 10 excerpts
were derived from others, resulting in 120 excerpts. All video excerpts were accessible to
students through the online course management site.
The case study assignment required students to view a single video excerpt and
make notes of their observations. Students also selected a single theoretical perspective
from Muuss’ (1990) Theories of Adolescence textbook. The 15 theory chapters focus on
unconscious psychological processes (e.g., Freud), psychosocial development and
identity (e.g., Erikson, Marcia, Sullivan, Loevinger), cognitive and moral development
(e.g., Piaget, Kohlberg, Gilligan, Selman, Fowler), behavior and modeling processes
(e.g., Bandura), and anthropological, cultural, and contextual approaches to
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understanding behavior (e.g., Mead, Lewin, Bronfenbrenner, Lerner). Drawing upon their
understanding of the principles of a selected theory, students’ case study reports explain
their analyses, interpretations of, and conclusions regarding the case.
Students complete three case studies over the semester. Different video cases
must be used for each report and students are encouraged to apply a different theory for
each to acquire familiarity with multiple developmental theories. Each case study report
consists of four parts: (1) brief description of the adolescent, as discerned from the video
excerpt; (2) description of the selected theory, i.e., the theory’s basic principles; (3)
analysis and explanation of the case that draws upon these principles to explain what has
been observed; and (4) the writer’s conclusions as derived from their analysis. Each
report is limited to 4 typed, double-spaced pages.
The case study reports are then evaluated by a randomly assigned peer evaluator
(i.e., classmate). Writers electronically submit their papers to their peer reviewer and to
me. Evaluators must then view the target video and read the relevant theoretical chapter,
familiarizing themselves with both the facts of the case and the theory. Evaluators use a
10-point scoring rubric to assess the case study report. Evaluators have one week to
complete their work. When there are disagreements regarding an evaluation (rare), I am
the final arbiter. Because evaluators are randomly assigned, students typically have a
different evaluator for each of their case study reports.
Student Responses to Case Study Reports
Over four semesters, 75 students completed the required three video case study
reports (N = 225 papers). Nearly one-fourth of these case studies (24%) drew upon
identity theory (i.e., Erikson, Marcia) to analyze the case data. Another 24 percent of the
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submitted case studies were analyzed from a cognitive-structural theoretical perspective
(e.g., Piaget, Kohlberg, Selman, Fowler, Gilligan), with Kolberg’s theory the most
commonly cited of these perspectives. Social cognitive theory (i.e., Bandura) accounted
for another 21 percent of the case studies. Psychodynamic (e.g., Freud, Loevinger) and
developmental contextual (e.g., Bronfenbrenner) theories were each used in eight percent,
respectively, of the reports. Sullivan’s interpersonal theory accounted for 10 percent of
the case study analyses. The remaining five percent of reports drew upon theories ranging
from G. Stanley Hall to Margaret Meade and Kurt Lewin. Nearly all students (98%) drew
upon a different theory to explain each of the three video cases that they studied (e.g.,
Case 1: Erikson; Case 2: Bandura; Case 3: Sullivan).
At the conclusion of each semester, students completed an anonymous online
course survey which asked them to rate the different course activities (e.g., discussion
group, case study papers) and assignments on several dimensions (i.e., enjoyment of the
assignment, value of learning, increased understanding of adolescence) on a 6-point
Likert-type scale (6=strongly agree with the statement; 1=strongly disagree). Mean
ratings for the assignment are shown in Table 1.
Table 1.
Student evaluations of TeenScene video case studies.
Item
The TeenScene video case study papers… Mean (S.D.)
were enjoyable 3.93 (1.1)
increased my interest in adolescent development 4.47 (1.13)
were valuable learning assignments 4.67 (1.11)
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helped me connect theories of adolescence to educational
or clinical practice
4.80 (1.08)
increased my understanding of adolescent development 4.80 (1.15)
helped me improve my writing skills 4.60 (1.24)
helped me think about my views and beliefs regarding
adolescents
4.87 (1.13)
helped me improve my memory for important information
about adolescents
4.40 (1.18)
Conclusions
Students write three cases studies that are based on brief video excerpts drawn
from high school students’ self-documentary videos. These writing assignments expose
students to a variety of cases which gives them deeper insights’ into adolescents’ thinking
and behaviors. In their efforts to understand adolescents’ behavior, they are compelled to
learn about different theories of adolescent development. Students also learn that there
are multiple ways to interpret a given case and that different people may interpret the
same data in dramatically different ways. They learn that it is possible to apply theory to
interpret and make sense of behavior, and draw conclusions based upon a small sample of
data. Significantly, students see the relevance of theory to educational or clinical practice.
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References
Author et al. (2005, August). TeenScene: A video documentary project to increase
secondary teachers’ understandings of adolescent development. Final report
submitted to the NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education.
Leonard, JA., Mitchell, KL, Meyers, SA, & Love, JD (2002). Using case studies in
introductory psychology. Teaching of Psychology, 29, 142-144.
McBride-Chang, C., & Chang, L. (2001). Theory into practice: Cases as illustrations of
developmental theories. Teaching of Psychology, 28, 48-50.
McManus, J.L. (2000). Student composed case study in adolescent psychology. In M.E.
Ware & D. E. Johnson (Eds.), Handbook of demonstrations and activities in the
teaching of psychology (2nd ed.), Vol. 2: Physiological-comparative, perception,
learning, cognitive, and developmental (pp. 257-258). Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum.
Perkins, D.V. (2000). A case-study assignment to teach theoretical perspectives in
abnormal psychology. In M.E. Ware & D. E. Johnson (Eds.), Handbook of
demonstrations and activities in the teaching of psychology (2nd ed.), Vol. 2:
Physiological-comparative, perception, learning, cognitive, and developmental
(pp. 64-65). Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum.
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