Case-Based Instruction for Innovation Education in Engineering and Technology

The need for the integration of relevant curriculum focused on innovation theory and the management of innovation within engineering education has been a topic of ongoing discussion at the national level. The Council of Competitiveness suggests STEM graduates will be the key to innovation growth, although the number of engineers entering the field is not sufficient to replace retiring professionals. Today’s global economy requires engineers and technologists to take the lead role in innovation and idea generation, although innovation is not a topic that is typically included in the undergraduate curriculum. One approach to teaching innovation theory is case-based instruction. Case studies are effective in engineering education because they bridge the gap between theory and practice. Students also report being more engaged in coursework when case studies are included in the curriculum. Although effective, case analysis is not as prevalent in the classroom as the more traditional lecture-based instructional methods. This paper explores student attitude toward the use of case studies in engineering education. The data is drawn from the results of a mixed-methods study of engineering technology students who participated in a case study analysis of disruptive innovation theory. An assessment of student attitude toward the use of the innovation case study was given to a sample of 90 engineering technology students. Qualitative results from this instrument were derived from a directed content analysis research methodology. This research is intended to provide insight into student perception and acceptance of the use of cases in the engineering and technology classroom. This study examines students’ personal views of their attitudes through qualitative content analysis. Research will be supported by thick, rich description drawn from students’ own words to gain further insight into student perception of both innovation education and case-based instruction. Need for innovation education Traditional engineering curriculum creates people who are efficient researchers and highly productive, but this approach does not encourage creativity or innovation [1] . Innovation can be defined as a new and valued product, process, or concept that has been introduced to the market or society [2] . Engineering educators should better prepare students for careers in innovation. In doing this, they must “undermine their students’ blind commitment to the engineering paradigm” [3] which is centered around the scientific approach to knowledge making. To accomplish this challenge, the exploration of paradigms such as ones used in the schools of business, communications, and political science is suggested. Incorporating this exploration will allow the engineering and technology student to critically reflect on and debate the beliefs, practices, and values of their paradigms and introduce them to a range of choices to evaluate information with a more situational and pragmatic approach to problem solving [1, 3] . Steiner suggested this can be accomplished by building upon deep domain knowledge to introduce curriculum focused on the development of non-technical skills and attitudes. Case-based instruction in engineering and technology education The use of case studies can be an effective tool for teaching innovation theory. Case-based instruction has been used widely to assist students in bridging the gap between theory and practice since the material is presented to the student in context [4] . The case-based instructional method is a pedagogical tool that shifts the emphasis from a professor-centered to a studentcentered environment [5] . Case-based instruction has frequently been used in the professional fields of medicine, law, and business because it creates contextualized learning environments [6] which helps to bridge theory and practice in a controlled academic environment [4] . Engineering and technology students have not traditionally been exposed to case studies in their undergraduate studies [7] . Case-based instruction in engineering allows the student to engage in the curriculum by adding a sense of realism to the content [8] . The “case” for case studies is so compelling, that the National Academy of Engineering formulated the following recommendation: “Engineering educators should introduce interdisciplinary learning in the undergraduate curriculum and explore the use of case studies of engineering successes and failures as a learning tool” [9] . A recent study analyzing the connection between higher education practice and the development of innovation-related competencies in recent graduates identified four categories associated with workplace innovation. Opportunity identification, idea (or solution) generation, the ability to question ideas, and the ability to lead others were the shown to be the most desired competencies to drive business innovation [10] . Vila, Perez, & Morillas (2012) found more active, studentcentered methods of teaching and learning were most effective in developing the competencies required to innovate in the workplace. Contextual learning environments such as work-based learning, internships, case-based learning, and project-based learning were found to be the most effective classroom practice for developing innovation competencies with undergraduate students [10] . Case-based instruction for innovation theory Lecture-based instructional methods often leave students unengaged, uninspired, [11] and can present topics without applying contextual meaning [12] . Because of the inherent passive style of lecture-based instruction, students are missing out on the opportunity to be active participants in their own learning which could affect learning outcomes [12, 13] . More active instructional methods, such as case-based instruction, have greater appeal to those students who may be unengaged with a lecture format that concentrates on facts and content rather than the development of higher-order, and critical thinking skills [11, 12] which are essential in the application of innovation theory. By integrating case studies into the curriculum, engineering and technology students can contextualize the content of innovation and entrepreneurship theory and view these subjects through a more pragmatic paradigm. Best practices in case-based instruction for engineering and technology education Although the research listed in this review suggests case-based instruction contributes to greater conceptual understanding and critical thinking skills that are needed in the engineering profession, often engineering educators are hesitant to adopt the use of cases within their own instructional plans. Research supports a wide variety uses for case-based instruction for all faculty members – regardless of their comfort level with this method [14] . A survey of faculty members who use case studies in STEM education revealed varied applications for cases. One professor uses directed and highly-structured cases to reinforce content knowledge and conceptual understanding, while another professor uses open-ended, problem-based cases to encourage team building. A third educator detailed in this study uses project-based cases in his photonics course to provide authentic access to engineering culture through projects and studentdriven learning [14] . The use of case studies in engineering education will vary from instructor to instructor and from case to case. “There is no correct approach to case discussion. Each instructor must develop their own style using those techniques that best suit them and seem to achieve their objectives” [15] . Case study analysis could incorporate the following steps: (1) review of the content of the case, (2) problem statement, (3) collection of pertinent information, (4) development of alternatives, (5) evaluation of those alternatives, (6) selection of course of action, and (7) evaluation of solutions or review of actual outcomes [12, 15] . In a study focused on engineering decision-making, students examined the nature of an authentic industry problem. They detailed background of people and organization, the nature of the work, and challenges faced in making decisions given those constructs. Researchers then presented a specific challenge to the students for solution and discussion. In the problem solving process and case analysis, students were able to apply conceptual theory, and apply creative tools and techniques to evaluate alternatives in their decision making [16] . For educators just embarking upon case-based instruction, an intuitive process to follow is the whole class discussion case-teaching method [11] . This format allows the instructor to introduce key concepts at appropriate points within a discussion engaging the entire class as a single group. The instructor guides the discussion so that students “discover” the key concepts within case for themselves. This takes instructor skill and intuition to read signals from the class. To reduce the dependence of instructor intuitiveness, many published case studies include teaching notes to guide the instructor while using these discussion cases. Alternatively, the small group teaching method allows students to review the case study in advance. As part of class instruction, students work collaboratively within a small group to define the problem, conduct research, and hypothesize solutions. These groups present findings to the entire class. The instructor then summarizes and synthesizes individual group finding to support key concepts. Research context and framework The framework for this study is directed by the results of a larger, quantitative study examining the impact of case-based instruction on engineering technology students’ conceptual understanding of innovation curriculum as compared to lecture-based instruction. In that quasiexperimental research study, results show no significant difference in conventional knowledge acquisition or