Case Study Methodology: Flexibility, Rigour, and Ethical Considerations for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning - Article 12

Oct 15, 2026

Individuals and teams engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in multidisciplinary higher education settings must decide on appropriate research methodology and methods. These choices depend on the research context and inquiry goals. Drawing on investigations of pedagogical and curricular practices in a pharmacy program, the note presents case study methodology as one option, highlighting flexibility, rigour, ethical participant treatment, and data management. It also cautions readers to judge applicability to other settings.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Case study methodology in SoTL

Flexibility and rigour

Ethics and data management

Generalization and applicability

The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning | Volume 6 | Issue 3 | Article 12 | | --- | --- | | 12-11-2015
Case Study Methodology: Flexibility, Rigour, and Ethical Considerations for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
Marion L. Pearson
The University of British Columbia, marion.pearson@ubc.ca
Simon P. Albon
The University of British Columbia, simon.albon@ubc.ca
Harry Hubball
The University of British Columbia, harry.hubball@ubc.ca
Follow this and additional works at: [http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cjsotl_rcacea](http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cjsotl_rcacea)
Part of the Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, and the Higher Education Commons | | Recommended Citation Pearson, Marion L.; Albon, Simon P.; and Hubball, Harry (2015) "Case Study Methodology: Flexibility, Rigour, and Ethical Considerations for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning," The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: Vol. 6: Iss. 3, Article 12. Available at: [http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cjsotl_rcacea/vol6/iss3/12](http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cjsotl_rcacea/vol6/iss3/12) Case Study Methodology: Flexibility, Rigour, and Ethical Considerations for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Abstract Individuals and teams engaging in the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) in multidisciplinary higher education settings must make decisions regarding choice of research methodology and methods. These decisions are guided by the research context and the goals of the inquiry. With reference to our own recent experiences investigating pedagogical and curricular practices in a pharmacy program, we outline case study methodology as one of the many options available for SoTL inquiry. Case study methodology has the benefits of flexibility in terms of the types of research questions that can be addressed and the data collection methods that can be employed. Conducted with proper attention to the context of the case(s) selected, ethical treatment of participants, and data management, case studies also have the necessary rigour to be credible and generalizable. In the matter of generalization, however, we recommend that the readers ofa case study draw their own conclusions about the applicability of the findings to other settings. Les particuliers et les groupes qui sont actifs dans le haut savoir en matière d’enseignement et d’apprentissage (ACEA) dans les milieux pluridisciplinaires de l’enseignement supérieur doivent prendre des décisions en ce qui concerne le choix des méthodologies et des méthodes de recherche. Ces décisions sont guidées par le contexte de la recherche et par les objectifs de l’interrogation. En nous basant sur nos propres expériencesrécentes quand nous avons examiné des pratiques pédagogiques et curriculaires dans un programme de pharmacie, nous décrivons la méthodologie des études de cas comme l’une des nombreuses options disponibles pour les interrogations enACEA. La méthodologie des études de cas a l’avantage d’être souple en ce qui a trait aux types de questions de recherche qui peuvent être étudiées et aux méthodes de collecte de données qui peuvent être employées. Quand elles sont menées avec l’attention requise pour le contexte des cas choisis, le traitement éthique des participants et la gestion des données, les études de cas présentent également la rigueur nécessaire pour être crédibles et généralisables. Toutefois, en ce qui concerne lagénéralisation, nous recommandons que les lecteurs d’une étude de cas tirent leurs propres conclusions concernant le caractère applicable des résultats à d’autres situations. Keywords case study methodology; scholarship of teaching and learning; research ethics This research note/note de recherche is available in The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning: [http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cjsotl_rcacea/vol6/iss3/12](http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/cjsotl_rcacea/vol6/iss3/12)

FAQs

What factors guide methodology and method selection in SoTL case study inquiries?

Methodology and methods are guided by the research context and the goals of the inquiry.

What benefits does case study methodology offer for SoTL?

Case studies provide flexibility for research questions and data collection methods, while maintaining rigour when attention is paid to context, ethics, and data management.

How should findings from a case study be used in other educational settings?

Readers should draw their own conclusions about the applicability of findings to other settings rather than assuming generalization automatically.

Oct 15, 2026

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