Using Case Studies to Promote Group Learning and Teamwork Skills

Waterloo Cases in Design Engineering (WCDE) has been established to enhance engineering design education by developing case studies from student cooperative work term reports, and implementing them across the entire Faculty of Engineering. One design case, developed from a student report, was used in three (3) different courses during one academic term as a precursor activity to a class or term design project. The results of a student survey indicate that the design case was an engaging application and that group discussion and interaction helped to enhance students’ understanding of the design method, and the specific design challenge described in the case. Instructor perspectives are summarized on using design cases and the case method with students in teams to develop teamwork and other complementary abilities.