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Case studies are a cornerstone of higher education. Whether used to analyze historical events, evaluate social phenomena, explore ethical dilemmas, or examine discipline-specific practices, they give students a chance to think critically, apply theory to real-world situations, and develop problem-solving skills. Designing meaningful case studies or updating existing ones can be a time-consuming process, involving research, synthesis, and iterative revision.
Enter AI.
With the help of generative AI tools, faculty can transform how case studies are created and presented. From streamlining the writing process to making learning more engaging and interactive, AI opens the door to dynamic, data-rich case studies that both inform and captivate. This post will guide you through a simple, effective workflow for creating compelling, interactive case studies using AI.
The AI-Powered Case Study Workflow
1. Start with Solid Data
Begin by collecting or exporting relevant data that connects to the goals of your case study. Think about the key facts, figures, or research challenges that best illustrate the core issue you want students to explore.
2. Prompt with Purpose
Use ChatGPT or a similar AI tool to begin shaping your case study. A clear, well-structured prompt makes all the difference. Be specific about what the AI should focus on, for example:
- Summarize the research or situational challenge
- Outline strategies or decision-making processes
- Quantify results or impact
- Highlight lessons learned or ethical implications
Consider using prompt frameworks, roles, and other strategies to make your prompt more effective. See Prompt Engineering Cheatsheet for Higher Ed for more information and ideas.
3. Review and Refine
AI can help you get a strong first draft, but it’s your expertise that brings depth and context. Edit the content for tone, accuracy, and alignment with your learning goals. Use the AI as a starting point, then apply your own lens to guide students through the nuance and complexity of the topic.
4. Make It Visual and Interactive
To create an interactive learning experience, consider using tools like Gemini with Google Slides to transform text into visually engaging presentations. But to make it interactive, consider these options:
- Interactive Charts and Graphs – Let students explore the data by using tools like Datawrapper.
- Timelines – Show the unfolding of events or processes that allow your students to follow the sequence of key moments, decisions, or developments with clarity and context. See our EdTech Essentials post on Storytelling with Timelines Engaging Students Creatively for resources and tools.
- Quizzes and Polls – Encourage formative assessment and test your students’ understanding of key takeaways with short quizzes or polls.
- Clickable Callouts – Highlight and expand on key ideas, statistics, or quotes with clickable callouts that reveal more information.
- Embedded Videos – Provide expert insights or explain key concepts.
- Downloadable Resources – Offer supporting materials or templates.
- Maps – Visualize location-based case elements if your case study has a location component with tools like StoryMap JS
5. Share and Showcase
Once finalized, your case study can be published in your LMS, used as an in-class activity, or shared as part of an open educational resource. Consider creating a dedicated section on your course site or portfolio to showcase your AI-enhanced case studies.
Benefits of Using AI for Case Studies
- Save Time: Reduce the time spent drafting and organizing your content.
- Reveal New Insights: AI can help surface patterns or ideas you may not have initially considered.
- Enhance Engagement: Interactive case studies hold students’ attention and deepen comprehension.
- Support Accessibility: Multimedia and flexible content formats accommodate different learning preferences.
Taking it to the Next Level
While this post focuses on one workflow using tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, the approach can be adapted with other platforms. Explore different AI writing assistants and content creation tools to find what fits best for your discipline or course goals.
This post builds on ideas from AI Ready: Lacunae Found – Student-Generated Practice Tests, where students help identify content gaps using AI-generated questions. Together, both approaches show how AI can play a role in both teaching and course design.
For additional guidance on how to introduce AI tools in ethical and empowering ways, check out AI Ready: Practical Guidelines for Empowering Students with Ethical AI Use in Assessments.
While blog focuses on a specific set of tools, the principles are broadly applicable. Explore different AI writing assistants and interactive content platforms to find the best fit for your needs. The goal is to leverage AI to streamline the process and create case studies that are not only informative but also captivating and memorable. By making them interactive, you’ll draw your audience in and leave a lasting impression.
Sponsored by the Fordham Faculty AI Interest Group | facultyai@fordham.edu | www.fordham.edu/AI
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