ARTICLES

 

South African Business Studies teachers' implementation of case-based teaching method in technology-enhanced classrooms to promote learner participation

 

 

Nduduzo Brian Gcabashe

Department of Curriculum and Instructional Studies, University of South Africa, South Africa. ORCID: 0000-0002-1919-3370

 

 

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ABSTRACT

Learner participation in their learning is important to foster meaningful learning. Thus, teachers adopt different teaching methods including case-based teaching method to propel learners' participation in learning. This qualitative study explored business studies teachers' implementation of case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms. The study is located within the interpretivists'paradigm and utilises Experiential Learning Theory as a lens to interpret and thematically analyse interviews collected from six business studies teachers, from six secondary schools in KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa that were selected purposefully. The study found that a case-based teaching method is compatible with technology integration and helps teachers to expose learners to real business situations. Consequently, integrating technology while implementing case-based teaching transforms the learning context. It is recommended that business studies teachers intensify the implementation of case-based teaching in their technology-enhanced classrooms to facilitate learners' understanding as they participate in learning.

Keywords: business studies, cased-based teaching, teachers, learners, technology

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INTRODUCTION

Case-based teaching method is considered ideal in promoting cognitive apprenticeship as it emphasises the socialisation or enculturation of the learner into their prospective practice (Turner, 2023). This type of instruction enables learners to naturally adopt practices of experts, as they begin to think like them when solving real work-based problems. Based on its benefits, Zhang et al. (2023) disclosed that many fields have adopted it as a useful method for in-the-job training. This is because the case-based teaching helps to bridge the gap between theory and practice and provides learners with authentic tasks where they can apply knowledge to cases they are presented with (Thistlethwaite et al., 2012). Furthermore, case-based teaching have been used in business education for many years (Pilz & Zenner, 2018). It was adopted to business education in the 1900s by Edwin Gay after being used in different fields such as law, business management and medicine (Fabiani & Lima, 2014; Hoffer, 2020). Hoffer (2020) affirms that case-based teaching was used in these professional fields to teach students to work in complex situations and prepare them to apply what they learned in real-life situations. Similarly, the business studies curriculum is meant to prepare learners for the 21st century business environment (Department of Basic Education, 2011), which continues to be complex due to the introduction of technology. Thus, teaching methods, such as case-based, play a crucial role in preparing and exposing learners to complex business problems that are experienced by different industries.

Case-based teaching presents the content in the format of a narrative, accompanied by questions and activities that promote discussions among learners to solve complex problems (Bonney, 2015). This method allows for the use of scenarios that expose learners to problems that affect real businesses. After reading the scenario, learners can work together to suggest solutions to the problem presented in the case study. Bonney (2015) further asserts that case studies that are used to facilitate learning help learners to develop higher-order thinking skills. This might be attributed to the fact that as they engage in suggesting solutions to the real business problems presented in the scenario, learners go beyond the simple recall of learned knowledge to analysis, application and evaluation of the proposed suggestions to the business problem. Case-based teaching promotes active learner participation in the learning process and the acquisition of skills that are needed by businesses in the 21st century.

Previously, business studies teaching at both higher education and basic education levels was criticised for being too theoretical (Saroyan & Frenay, 2023). The faculties of business and management were criticised for not developing the necessary expert knowledge in students over the decades (Saroyan & Frenay, 2023). A similar observation was made by Dube (2019), in teaching business studies at basic education level, who asserted that business studies teachers have perceived business studies as a theory-loaded subject. Due to this, many teachers have been teaching business studies with a more teacher-centred approach (Gcabashe, 2023). However, a teacher-centred approach is not ideal to equip learners with skills that are needed by 21st century businesses. The success of work-oriented subjects, such as business studies, demands that teachers create learning environments that expose learners to typical work-based situations, where they can start thinking about what realistic problems they may meet and how best to solve them. Therefore, teaching methods such as case-based teaching plays an integral role in facilitating learners' learning and exposing them to scenarios that are relatable to the real world of work. Based on this, this study explored how business studies teachers implement case-based teaching method in technology-enhanced classrooms to promote learner participation. To achieve the aim of this study, two research questions were formulated and these are:

How do business studies teachers implement case-based teaching method in their technology-enhanced classrooms?

How does case-based teaching method promote learner participation in business studies classrooms?

 

LITERATURE REVIEW

Case-based teaching is one of the teaching methods that promotes active involvement of learners in learning to construct knowledge (Amin & Widiastuti, 2022). When implementing teachers use a series of scenarios that narrate the issues or problems businesses face (Akili, 2021) and offer relevant facts, opinions or prejudices upon which learning decisions depend (Akili, 2021). This leads to learners creating solutions to the business problems presented to them. Amin and Widiastuti (2022) aver that when designing case studies, teachers should ensure that they are relevant, concise and interesting to learners in order to provoke reflection among them. This view promotes teacher consideration of different factors when developing or identifying case studies that can be incorporated in classrooms as case-based teaching methods are implemented. Akili (2021) further stipulates that case studies incorporated in business studies classrooms should encourage learners to analyse, discuss, evaluate and provide recommendations in relation to the business problem presented to them. Case studies should, therefore, enable learners to engage in activities that prompt higher-order thinking.

The case-based teaching method is also acclaimed for exposing learners to real situations that happen in real businesses. Akili (2021) underscores that scenarios that are incorporated in case-based teaching method expose learners to challenges and situations that they do not usually come across in a traditional classroom. Similarly, McDonald et al. (2022) observed that case studies give insights into real business problems and solutions related to actual real-world events. Furthermore, exposing learners to real business scenarios also enhances their problem-solving and creative thinking skills (Hoffer, 2020). This is because real business problems that learners are exposed to scenarios that may propel them to engage in a deep-thinking process, so that they can come up with possible solutions. Some business scenarios require learners to engage in role play, where they imagine themselves as people that are involved in a certain situation (Yan, 2023). This is why Song et al. (2022) assert that scenarios that are incorporated in the case-based teaching method trains learners to become experts at analysing business cases upon joining the real business environment.

Case-based teaching also promotes self-directed learning among learners. Servant-Miklos (2019) underscores that this method stimulates self-directed learning among learners, and this alters the role of the teacher from being the transmitter of knowledge to being the facilitator of learners' learning. Self-directed learning among learners might be fostered by the business scenarios that are incorporated by the teachers when adopting case-based teaching method. Some business scenarios can present authentic business challenges in an interesting way to learners, to an extent that they are willing to engage in learning independently and the teacher guides them as they engage in learning. Providing real business scenarios that encourage learners to engage on self-directed learning helps bring a sense of responsibility among learners (Silva et al., 2018). In other words, learners take responsibility of their learning, and this enables them to actively engage in deep learning. As learners engage in self-directed and deep learning, they get a chance to construct knowledge on their own and master business studies concepts, develop skills and become more involved in the learning process (Hoffer, 2020).

It also emerged from the literature (Mahdi, Nassar & Almuslamani, 2020; McDonald et al. 2022) that case-based teaching enhances collaboration among learners. McDonald et al. (2022) state that this encourages learners to collaborate as they solve real business problems. Collaboration among learners is encouraged in business studies because the 21st century business environment requires business practitioners who can work together to solve complex business problems. Using this teaching method enables learners to brainstorm together, to come up with possible solutions to the challenges experienced by businesses (Mahdi et al., 2020). In other words, the real business scenarios that are adopted when implementing case-based teaching allow learners to engage in brainstorming and suggest solutions to the business problems. Engaging in brainstorming can enhance learners' problem-solving skills and higher-order thinking skills. In addition, the case-based teaching method allows learners to identify and use relevant concepts derived from the case study. In other words, the method helps learners to apply the concepts learnt in business studies to resolve real business problems.

Although the compatibility of case-based teaching with technology integration is not clearly spelt out in the literature, it can be assumed that it is compatible with technology integration. This is because technology integration enables both teachers and learners to access different sources (Goh & Sigala, 2020) such as business websites, electronic business newspapers and magazines where they can extract real business scenarios, which they can use for teaching and learning purposes. A study that was conducted by Hadromi et al. (2023) found that the integration of technology, while implementing case-based teaching, motivated learners to complete the learning activities and promoted engagement among them. This finding might be due to the inherent features of both technology integration and case-based teaching to promote active participation of learners in the learning process. Integrating technology while implementing this method may enable learners to make use of technology to find solutions that may help them to solve the real business problems that are contained in the scenario, hence the ease of completion of learning tasks.

Limitations of case-based teaching method

Despite the several benefits that are associated with the case-based teaching, there are a few limitations that were identified in literature. For example, Puri (2020) stated that preparing a case study can be time-consuming for teachers (Puri, 2020). However, this should not dissuade business studies teachers from adopting this method in their classrooms. With the integration of technology, teachers can easily access real business case studies from different sources, such as business websites and electronic business newspapers, and incorporate them in their instructional practices. Furthermore, case-based teaching works well in small-sized classrooms where teachers are able to facilitate class discussions and guide learners' interactions towards the attainment of the lesson outcomes (Becheikh et al., 2022). With the integration of technology, the teacher can maximise individual learner participation through digital platforms such as WhatsApp which can be used to supplement the classroom-based instruction (Gcabashe & Adebola, 2023).

Puri (2020) argues that poor implementation of the case-based teaching method could lead to protracted class discussions, which may distract both learners and teachers from attaining the lesson objectives. Business studies teachers can avoid unnecessary and protracted class discussions through facilitating learners' discussions and guide them towards the attainment of the lesson objectives. The method is also criticised for providing incomplete information (Parker, 2018). Although Parker's (2018) view might be valid to a certain extent, it can be argued that incomplete information provided to learners in case studies is what prompts them to learn. In other words, effective learning in case-based teaching occurs when learners engage in deep thinking to discover the missing information and make sense of it to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the concepts being taught (Rhodes et al., 2020). Situating the gap in literature

Literature reviewed in this section showed that several studies focusing on the implementation of case-based teaching method in teaching and learning have been conducted previously (Hoffer, 2020; Mahdi et al., 2020; Song et al., 2021). However, there is a dearth of recent studies on the implementation of this method in teaching and learning of business studies in the South African context. This is despite a call from different scholars for teachers to implement learner-centred teaching methods in their classrooms to maximise learner participation in learning (Safi, 2022; Sibanda & Josua, 2022; Leow et al., 2021). Furthermore, there is a lack of literature on the implementation of case-based teaching in business studies classrooms at the basic education level. Most of the existing studies were conducted at the higher-education level and investigated how case-based teaching method is implemented in business education (McDonald et al., 2022; Becheikh et al., 2022; Zotov et al., 2021). It was also noticed from the literature reviewed that there are limited studies that have explored the implementation of case-based teaching in technology-enhanced business studies classrooms in South Africa. This study was conducted in secondary schools that are located in rural areas, which is a context normally overlooked in research. Hence, the study makes a unique contribution to the field of business education and in the teaching of business studies in particular.

 

THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

This study adopted experiential learning theory as its theoretical lens. This theory advocates for a learning experience that provides a holistic interactive perspective of learning (Kolb, 1984). Teaching methods that create learning environments that support the holistic interactive perspective of learning should be implemented when teaching. Case-based teaching method promotes experiential learning by bringing real life situations into the classroom for analysis and reflection by learners (Ramburuth & Daniel, 2011). Through engaging in learning activities that support reflection and analysis, learners are able to engage in interaction during the learning process. Furthermore, Ely (2018) mentioned that experiential learning theory advocates for active learning where learners engage in hands-on activities. In line with this, case-based teaching can create a learning environment that supports active participation of learners through engaging in problem-solving processes. For example, business studies learners can be given case studies that present various business problems, and they should be given a task to engage in brainstorming, to suggest solutions to resolve the real business problems.

Experiential learning is also acclaimed for promoting authentic learning experiences for learners to grasp the content being taught (Duchatelet et al., 2023). This means that learning environments that are supported by experiential learning expose learners to real learning experiences. Similarly, the instruction that is supported by case-based teaching is characterised by authentic learning (Radovic et al., 2021). This is because the case-based teaching allows teachers to use case studies that present authentic situations to learners, in order for them to engage in finding solutions as part of the learning process. Radovic et al. (2021) underscored that exposing learners to authentic learning activities, through experiential learning and case studies, helps to prepare them for the real workplace. For business studies learners, this exposes them to activities that happen in real businesses. This prepare them for the world of work and enable them to easily adjust upon joining the business environment. Exposing learners to authentic learning also prompts them to apply domain-specific knowledge and skills in a real world-based learning context (Stanley, 2021). Business studies learners can apply domain specific knowledge such as environmental scanning tools (SWOT analysis, Porter's Five Forces and PESTLE) to analyse business environments when they are given real business case studies.

From the discussion above, it can be concluded that experiential learning theory is an ideal theoretical lens to underpin this study. This is because both experiential learning theory and case-based teaching methods have common elements. They both advocate for a learning environment that is characterised by learners' active involvement in the learning process. Furthermore, both methods place emphasis on exposing learners to authentic learning activities. Thus, experiential learning theory was deemed suitable for this study, and it helped the researcher to understand how business studies teachers implemented case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms.

 

METHODOLOGY

Research approach, paradigm and research design

A qualitative research approach was adopted for this study. This enabled the researcher to elicit the participants' accounts of meaning and their experiences in relation to the implementation of case-based teaching in technology-enhanced business studies classrooms (Babbie & Mouton, 2009). This approach provides complex textual descriptions of how people experience a given research issue (Anderson, 2006). In this study, business studies teachers provided detailed descriptions of their experiences of implementing case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms. Furthermore, this study adopted the interpretive paradigm as its world view. Studies that are located within the interpretive paradigm strive to understand the participants' actions the way they are and try to give them meaning by interpreting them (Pervin & Mokhtar, 2022). In line with the research approach and paradigm of this study, an exploratory case study was adopted as the research design. Employing an exploratory case study assisted the researcher to focus on individual participant's actions and interactions (Rashid et al., 2019), which allows the researcher to study a few individuals in depth (Rule & John, 2011). In this study, a sample of six business studies teachers was used.

Sampling procedure

Convenient sampling and purposive sampling techniques were adopted in this study. Convenient sampling was used to select six secondary schools located in a predominantly rural district, in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. From each school, one business studies teacher was sampled purposively. Kemper et al. (2003) mentioned that purposive sampling allows the researchers to use a specific criterion to select the participants. Selection criteria in this study were that participants teach business studies in Grades 10-12, and they integrate technology in their classrooms.

Data collection method

Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data from the participants which provided the researcher with insights into the meaning and significance of implementing case-based teaching in a technology-enhanced business studies classroom (Lauterbach, 2018). During individual interviews, teachers narrated how they implemented case-based teaching while integrating technology in their classrooms. As teachers were giving their accounts, the researcher was able to ask clarity-seeking questions. This was advantageous to the researcher because he was able to understand the participants' narrations in detail (Cohen et al., 2011). The interviews with the participants took place in their respective schools during the time that was agreed upon by both the researcher and the participants. Each interview lasted between 45-60 minutes and all interviews were audio recorded, after permission to record was granted by each participant.

Data analysis

Thematic analysis was used to analyse raw data collected from the participants. Thematic analysis is commended for allowing the researcher to focus on identifying and describing both implicit and explicit ideas within data (Braun & Clarke, 2006). When analysing the data, the researcher followed the six steps of thematic analysis as suggested by Braun and Clarke (2006). Data analysis included (i) data transcription, (ii) reading raw data repeatedly to ensure familiarity with the data, (iii) allocation of codes on the raw data, (iv) development of initial themes, (v) revisions of initial themes and (vi) development of final themes. The final themes were then used to report the findings of the study.

Ethical considerations

To abide by the ethical requirements of research, the researcher sought permission to conduct research from the KZN Department of Education. After obtaining the permission from KZN DoE, relevant authorities in schools were approached to seek permission to conduct research in their schools. Ethics clearance was also obtained from the university where the study was conducted. In accordance with the requirements of ethics in research, the rights of the participants, including the right to informed consent, the right to withdraw at any stage of the research and the right to non-disclosure of the participants' identities, were respected throughout the research process. Pseudonyms (Teacher 1, Teacher 2, Teacher 3, Teacher 4, Teacher 5 and Teacher 6) were used when reporting the findings, in order to protect the identities of the participants.

 

FINDINGS

Two main themes, which encompass regular implementation of case-based teaching method and amenability of case-based teaching to technology integration, emerged during data analysis. Themes were then used to report the findings of the study.

Regular implementation of case-based teaching method

Teachers provided accounts on the frequency of implementation of case-based teaching in their business studies classrooms.For example, Teacher 5 said:

Every day, I use case-based teaching method in business studies; like in every topic, I always get a case study or case studies to enhance learners' understanding of the topic.

This view might be due to the amenability of case studies to the business studies curriculum. The curriculum emphasises that teachers should expose learners to authentic and genuine learning experiences that occur in the real business world, so case-based teaching exposes learners to real business scenarios.

The regular implementation of case-based teaching method was also emphasised by Teacher 4 saying,

In business studies, there is no way that you can avoid case-based teaching method.

Teacher 4's emphasis on case-based teaching method in business studies shows how integral and unavoidable this method is in business studies instructional practices. Furthermore, the ability of case-based teaching to expose learners to the real world was also reiterated by Teacher 2. She said:

We use case-based teaching methods to expose learners to practical business problems, such as the floods that were experienced in KwaZulu-Natal province recently. I relied on a case-based teaching method to teach learners about the business environments. This is good because that is what learners know and hear from the news, so I took the cases of real businesses to clarify the content.

From this, one can assume that using case-based teaching helps to ensure the relevance and practicability of business studies content taught to learners. As Teacher 2 reported, using case studies that focuses on the real issues that happen in real contexts enable learners to learn about issues that they are familiar with from outside the classroom. Exposing learners to issues that affect their societies on a daily basis through case-based teaching can facilitate their understanding of the content taught.

It also emerged from the teachers' commentaries that case studies help to enhance the contents of the textbooks and ensure that case studies that appeal to learners' real experiences are infused in the teaching of business studies. Teacher 6 said:

The use of case-based teaching method ensures that we teach recent content to learners. For example, we had COVID-19 that affected businesses, so textbooks do not have that content. I then used case studies to teach learners about the effects of COVID-19 on businesses.

From Teacher 6's assertion, it can be concluded that case-based teaching enables business studies teachers to ensure that the content taught to learners is up to date. Thus, adopting case studies that contain real world situations may help to keep the content that is taught relevant to the everchanging business environment.

The participants also mentioned that case-based teaching strengthens learners' participation in learning activities. This transpired from the commentary of Teacher 1. He asserted:

I use different case studies to engage learners in solving business related problems in my class. Before solving business problem that is contained in the case study, learners start by reading the case study and engage in brainstorming maybe as groups or pairs to suggest solutions.

Teacher 1 uses case-based teaching method not only to promote active participation of learners in learning, but also to enhance learners' problem-solving skills. As suggested in the curriculum, business studies learners need to develop skills such as problem-solving skills to solve complex business problems in the 21st century business environment.

Amenability of case-based teaching to technology integration

The participants concurred that case-based teaching method is amenable to technology integration. For example, Teacher 6 articulated that she uses technology to access different case studies that help to enhance learners' learning experiences. She recounted:

I use the internet to get the latest information like COVID-19 and how it affects businesses and use case studies to clarify the content.

Technology integration helps her to access a variety of case studies. Unlike before, where business studies teachers were limited to case studies that were contained in print learning materials, the availability of technology enables them to integrate more case studies in order to facilitate learners' understanding of business studies content.

In addition, supporting case-based teaching method with technology helps business studies teachers to make case studies resonate with their learners' contexts. This observation was made by Teacher 3. She opined:

Our textbooks sometimes contain case studies that are not relevant to our context. Remember, we are in a rural-based school, so textbooks are designed for people who come from different backgrounds. Using technology such as the computer, I take the case-study written in the textbook and edit it to fit the context of my school and the learners. There are things that learners cannot understand because they are not exposed, but if I change and use what they know, they understand better.

Technology plays an important role in enabling teachers to enhance case studies contained in textbooks to make them context specific. As articulated by Teacher 3, case studies that resonate with learners' contexts helps to facilitate their understanding, because some of the case studies contained in business studies classrooms may be complex for learners who are not exposed to contexts with complicated infrastructure and facilities.

It also emerged from the interviews that teachers integrate technology while implementing case-based teaching to reinforce the content taught. For example, Teacher 1 indicated that she uses technology to highlight similarities and differences among the forms of ownership. He said:

I use a data projector to display scenarios from different businesses to show learners how businesses operate and allow them to compare businesses and discuss differences, management styles or forms of ownership.

Making use of different case studies to emphasise similarities and differences among the forms of ownership is critical, because this topic can be too abstract and confusing to some learners. Therefore, teachers who are capitalising on the capabilities of technology to display different case studies that contain the characteristics of different forms of ownership may help to facilitate learners' understanding.

It also transpired from teachers' commentaries that technology integration helps them to facilitate learning activities. For example, Teacher 4 and Teacher 6 indicated that technology integration assisted them to facilitate learning activities that promoted problem-solving. Teacher 4 states:

I normally use a laptop and a projector to display a scenario to show learners that a certain business is experiencing a certain challenge, so they are required to solve the problem following problem-solving steps, which include defining the problem up to taking a proper solution to solve a specific business problem.

From this we see that technology integration has changed the way in which business studies teachers are implementing case-based teaching method in their classrooms. Due to technology integration, teachers are able to display case studies while learners engage in problem-solving. This helps learners to pay attention to the business-related problem they are required to solve. This is unlike the traditional classroom where learners are forced to juggle between the textbook, to read the case study, and the exercise book, to write the suggested solutions. Juggling between multiple learning materials may distract learners from focusing on solving a real business problem.

 

DISCUSSION

This study explored how business studies teachers implement case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms. It emerged that business studies teachers often implement business cases in their classrooms because they expose learners to real business situations, which enhance their understanding of business studies content. Akili (2021) agreed that scenarios that are incorporated in case-based teaching expose learners to the challenges and situations that learners do not usually come across in a traditional classroom. Thus, this experience concretises abstract knowledge, making it easier for learners to engage with the business studies content. A study that was conducted by Ameta, Tiwari and Singh (2020) discovered that implementing case-based teaching benefits learners, because it enhances their ability to make business decisions, and critically analyse and solve business related problems. Implementing case-based teaching in business studies classrooms does not only expose learners to real business situations but also helps them to engage in higher-order thinking skills such as problem-solving, decision-making and analysis. It has been confirmed in this study that learners benefit from classroom cases that present problems that enable them to engage higher-order thinking as they compare and contrast different business 'management styles and forms of ownership'. Such exposure inculcates business thinking and orients learners to the field. Song et al. (2022) assert that these scenarios that are incorporated in case-based teaching train learners to become experts at analysing business cases upon joining the real business environment.

Furthermore, this study revealed that implementing case-based teaching improves learners' participation in learning. Incorporating scenarios that resonate with real business situations encourages learners to engage in activities such as brainstorming, in order to suggest solutions to challenges with which businesses are faced. This finding concurs with the finding of Akili (2021) who found that case-based teaching method encourages learners to analyse, discuss, evaluate and provide recommendations in relation to the business problem presented to them. Moreover, creating learning environments that foster learners' active involvement is in accordance with the aspirations of Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb, 1984). In addition, this study found that implementing case-based teaching enables teachers to teach learners current content that resonates with their daily experiences. For example, it transpired from teachers' commentaries that events such as floods in KwaZulu-Natal province and the Covid-19 pandemic negatively affected businesses, however, prescribed textbooks did not have that content due to the recency of the events. As a result, business studies teachers relied on real business case studies to teach learners about the impact of floods and pandemics on business operations. In this regard, case-based teaching method played a crucial role in giving learners insights into real business problems that businesses faced (McDonald et al., 2022).

This study also confirmed that case-based teaching is compatible with technology integration. The findings have shown that integrating technology while implementing case-based teaching helps teachers and learners to access a variety of case studies. This confirms the findings of Goh and Sigala's (2020) research. This study also revealed that implementing case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms helps teachers to improve business studies content to resonate with learners' contexts, which reinforce their understanding of the content. In other words, technology integration helps teachers to alter the contents of the case studies that are contained in the prescribed learning materials. Moreover, integrating technology while implementing case-based teaching enables teachers to shape learners' high-order thinking skills. It emerged from the teachers' commentaries that they capitalise on the capabilities of technology to shape learners' evaluation skills. Some teachers use technological tools to project multiple case studies, to enable learners to identify similarities and differences among the elements of the content taught, such as the forms of ownership. Exposing learners to activities of this nature enhance their creative thinking skills (Hoffer, 2020) because in identifying similarities and differences, they need to apply creative thinking.

Based on the findings of this study, one can maintain that implementing case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms resonates with the aspirations of the Experiential Learning Theory. |Case studies that are incorporated in business studies classrooms expose learners to real business situations. This finding concurs with Experiential Learning Theory, because real life situations are brought into the classroom in order to enable learners to engage in analysis and reflection (Ramburuth & Daniel, 2011). Furthermore, this study found that integrating technology while implementing case studies enables teachers to expose learners to a variety of case studies, which help learners to engage in brainstorming. Although Experiential Learning Theory is silent on technology integration in teaching and learning, it embraces the idea that learning activities adopted in learning should encourage learners to engage, reflect and interact. This study argues that propelling brainstorming among business studies learners through case-based teaching is in line with the aspirations of Experiential Learning Theory, because when learners engage in brainstorming, they are likely to engage in interaction and reflection.

 

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This study explored business studies teachers' implementation of case-based teaching in technology-enhanced classrooms. From the key findings, the study concluded that integrating technology while implementing case-based teaching transforms the learning context and maximises learners' participation in learning activities. The study recommends that business studies teachers intensify the implementation of case-based teaching in their technology-enhanced classrooms to facilitate learners' understanding of business studies content. Despite this, it is important to note that this study had some limitations, which includes the small number of teachers that were sampled, as a result the findings of this study cannot be generalised. Nevertheless, it was not the aim of the study to generalise the findings, rather the study aimed to understand business studies teachers' practices when implementing case-based teaching method in technology-enhanced classroom. Furthermore, only business studies teachers participated in this study, teachers who teach other subjects may provide different conclusions on the same phenomenon.

It is recommended that a qualitative study that will include teachers who teach other subjects be conducted in future. Furthermore, a mixed methods study should be conducted so that a larger number of teachers can be sampled, and this may enable the findings to be generalised across different contexts. Finally, a study that will explore the implementation of case-based teaching while integrating technology in schools located in urban areas should be conducted in future. This will help to examine the influence of context to teachers' implementation of case-based teaching while integrating technology.

 

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Date submitted: 2 July 2024
Date reviewed: 21 February 2025
Date accepted: 28 March 2025