Engage Students and Encourage Critical Thinking

Gale Case Studies addresses contemporary social issues, providing expert commentary and historical context to promote critical thinking around timely topics organized into course ready modules centered around primary source documents.

Six topically focused modules prepare students for future careers and promote the growth of transferrable skills by encouraging them to think analytically about topics related to LGBTQ rights, public health concerns, political extremism, women’s studies and race.

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Higher education prepares students before they enter a challenging, unpredictable world. Universities and colleges can provide students with educational resources that will help them become better analytical thinkers and problem solvers outside of the classroom. Many leading educators see teaching case studies as an effective way for students to practice their critical thinking skills. Academically, a case study is a thorough examination of a specific subject or problem, and this method of learning is popular in the fields of health administration, political science, and social work among others. Teaching case studies can help students put theories into practice and is often useful in identifying problems not revealed through a more traditional approach.

Gale Case Studies was created by university faculty and developed specifically for the classroom. This new higher education tool gives undergraduate students the chance to sharpen their critical-thinking skills by using historical content to evaluate and discuss contemporary social issues within the educational context of a case study. Gale Case Studies not only promotes the development of transferable skills; it also encourages students to think analytically as they explore crucial topics, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) rights; gender identity development and sexual orientation; systemic racism; public health; urban development; political extremism; and diversity in the workplace. In addition, this resource allows university faculty and administration to expose students to a process of study not typically seen in the classroom.

Each module of Gale Case Studies is organized by topic and supported by a curated collection of primary sources. Students and faculty can access case studies, related discussion questions, and links to curated content. Teaching case studies complements traditional higher education practices and it also makes remote and online learning more accessible to all students. The Learning Management Systems (LMS) integration adds to the accessibility of this resource. Learning materials can be seamlessly embedded into the academic workflow without the need for a separate application. Students can prepare for informed, course-related discussions; develop problem-solving skills; and grow more confident using primary sources for classroom projects and research papers.

Topics Covered:

Platform Features:

LMS Integration

Enables instructors to easily access and link to pertinent content directly within their LMS. Plus, persistent URLs give users added confidence in knowing the content will never disappear. 

 

Curated Content

Topics and sources are carefully chosen by an editor-in-chief and academic instructor and/or faculty member for quality of content, accuracy, and learning approach.

Discussion Questions

Discussion questions are provided at the end of the workflow to create prompts for students to analyze case-based primary sources and teaching topics.

 

Guided Experience

Instructors and students are guided through the workflow by an intuitive experience that fosters learning through both primary sources and discussion questions that promote further research.

Image Viewer

Users can look at the primary source content, such as images, handwritten letters, or newspaper articles as they were originally published to better understand the historical context.

 

Cross-Search Capability

Students and instructors can search across content from complementary modules in one intuitive environment and make new research connections.

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Look Inside

Gale Case Studies main navigation page

Sample of case studies found in Intersectional LGBTQ Issues module

Sample case study found in Intersectional LGBTQ Issues module

 

Sample of primary sources available in Intersectional LGBTQ Issues module

Additional Details

SUBJECTS COVERED

  • LGBTQ
  • Political Extremism
  • Public Health
  • Race and Civil Rights
  • Women's Studies

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MODULE FACT SHEETS

Reviews & Testimonials

“A set of case studies like Gale Case Studies and its archival material can help scholars to keep framing why the humanities are relevant—they are relevant for social change, they are relevant for understanding and analyzing public policy and the impact on people’s lives . . . this is the kind of thing that can help us show students how relevant this is and why it’s important to be engaged in humanities research.”
 
-Danielle DeMuth, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Grand Valley State University