Teaching from Cases

In professional business and management education, case writing and teaching methodologies are widely used and well developed. Social work education has also made extensive use of cases in its writing and curricula, though less systematic attention appears to have been given to case teaching approach in the literature. This article reports on the author's experience in a project to write social work cases and teach from them. Educational assumptions, strategies, the roles of the teacher, and strengths and limitations of case teaching are discussed. Also addressed are features of this approach that help students rehearse for the critical thinking, choices and adaptability demanded by contemporary social work practice.