Keywords: case teaching; Teaching effect; Applied skills
China Library Classification Number: G642 Document Identification Number: A Document Number:1673-291x (2011)13-0246-02.
How to cultivate high-quality and high-quality talents who are proficient in foreign trade-related knowledge and meet the needs of society has become an important topic in front of colleges and universities. As a new teaching method, case teaching method has unparalleled advantages in mobilizing students' enthusiasm and initiative, stimulating students' creative thinking, and improving students' ability to analyze and solve problems, which has been paid more and more attention, explored and applied by colleges and universities.
First, the definition of case method of instruction
The case teaching method originated in the 1920s and was advocated by HF. At that time, it was a very unique case teaching method. These cases all come from the real situation or events of enterprise management. In this way, it is helpful to cultivate and develop students to actively participate in classroom discussions. After implementation, it is quite effective. It was not until 1980s that this case teaching method was paid attention to by teacher training, especially in the report put forward by 1986 group, which recommended the value of case teaching method in teacher training courses and considered it to be a quite effective teaching mode. However, it was not until the 1990s that the domestic educational circles began to explore the case teaching method.
Second, the basic link of case teaching method
There is no fixed mode of case teaching method, but no matter what mode, it is inseparable from the following basic implementation links. Only by effectively implementing these links can we ensure the success of the whole case teaching.
1. Case preparation before teaching. Case teaching method is based on cases, and the quality of the selected cases determines the effectiveness of classroom teaching. Before class, teachers should collect and sort out relevant materials and prepare cases according to the teaching objectives. Considering the diversity of types, cases can be divided into guiding cases, practical cases, role-playing cases and debating cases. Some suitable cases should be compiled according to the needs in teaching. Guiding cases are suitable for guiding the theme in teaching. For example, in the explanation of "foreign exchange dumping", the current hot topics-the case of the depreciation of the US dollar and the appreciation of the RMB are introduced to help smoothly introduce the theoretical knowledge system and inspire students to think. In the role-playing case, students play the role as required, simulate the actual activity process, deepen the understanding of theoretical concepts and gain the experience of role feeling. For example, students negotiate prices as business representatives of two Chinese and American companies, and discuss to what extent American companies can make more profits than before in the case of the depreciation of the US dollar. Debate-based cases refer to students who are divided into pros and cons according to questions and materials, and put forward opposing arguments and arguments. Through debate, they expand relevant knowledge and improve their comprehensive quality. For example, organize students to debate the advantages and disadvantages of RMB appreciation for China's economy.
2. Students' preparation. According to different types of cases, students have different requirements for preparing lessons before or during class. For example, guided cases require students to find and analyze information according to the topic before class. Such as role-playing cases, it is necessary to distribute the role-playing materials to the students to be played before class, so that students can be familiar with the role and rehearse if necessary. Debate and actual cases can be grouped. Voluntary combination can be implemented when grouping. For different cases, each group can compete to answer the same question, or assign different tasks to each group, for example, let several groups analyze the case and let other groups comment.
3. Case analysis. According to different types of cases, the requirements and forms of analysis are also different. In the case of debate, the debate between the pros and cons is a process of analysis and discussion. After the debate, students can be organized to supplement. In role-playing cases, students can gain experience from role-playing, and then they can organize group discussions after role-playing. Generally speaking, actual cases can be analyzed by students first, then discussed in groups, and finally communicated by the whole class. A good team can give some encouragement, or a student can give a lecture and accept inquiries from other students.
4. Case summary. This stage is carried out on the basis of students' discussion and implemented by teachers. Due to the limitation of students' knowledge, the analysis may not be in place, and teachers need to supplement and summarize it. Teachers should promptly lead out the knowledge points contained in the case, point out whether the case discussion ideas are correct, evaluate the students' analysis, point out the successes and areas that need to be improved, and discuss with the students when necessary, so that students can truly grasp the classroom content, and at the same time, encourage them to a certain extent.
Third, the problems of case teaching method in teaching
1. The role of case teaching. Case teaching is heuristic teaching. Compared with traditional teaching methods, case teaching is no longer a one-way communication process, but a multi-directional communication process between students and teachers, students and students. Obviously, in the process of case teaching, students play the main role as participants, and teachers play the secondary role as guides, and their respective roles are irreplaceable. However, due to the influence of traditional teaching methods, in the international trade case teaching class, the teacher's purpose is to use case teaching method to guide students to master the systematic knowledge taught. In order to avoid students' subjectivity, teachers unconsciously control the process of case teaching and are in a dominant position in the whole learning process. Furthermore, students are used to passively accepting the professional knowledge and experience taught by teachers in class, which will affect students' initiative in case teaching class. What's more, students are afraid that their views and experiences will be questioned by teachers or group members, and sometimes they think that their scattered knowledge plays little role in case discussion and are unwilling to participate in the discussion.
2. The problem of case selection in case teaching. To successfully apply the case teaching method in the classroom, choosing a suitable case before class is the first condition, because whether the case is suitable or not will directly affect the teaching effect. At present, most of the cases used in our teaching come from books such as Collection of Cases sold in the book market. These cases mainly come from two aspects: first, formed cases, mostly extracted from the development success or failure of some well-known domestic enterprises. These cases are often complicated and lack pertinence, typicality, practicality and timeliness. Due to the lack of knowledge, students have no way to start and lose interest in participating, so it is difficult for case teaching to achieve the expected results. Second, some cases adapted from news reports and newspaper comments. The contents of these cases are relatively new, and students have a strong interest in cases adapted from facts. However, due to the lack of systematic treatment, the case content is incomplete, and it is difficult to reach a certain depth, which leads to the failure to meet the teaching requirements.
3. Organization of case teaching. International trade cases often involve a wide range and span, and the process of case discussion is difficult to control. Common situations are: either generalizing without any insight, or aimless discussion without deviating from the theoretical theme; Either the teacher or individual students talk too much, and the content of the discussion is boring. Most students act as bystanders, do not actively participate in the discussion and go through the motions. Some teachers blindly analyze cases and come clean about their own thoughts and ideas. Teachers do not control the whole process of case discussion, the discussion process is chaotic and the teaching time allocation is unscientific. In addition, a considerable number of students do not adapt to case teaching. Students have been in the traditional teacher-centered teaching mode, and suddenly they have developed student-centered case teaching. Students lack both psychological preparation and necessary knowledge and skills, and even feel confused and even at a loss. At this time, if teachers can't organize and guide well, students will inevitably have strong resistance and lead to the failure of teaching.
Fourthly, some suggestions on the application of case teaching method.
1. Teachers should try to choose appropriate cases. If teachers can attract students' attention with easy-to-understand and interesting cases, it will be easier to arouse their interest in case study and discussion. Therefore, the case should be a recent event, with high student recognition and easy learning.
Students understand and analyze. When choosing a case, there must be both successful cases and failed cases. Only in this way can we better enlighten them from different angles. 2. Scientific and reasonable implementation of case discussion. The process of case discussion should be properly controlled. Teachers should pay attention to the following points in this process: First, allocate time reasonably. Pay attention to the reasonable allocation of time for case description, discussion and comment in the teaching process. The second is to choose the first case discussion speaker. The state and opinions of the first speaker have a great influence on the following speakers. Third, we should actively create and maintain a good discussion environment and atmosphere. Teachers should do a good job in guiding the whole case discussion process, not only expressing their opinions from beginning to end, but also not paying attention to mobilizing the enthusiasm of students to discuss and speak; Never get involved in an argument between students. Fourth, be good at listening, don't deny students' views easily, and fully affirm correct and original views. Fifth, pay attention to the management of classroom discipline. In the process of teaching, if students argue fiercely because of different views, which seriously affects the smooth progress of teaching, teachers should also manage it properly. Sixth, do a good job in teachers' concluding remarks and comments. For teachers, the real test is the final case review. Teachers should have the skills of commenting, so as to lead the case comment to a deeper level.
Teachers should change their roles on the teaching stage. Teachers should change from classroom speakers to organizers of case discussions, stimulate students' enthusiasm for learning, arouse students' enthusiasm and participation, enliven the classroom atmosphere, and realize the change of teachers' teaching role in discussing, debating and solving problems. In the classroom, teachers should be more supporters than lecturers to guide the discussion, so that students can express their views freely, thus promoting the change of students' learning style, from passive to active, from acceptance to thinking, and promoting the integration of knowledge.
4. Improve teachers' practical teaching ability. The ability and level of teachers' case teaching directly determines the effect and quality of case teaching. In view of the present situation, it is necessary to carry out necessary practical training for teachers, improve their professional skills, update their knowledge structure and improve their case teaching level and ability. Strengthen the construction of "double-qualified" teachers' quality level, create conditions to encourage teachers to go out of campus to exercise in enterprises, enhance perceptual knowledge, enhance practical ability, master the quality and skill requirements of marketing staff, and improve the level of case teaching to meet the new requirements put forward by the education and teaching reform for teachers.
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[Editor Michael Chen]