ABSTRACT
Astrong advantage of case studies is they provide a depth of understanding that allows researchers to achieve a holistic picture of a phenomenon not possible with other methodologies. Merriam (2009) describes the case study method as “an in-depth description and analysis of a bounded system” (p. 40). A case study is thus the examination of the particularity and complexity of a case, or bounded system, coming to understand its activities and important circumstances (Stake, 1995). Yin (2014) outlines case studies’ critical features. First, they investigate “a contemporary phenomenon in depth and within its real-life context, especially when the boundaries between the phenomenon and context are not clearly evident” (p. 18). Second, they address the full complexity of a research problem by incorporating multiple sources and types of evidence (Yin, 2014). The case study method is particularly useful for researching educational interventions because it provides a rich description of all the interrelated factors. In educational contexts, case studies can be used to illustrate, elaborate, or test a theory (e.g., transformative learning), or assist other educators to analyze or shape their own practices.
