Engage Students and Encourage Critical Thinking

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 case studies as an effective way for students to practice their critical-thinking skills. In the academic sense, 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. A case study can help students put theories into practice and is often useful in identifying problems not revealed through a more standard educational 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new higher education tool gives undergraduate students the chance to sharpen their critical-thinking skills by using historical content to evaluate and discuss contemporary social issues within the educational context of a case study.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. This approach complements traditional higher education and makes remote and online learning more accessible for everyone. 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.

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

SUPPORT MATERIAL

MODULE FACT SHEETS

Case Study Modules

Intersectional LGBTQ Issues

The process of teaching undergraduate students about the identities, stereotypes, and struggles of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people presents several challenges—and opportunities—that are addressed in this learning module through personal, social, economic, legal, and historical contexts. Students can explore topics related to gay, lesbian, and transgender employment discrimination; gender identity; sexual orientation; cross-dressing laws; ethics; protesting; and FBI surveillance of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer organizations.

Political Extremism

This module explores the evolution of political radicalism in the United States and across the world. It addresses student and faculty needs with carefully curated primary sources and case studies, such as Female Activism in the Black Panther Party and Reinventing Nazism.

Public Health Issues

This module gives students a clear picture of the evolution of America’s health care system by identifying and exploring how marginalized groups experience health care differently. Topics for study include communicable diseases, addiction treatment and education, social work, health equity, racism and health, and more.

Race and Civil Rights

Faculty can use this module to inform and educate students on the nuanced topics of race and civil rights. The topic of civil rights amidst the current social justice climate is timely and addresses the need for engaging content that faculty and students are requesting more than ever.

Refugees and Migration

Provides access to a complete picture of the refugee crises in the first half of the twentieth century. Students and researchers can explore primary sources on migration and forced displacement, which continues to this day.

Women’s Issues

This module examines several topics through the lens of their impact on women, including reproductive rights, gender expectations, family rights for lesbians, sex, transgender rights, discrimination against Asian and Black women, and mental health, among others. Each case study brings together relevant primary sources to provide a wide array of modern perspectives as well as historical context to various strands of women’s rights movements.

Platform Features & Tools

Cross-Search Capability

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

Curated Content

Topics are carefully chosen by an editor-in-chief and academic instructor and/or faculty member who thoroughly review our higher education case studies for quality of the main 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 begins with teaching case studies. This 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.

LMS Integration

This 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. 

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