Best Practice in Developing Critical Analyses: An Empirical Study of Self-Efficacy from an Interdisciplinary Perspective

• Main Authors: Coleen Sams, Doreen Sams
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Georgia Southern University 2011-07-01
• Series: International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning
• Subjects: Case study; Critical thinking; Efficacy; Empirical; Pedagogy
• Online Access: https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ij-sotl/vol5/iss2/17

Despite substantial usage of case study analyses as learning tools in diverse fields of study, business graduate students often arrive with little to no prior knowledge in how to effectively use this tool. Using the Sams efficacy model (2009) strategic to business education this study identified a dearth in the usage of case study analyses in business graduate courses and also provides a step-by-step process to increase critical analysis and efficacy through the usage of case studies. Findings demonstrate that critical analysis is developed through a combination of teaching tools through additive strategies to impact more learning modalities at the graduate education level. A counter-intuitive finding was that formative written feedback did not significantly increase the development of case study analyses skills; this finding supports the additive model. This research brings forward universal best practices for developing critical analysis, as self-efficacy in business applications also increases.