Some have described the role of a case teacher as similar to that of an orchestra conductor with the students representing the musicians. A conductor does not actually play the instruments but rather guides and directs the musicians to contribute to the overall effort. In addition to discussion of a case by an entire class, cases can be approached using small group collaborative learning strategies or integrated writing assignments. Nevertheless, it is customary to conclude with a structured discussion of a case involving the entire class in order to summarize key points and to obtain a sense of closure to the case. If there is a case epilogue, it can also be disclosed to the entire group as part of the discussion.
Case teaching is something like unraveling a knot.
The instructor's questions and probing, whether in small group or large group discussion formats, is like picking away at a troublesome knot. However, many cases remain a knot even at the end of the discussion, although it is expected that students will better understand the intricacies of the knot. A challenge to using cases with extension or outreach audiences is that the case can often not be assigned to the students ahead of time. When a case must be distributed and discussed within a single session with the participants having little preparation time, it is important that the teacher have a strategy for helping students engage the case and its issues quickly. An overview by the instructor is sometimes sufficient.