Students often learn that no solutions to some situations are totally satisfactory. Nevertheless, a decision must be made despite lack of data or clearly favorable alternatives. This often requires that they set aside their personal biases. Deliberating decision cases therefore can aid in building new understanding when a case involves divergent viewpoints on an issue. Decision cases, as used at Minnesota, are often coupled with student writing or speaking exercises.
Cases are an effective method of enhancing writing or speaking across the curriculum.
Research is currently underway within the Program for Decision Cases to further exploit these opportunities. Although decision cases are traditionally employed in conventional classroom settings, we are finding very positive results in using them in extension education settings as well. Extension audiences often are quite responsive due to their high interest in practical examples, as provided in a case, and the opportunities that a case provides for drawing upon the professional experience base of those audiences. Decision cases are a key feature of the new dairy extension initiative in Minnesota. Cases, on the other hand, are an example of inductive research.