Using case studies simultaneously

This is a more complex way of using the printed materials and should only be used once students have become familiar with and are successful at using the case studies.

• Organise the students into groups - five groups of four for example.

• Give each group a different case study.

• Ask each group to read the study and prepare a short oral report on, for example, the way the product was manufactured. Give the groups a time limit for this task, 15 minutes maximum.

• Each group then reports back to the whole class (2 minutes maximum for each feedback) and you note key points on the board.

• You then use a whole class question - answer session based on the key points to develop the class’s understanding of manufacturing and the principles of manufacturing that can be applied to the production of any product. You can use this approach to develop understanding about a range of issues concerned with systems engineering.