LITEE - Why Should You Use LITEE Case Studies

Case Studies:

The LITEE team has developed nine Case Studies and is in the process of developing a new one. Please click on the links on the left and/or at the textbook icon linksfor more information

This section also provides information on:

Why you should use a LITEE Case Study?
Benefits of LITEE Multimedia Case Studies
Where you can find information on how to order the books?

Textbook Icons:

How to obtain the case studies.

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Why should you use one of LITEE Case Studies?

1. Because the case study text books are Innovative in Content, Organization and Presentation.

Innovation in Content:

Provides students opportunity for team working and learning from peers.
Integrates complex engineering and business issues in a story form that appeals to students.
It captures the expertise and experiences of industry participants and an inter-disciplinary academic team thereby enhancing the asynchronous and synchronous learning experiences of the students.

Innovation in Organization:

Provides a reason for the students to learn to use software such as Expert Choice in Crist Power Plant case study by integrating it in a real-world decision-making scenario.
Includes elements of asynchronous and synchronous learning strategies.
Makes it easy to locate information about the case study--Important feature when we consider the often overwhelming volume of information usually available to solve business and engineering problems.

Innovation in Presentation:

Video clips, Audio clips, Photographs, and Animations augment the student's ability to grasp the complex engineering materials and make it possible to apply decision-making methods.
Students use multimedia technologies in their presentations (for example, could show a rotor or expert choice results in their presentation).
Makes it possible to make decisions in a timely manner-- Important feature when we consider the limited time that is usually available to make decisions on (sometimes million dollar) problems.
It enhances student-centered learning since they are actively involved in solving the problem.

2. Since they provide opportunity for students to integrate Practice, Theory and Design.

The teaching pedagogy behind providing these materials is:

The students learn new theories and methods using the materials in the chapters.
They apply the theories to simulated environments of complex real-world problems using multi-media case studies provided in the CD-ROM thereby reinforcing the concepts learned earlier and obtaining an understanding of engineering practice.
They use the learning achieved to develop and complete a simple engineering project thereby obtaining hands-on experience.

3. Because students value this methodology.

Student Comments

After completing the Crist Power Plant case study, I felt like I could become a more valuable asset to a future company. I can incorporate financial, future and engineering issues and concerns into a decision.
I have enjoyed woking on an actual problem. This really keeps me interested because I see the thoeries that I learn in school applied in a practical environment.
I thinnk the ethical side of the decision process will be useful in my future engineering career.
The thing that surprised me the most while doing this case study was the fact that something as simple as an O-Ring on the SRM could cause such a problem for launching the shuttle.

4. Since instructors enthusiastically support this methodology.

Instructor comments:

I was very impressed that my students (Electrical Engineering technology) were able to apply the same critical thinking skill, identify the same key points, and come to the same correct answer as a totally different group of Auburn Mechanical Engineering students.
Seven out of the nine constructs received mean ratings over a 4.0 out of 5.0, indicating that the students had an extremely favorable reaction to the Field Joint on Solid Rocket Booster Case Study.
Crist Power Plant case study is a good coupling of human decision-making and use of engineering analyses.
Because so many of the students related to the events of the Challenger disaster, students often commented on the interesting and personal nature of the case study.
Letters from core faculty

5. Because it is used in other campuses.

The materials developed by LITEE are based partially upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant Numbers: 9752353, 9950514, 0001454, 0089036 and 0442531.

"Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this web site are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation."