Teaches data-based, critical thinking and problem solving skills used in the real world!

Submitted 8 years ago
My Rating
Pedagogy
Supports

My Take

I began using the Cogent Case Studies years ago and now find them an invaluable tool. The animations allow students to experience concepts such as membrane transport, osmosis and cellular respiration (among many others) at the molecular level - this is something that was simply impossible for the students to really see or experience before now. Having the students play the role of a doctor or vet trying to save a patient causes them to really invest in the outcome of the case, and see the value of what they are learning. While some vocabulary can be challenging for lower level students, you can easily differentiate by using the cases in different ways, such as partners or small group settings. There are so many possibilities! I highly recommend these cases, they are worth the investment!

How I Use It

I typically use these case studies at the end of a unit to review or as a performance assessment piece. It truly is a gauge of students' ability to utilize the scientific method, but in a real-world application that is directly linked to content. Using the 'heat map' that shows students' progress throughout the case in real time allows me to catch misconceptions as they happen and correct them immediately.