Prelude to the Case

This case study is a redesign of Robert H. Grant’s “A Strange Fish Indeed: The ‘Discovery’ of a Living Fossil,” published by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science in 2005. The case follows the story of Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer and her discovery of the coelacanth, a fish of considerable evolutionary interest. It uses the story as a springboard to explore evolutionary concepts and the scientific method.

This “clicker” case was designed to be presented in a class that uses personal response systems, better known as “clickers.” The story is presented in class via PowerPoint, with multiple-choice questions sprinkled throughout the “lecture.” Students are expected to answer the questions as they arise using their clickers. Many instructors allow students to consult with their neighbor before clicking in their answer. The entire approach encourages student participation even in the largest of classes. The use of clickers in combination with case studies is described in greater detail in the article “Clicker” Cases: Introducing Case Study Teaching Into Large Classrooms.

Date Posted: November 16, 2009.