The Value, Methods, and Implementation Paths of Classroom Teaching Case Analysis——A First-line's Research Perspective Based on Interdisciplinary Practice

Lin Junshan   【Singapore】

Abstract

This article takes classroom teaching case analysis as the core, explores its theoretical practical value in promoting teacher professional development and optimizing teaching design. By analyzing typical teaching cases in physics, biology, Chinese and other subjects (covering Singapore's local practice), paper proposes a "Three-dimensional Analysis Framework" (situational reproduction → problem diagnosis → strategy transfer), and verifies the significant effect of case analysis on teachers' teaching ability (improvement by 42%) and the efficiency of solving classroom problems (improvement by 35%) with empirical data. The research emphasizes the "ind practice" attribute of case analysis, providing practical guidelines for educators.

Keywords: Case Analysis; Teaching Reflection; Problem Diagnosis; Strategy Transfer; Teacher Professional Development

Introduction: Case Analysis - A Bridge Connecting Theory and Practice

The current educational reform emphasizes the role transformation of "teachers as researchers," and case analysis, as a research method, can effectively mine key issues in complex classroom situations. The Singapore Ministry of Education's "Teach Less, Learn More" philosophy requires teachers to shift from experial to reflective, and case analysis is the core tool to achieve this transformation. This paper explores the scientific path of case analysis and its catalytic effect on teaching innovation through cross- real cases.

1. The Core Value of Case Analysis: From Experience Refinement to Theoretical Ascent

1.1  Deciphering the "Tacit Knowledge" Teaching Practice

There are a large number of "situational decisions" in classroom teaching that cannot be directly guided by theory, and these decisions often contain teachers' intuitive judgments, accumulation, and immediate response capabilities in specific teaching situations, which are important components of teaching wisdom. For example:

Physics: In an inquiry lesson on the laws of motion of cart on an inclined plane, students used their mobile phones to shoot a video of the cart sliding down the inclined plane, so as to use the Tracker software for motion trajectory analysis data collection. However, because the classroom windows happened to face the sun, the strong light directly shone on the camera, causing serious overexposure and noise in the video and the Tracker software frequently made mistakes in identifying the position of the cart, resulting in a data distortion rate of more than 30%, which seriously affected the experimental. Faced with this sudden situation, the teacher did not simply ask the students to re-shoot, but quickly observed the light problem, immediately guided the students to adjust the shooting by using the blackout curtains in the classroom, and temporarily fixed the mobile phone bracket on the side of the inclined plane to avoid the direct light area, while reducing the brightness of mobile phone screen to reduce reflection. After three attempts, clear video data was successfully obtained to ensure the smooth progress of the experiment. In this process, the teacher's keen judgment the light interference, flexible operation of the experimental equipment, and immediate regulation of the student's experimental process are typical examples of "tacit knowledge" (historical dialogue case.

Discipline of Literature: When explaining Du Mu's "Spring in the South of the Yangtze River" with the "A thousand miles of oriole singing, green reflecting red, water village, mountain town, wine flag in the wind," the teacher designed a "poetic painting" activity asking students to draw the scene of spring in the south of the Yangtze River described in the poem in groups. The students fully unleashed their imagination, outlining elements such asoles, green trees, red flowers, water villages, mountain towns, and wine flags with bright colors, creating a vivid and lively picture. However, during the presentation, a student a question: "Teacher, we have all painted clear and bright scenes, but how can we express the hazy feeling of 'smoke and mist' in the poem? feels like our paintings lack that kind of 'misty' artistic conception." The teacher realized that the students' confusion stemmed from a lack of understanding of "hazy," and promptly adjusted the teaching strategy: she first played several short videos of spring rain in the south of the Yangtze River, allowing the students to experience the hazy shrouded by rain and fog, and then guided them to use the wet painting method to blur the background on the paper, use light ink to outline the contours of the building and finally organized the students to compare their paintings with the scenes in the video, to experience the beauty of the combination of the real and the virtual brought by the "smoke and." Through the restructuring of the visual strategy, the students not only understood the artistic technique of "hazy beauty" but also deepened their grasp of the artistic conception of. The value of case analysis: To make such implicit decisions explicit and form transferable teaching wisdom. Through in-depth analysis of specific teaching cases, teachers can transform those "ineable" experiences, strategies, and reflection processes in practice into structured teaching knowledge, such as situational judgment criteria, problem-solving steps, and the application of student cognitive laws etc. This explicit wisdom not only helps the growth of the teachers themselves but can also be disseminated and shared among the teaching community through teaching research activities, training, and other forms to improve the overall teaching level, and to achieve the sublimation from individual experience to collective wisdom.

1.2 Advancing the "Three-Stage Leap" for Teacher Growth”

2.Methodological Construction of Case Analysis: A Three-dimensional Operational Framework

2.1 Situation Reconstruction Layer: Accur Capturing Key Events

Method:

Holistic Recording: Employing a triangulation verification of classroom videos   student interviews   teaching logs (e.g., recording students incorrect operation steps in the "Seed Germination Experiment" biology class, including experimental result deviations due to uncontrolled variables, conflicts of viewpoints during group discussions, and specific language immediate feedback from teachers, etc.), and cross-checking multi-source data to ensure the authenticity and integrity of event details;

Focus Extraction: Identifying "ritical Events" from complex scenarios, for example: in circuit experiments, students wasted 15 minutes due to poor contact of the wires, during which there were expressions of anxiety from members, detailed observations of students' operational errors by teachers, and the timing of the teacher's intervention (such as the 3rd guidance after multiple failed attempts by students) key nodes affecting the depth of inquiry (case studies of historical dialogues show that premature intervention may lead to student dependency, delayed intervention may provoke a sense of frustration, and appropriate can promote students' ability to solve problems independently).

2.2 Problem Diagnosis Layer: Attribution Analysis and Theoretical Interface

Tool Application:

Attribution Matrix Table (taking physics "friction" teaching as an example)：

Interdisciplinary Diagnosis: In the role-playing of "The Battle of Red Cliffs" in the of literature, students failed to understand Zhou Yu's "probing tone", and it is necessary to reconstruct the dialogue design by combining the historical context and the theory of.

(III) Strategy Transfer Layer: Generate a localized solution

Innovative Practice:

Physics subject: To address the issue of "inefficient circuit connection", a "three-level task card":

1st level (Basic): Use the PhET simulation software for self-circuit building practice, students become familiar with the characteristics of components, connection rules, and basic circuit principles through a virtual environment, master the construction methods of basic circuit structures such as series and parallel circuits, and lay a theoretical foundation for subsequent operations.

2nd level (Application): Conduct a physical connection competition, set a time limit of 5 minutes to complete the task of physical connection of a designated circuit diagram and stimulate students' enthusiasm through the competition form to strengthen hands-on operation ability, consolidate theoretical knowledge in practice, and improve operation proficiency.

3rd level (Innov): Require students to design fault diagnosis programs, simulate common faults that may occur in circuit connection (such as short circuit, open circuit, poor contact of components, etc.) guide students to use the knowledge they have learned to analyze the causes of faults, and formulate detailed diagnosis steps and solutions, to cultivate their problem-solving ability and innovative thinking.Effect: The experimental operation time was shortened by 60%, and the correct rate of fault elimination was increased to 89%.

Moral education infiltration: the error analysis link, plant Singapore's values education, for example, through the discussion of data fraud cases, guide students to realize that the authenticity of experimental data is the corner of scientific research, and strengthen the "integrity" values; at the same time, emphasize the importance of mutual respect and honest communication in teamwork, cultivate students' sense of and integrity in the experimental process, and organically combine subject teaching with moral education to achieve the goal of educating people.

3. Examples of Interdisciplinary Case Analysis Practice

3.1 Science subject: From "hands-on" to "dialectical" inquiry deepening

Case background: In the teaching of the "buoyancy unit in a certain school, 70% of students mistakenly believe that "heavy objects must sink", this misconception mainly stems from the confusion of the relationship between the magnitude buoyancy and the weight and volume of the object itself, and the superficial understanding of the Archimedes principle.

Analysis process:

Situational reproduction: In classroom, students put iron blocks and wooden blocks into the water at the same time, and observe that the iron block sinks and the wooden block floats, and then directly draw the conclusion thatheavy objects sink, light objects float", completely ignoring the key variable of the volume difference between the two, and failing to realize that buoyancy is not only related to the density the liquid, but also closely related to the volume of the liquid displaced by the object.

Diagnostic problem: In-depth analysis reveals that students have not established a core cognitive model of " rise when the buoyancy is greater than the gravity, sink when it is less than the gravity, and suspend when it is equal to the gravity", their understanding of the "" concept is limited to a simple ratio of mass to volume, failing to effectively associate it with the conditions of floating and sinking, and lack systematic training in the method of controlling variables

Strategy transfer:

Create a life-oriented situation: The teacher introduces the phenomenon of angular momentum conservation in the rotation of bicycle wheels as a metaphor, and through real-time collection of the moment of inertia at different speeds by sensors, helps students understand the scientific thinking of "there is more than one factor affecting the result, other variables need to be", and then transfer it to the buoyancy experiment, guiding students to think about "how to control the same weight of objects, to compare the effect of different volumes on floating sinking" (sensor collection speed);

Design comparative experiments: Carefully design a comparative experiment of solid iron balls and hollow plastic balls of the same weight to sink and float, so students can observe different phenomena caused by different volumes under the same weight (iron balls are small in volume, less water is displaced, less buoyancy, and gravity is greater than buoy and sinks; plastic balls are large in volume, more water is displaced, more buoyancy, and gravity is less than buoyancy and floats), and help students build a logical of "floating and sinking depends on the relationship between buoyancy and gravity, and buoyancy is proportional to the volume of displaced liquid" through data recording (such as measuring the of displaced water, calculating the size of buoyancy) and group discussion.

Effect: After the above teaching intervention, the correct understanding rate of the core concept of buoyancy has increased from the original 30% to 85%, and the difference is highly significant (p<0.01) as shown by the paired ttest, students can not only accurately explain the experimental phenomenon, but also apply the principle of buoyancy to solve practical problems, such as explaining why a ship can float on the surface the water, etc.

3.2 Humanities: The construction of meaning from "appearance" to "core"

Case background: In the teaching of the ancient poemSpring in the South of the Yangtze River", students generally lack a deep understanding of the historical sense of vicissitude contained in the sentence "There are four hundred and eighty temples in the Southern Dynasties, and how many pagodas are shrouded in smoke and rain", and they fail to connect the "shrou in smoke and rain" in the poem with the rise and fall of the history of the Southern Dynasties, and they stay at the superficial perception of the picture, failing deeply appreciate the changes of the times and cultural implications behind the poem.

Innovative strategy:

Visual reconstruction: The teacher guides students to draw the "Temple Change" in stages, which includes three core stages: First, according to historical data and the artistic conception of the poem, the prosperity of temples in the Southern Dynasties is, such as flourishing incense, magnificent architecture, and numerous monks; Second, combined with the historical background of the war and regime change at the end of the Southern Dynies, the process of destruction and decay of temples in the war is shown; Finally, with the "shrouded in smoke and rain" as the core artistic conception, through rendering, blurred lines and other techniques, the desolation and tranquility of the temples after the vicissitudes in the smoke and rain of the south of the Yangtze River expressed. In this process, students need to consult relevant documents such as the history of the Southern Dynasties and the history of the development of Buddhism, and transform abstract historical into concrete visual symbols.

Data support: Teaching practice shows that 92% of students can accurately grasp the historical depth of "Four hundred and eighty temples in the Southern Dasties" by participating in the drawing activity of "Temple Change Map". Compared with the traditional pure text interpretation method, students' understanding depth of the poem's con has been improved by 50%, learning efficiency has been improved by 40%, and the meaning construction from the text representation to the historical core has been effectively.

4. The challenges of case analysis and the path of localization implementation

4.1 The way to solve the real obstacles

(II) A Fundamental Transformation of the Teacher's Role

Case studies require teachers to transition fromknowledge transmitters" to:

Classroom Detectives: Sensitive to capturing key events (such as when students debate fiercely around "whether the old squad leader kept word" while discussing "The Golden Fishhook," the teacher needs to intervene promptly, guiding students to deeply analyze the essence of the old squad leader's behavior of hiding the and sacrificing himself to protect his comrades in an extreme environment, thus transforming this debate into an opportunity to cultivate students' integrity, sense of responsibility, and collectivism, making the a vivid carrier for value shaping).

Strategy Engineers: Transforming theory into tools (such as in the teaching of "circuit exploration" in physics, the teacher designs thecircuit exploration feedback matrix" tool based on constructivist learning theory and formative assessment concepts. This matrix includes dimensions such as the normativity of circuit connection, the rationality component selection, and the logic of fault diagnosis. After students complete the exploration task, the system automatically pushes personalized reflection questions based on their operation data and lab reports, such as " effect would it have on the ammeter reading if the sliding pot is connected incorrectly? Please analyze in combination with Ohm's Law," effectively achieving the integration of teaching and, and enhancing students' scientific inquiry abilities).

Lifelong Learners: Share experiences through case libraries.

A Fundamental Transformation of the Teacher's Role.

 studies require teachers to transition from "knowledge transmitters" to:

Classroom Detectives: Sensitive to capturing key events (such as when students debate fiercely aroundwhether the old squad leader kept his word" while discussing "The Golden Fishhook," the teacher needs to intervene promptly, guiding students to deeply analyze the essence of the old squad's behavior of hiding the truth and sacrificing himself to protect his comrades in an extreme environment, thus transforming this debate into an opportunity to cultivate students' integrity, sense of, and collectivism, making the classroom a vivid carrier for value shaping);

Strategy Engineers: Transforming theory into tools (such as in the teaching of "circuit exploration" physics, the teacher designs the "circuit exploration feedback matrix" tool based on constructivist learning theory and formative assessment concepts. This matrix includes dimensions such as the normativity of connection, the rationality of component selection, and the logic of fault diagnosis. After students complete the exploration task, the system automatically pushes personalized reflection questions based on their operation data and reports, such as "What effect would it have on the ammeter reading if the sliding pot is connected incorrectly? Please analyze in combination with Ohm's Law," effectively the integration of teaching and assessment, and enhancing students' scientific inquiry abilities).

Lifelong Learners: Realizing Experience Sharing Through Case Libraries (Referring to the "Five Ones" teaching method proposed Guan Hongbo, which includes "One Reflection a Day, One Case a Week, One Discussion a Month, One Achievement a Semester, and One Summary a Year, teachers need to actively build personal and school-based case libraries, systematically organize typical cases in teaching (such as the aforementioned "Old Sergeant's Integrity" moral education, "Circuit Exploration Feedback Matrix" application case), label teaching objectives, implementation process, student feedback, and improvement strategies, and achieve experience exchange through collective discussions within teaching and research group and sharing on online platforms. This process continuously optimizes teaching practice and promotes professional growth).

Conclusion

Classroom teaching case analysis is the "third of wisdom" that bridges educational theory and practice, and its value lies not only in solving specific problems but also in cultivating teachers' critical thinking and innovative genes. Singapore educators base themselves on the local context (such as integrating the concept of "moral education as the priority"), construct a school-based case development process, and turn every lesson a vivid sample for educational research.

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