A preliminary investigation of prospective teachers’ reasoning about case studies with expert commentary

Abstract: Case methods have emerged as a popular technique in teacher education, proposed as an important means of promoting conceptual change in preservice teachers. This article presents the results of a research study that used a mixed design methodology to investigate the effect of expert commentaries on prospective teachers ’ reasoning about inclusion case studies. Results indicate that prospective teachers are reluctant to accept theoretical and pedagogical information that conflicts with their own previously held conceptions, even when it is presented through case methods. Despite a large volume of writing on the useof case methods in teacher educatio