2024 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

The field of engineering education research is constantly evolving, providing educators and researchers with a range of methodologies to choose from. Among these methodologies, multiple case studies offer a robust approach for understanding complex real-world phenomena. In this methodological paper, we explore the application of multiple case studies in the field of engineering education. Drawing on perspectives from case study scholars such as Robert K. Yin, Sharan Merriam, and Robert E. Stake, we provide a comprehensive guide for researchers contemplating the use of this methodology.

This paper is structured around two main sections, in the Background section the paper answers two questions 1) What is a case study? and 2) What is a multiple case study? Meanwhile, drawing on published examples of case studies in the Journal of Engineering Education the Key procedures of conducting a multiple case study section describes five key procedures for conducting a multiple case study, designing the multiple case study, case study sample selection, data collection, data analysis, and assuring quality. By exploring multi-case study in detail, our aim is to provide engineering education researchers with a better understanding of the multifaceted nature of qualitative multiple case studies.