Case-based teaching in homogeneous teacher education contexts: a study of preservice teachers' situative cognition

Following the work on case-based pedagogy and on situative cognition, the p urpose of this study was Co examine how situative knowledge, as embedded in preservice teachers' prior experiences and as embedded in a dilemma-based case, influenced preservice teachers' analyses of the case-as-written. Twen ty-three preservice teachers ranging in age from 23 to 47 participated in t he study. Using a microethnographic approach, the study focused on preservi ce teachers' discussion of a single case. An analysis was conducted on pres ervice teachers' pre- and postdiscussion writings about the case, and on th eir during-discussion dialogue. Results of the study revealed that the pres ervice teachers' homogeneous thinking limited the extent to which these pre service teachers could reflect critically on the case and limited their pot ential to make reasoned decisions based upon alternative or novel solutions . Implications for teacher education are discussed. (C) 2000 Elsevier Scien ce Ltd. All rights reserved.