Case-Based Reasoning and Instructional Design: Using Stories to Support Problem Solving

With an increased emphasis on problem solving and problem-based learning in the instructional design field, new methods for task analysis and models for designing instruction are needed. An important methodology for both entails the elicitation, analysis, and inclusion of stories as a primary form of instructional support while learning to solve problems. Stories are the most natural and powerful formalism for storing and describing experiential knowledge that is essential to problem solving. The rationale and means for analyzing, organizing, and presenting stories to support problem solving are defined by case-based reasoning. Problems are solved by retrieving similar past experiences in the form of stories and applying the lessons learned from those stories to the new problems. In this paper, after justifying the use of stories as instructional supports, we describe methods for eliciting, indexing, and making stories available as instructional support for learning to solve problems. Most contemporary models of instruction, including anchored instruction (Cognition and Technology Group at Vanderbilt, 1994), problem-based learning (Savery & Duffy, 1995), open-ended learning environments (Land & Hannafin, 1996), constructivist learning environments (Jonassen, 1998), goal-based scenarios (Schank, Fano, Bell, & Jona, 1993), and others share an essential characteristic. The learning outcome for each is problem solving. That is, each of these models supports learning how to solve some kind of a problem. The emphasis on problem solving in the field of instructional design has increased. For example, the first principle of Merrill’s (2000) first principles is that instruction should occur in the context of solving a problem.