Case Studies: Developing Decision-making Skills in Diverse Simulated Environments

Traditional print case studies have been a long-standing instructional strategy for educational leadership preparation programs. With the advent of interactive online environments, the possibilities for simulations have increased exponentially—opening the way for data-rich, complex cases that the instructor can easily situate in diverse settings. One program offering such a problem-solving experience is Educational Theory into Practice Software (ETIPS). ETIPS is a federally funded program developed by professors of educational administration as a tool to teach data-based decision-making skills. Available for both pre-service and in-service use, ETIPS provides 10 problems that can each be situated in nine schools. The options for schools include elementary, middle, and high schools in rural, urban, and suburban settings with low, average, or high academic achievement.