Medical-pedagogical method, case study and educational research: An archeological analysis

Abstract

This contribution focuses on the importance of the case study, rooted in the medical-pedagogical method. In the educational field, however, the study of a “case” cannot be reduced solely to a clin-ical process that leads to a diagnosis. Drawing on Foucault, we highlight the risks involved in relying exclusively on the medical gaze in educational work. Yet, we affirm the crucial role of case study—and thus qualitative approaches—in building pedagogical knowledge, in line with current reflections on research in medical education.