CASE STUDY 2
A Case Study Approach
The article “Burdens too difficult to carry? A case study of three academically able
Indigenous Australian Masters students who had to withdraw” by Chirgwin (2014) employed
the case study approach to examine three Indigenous Australian students confronted by
challenges while pursuing their graduate level academic careers. Institutional barriers, personal
circumstances, social factors, and cultural challenges were common themes experienced by the
students (Chirgwin, 2014). The author underscored the need for resources for support and
addressed systematic and personal barriers to understanding exact causes of their early
departures. Although existing research focused on institutional barriers and highlighting cultural
differences of the Indigenous Australian Higher Degree program, the problem is there is a lack of
exploration of the complex burdens and challenges that caused the students to withdrawal
(Chirgwin, 2014). Nevertheless, the two research questions presented in the article elicited
information about negative influences of non-academic factors on students and additional
information about the reasons the students left the University, which supports the overall purpose
of the research.
According to Creswell & Poth (2018), a case study approach seeks to describe and
interpret a culture sharing group and examine commonalities among ethnographic cultural
groups. It was determined that a case study technique was appropriate for this research because it
is culturally sensitive, and it allows students to articulate the context of their interactions in a
manner that is comfortable to them (Chirgwin, 2014). The researcher combined two types of case
studies such as instrumental and multiple to demonstrate the study and provided thorough
explanation using previous literature. On one hand, the study implemented a combined
methodology because it analyzed the failure of academically proficient students to complete an
award and sought to understand the similarities and differences of perspectives from three
CASE STUDY 3
students and other the hand, it could be an intrinsic case study because it presents a rare
circumstance (Chirgwin, 2014; Creswell & Poth, 2018).
Three Australian Masters of Indigenous Knowledges program students participated in this
study (Chirgwin, 2014). According to Chirgwin (2014) each of them finished a required on-
campus orientation, and they all finished or partially finished four modules that included research
training with an emphasis on Indigenous worldviews. During the academic year, all three
students were on campus for extended periods of time, anywhere from one to six weeks
(Chirgwin, 2014). While on campus, the students were members of the research staff,
encouraged to establish rapport with current staff in the division and specific library support
staff, and assigned Supervisors whom they had established relationships with previously
(Chirgwin, 2014). The duration of their enrollment ranged from eighteen months to two years
full-time and six months part-time. However, one participant finished more than half of their
research when the students withdrew, and another partially a year (Chirgwin, 2014).
Interestingly, the article described the moral standards conducted to minimize the risks to
participants such as maintaining anonymity, providing access codes to students who had finished
the follow-up surveys under the supervision of administrative staff, and granting them the
freedom to withdraw at any moment and to remain anonymous (Chirgwin, 2014). Nevertheless,
the researcher implemented follow-up surveys, administered every six months, telephone
interviews, and email surveys to collect the data (Chirgwin, 2014).
The researcher organized the data through interviews and follow-up surveys and
reviewed the data to obtain a general sense of the information and reflect on its overall meaning
(Creswell & Poth, 2018). The article offered the reader individual analyses that reflected key
issues faced by Paul, Tom, and Anna. Subsequently, the primary concerns were refined and
CASE STUDY 4
categorized into more expansive categories, like commonalities and disparities: pre-tertiary and
first year, as well as commonalities and disparities: the Masters candidature (Chirgwin, 2014).
Then the article presents a detailed description of the reason for leaving and additional concerns
discovered while studying the case. Chirgwin (2014) made assertions regarding the complex
interplay of factors leading to withdrawal, cultural disconnection and isolation, inadequate
institutional support, need for systematic changes, and implications for policymakers and
educational leaders.
The following information depicts how this study uses the case study approach:
Originally designed as a longitudinal study, this research provided the
foundation for an instrumental multiple case study.
The use of multiple cases in the research illustrated distinct aspects and deeper
understanding of the phenomena (Creswell & Poth, 2018).
The identified parameters are Indigenous Australian Higher Degree by
Research students that had to withdraw from the University.
With-in case analysis and cross-case analysis were conducted in which detailed
descriptions of each case were provided and then interpretations of the meaning of
the case were provided (Creswell & Poth, 2018).
The researcher implemented multiple sources to collect data such as interviews,
telephone interviews, telephone consent, and follow-up surveys.
With-in case analysis and cross-case analysis were conducted in which detailed
descriptions of each case were provided and then interpretations of the meaning of
the case were provided (Creswell & Poth, 2018).
CASE STUDY 5
References
Chirgwin, S. K. (2014). Burdens too difficult to carry? A case study of three academically able
Indigenous Australian Masters students who had to withdraw. International Journal of
Qualitative Studies in Education, 28(5), 594–609.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09518398.2014.916014
Creswell, J. W. & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry & research design: Choosing among
five approaches (4th ed.). CA: Sage Publications.
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