Serve-Learn-Sustain case studies are designed to provide real-world examples of sustainable community-building for instructors. Case studies featured in our Teaching Toolkit are of two types. Some are written by faculty in specific disciplinary styles, while SLS' in-house case studies are intended for use in any discipline. We are always looking for new case studies and encourage you to submit one related to your work! Your case study should suit the disciplinary standards of your field. You can refer to our in-house Atlanta BeltLine Case Study as a template, or look at other examples of discipline-specific case studies, for inspiration on writing one that suits your field and your style. Download the tool at the link above for more guidelines.
When your case study is complete, please send it as a Word document to serve-learn-sustain@gatech.edu, with the subject: CASE STUDY FOR TEACHING TOOLKIT. SLS will get back in touch with you to discuss finalizing it to share via the online Teaching Toolkit.
As you create your case study, consider these suggestions:
- SLS’s approach to sustainable communities is clearly illustrated through a series of framework diagrams, such as the one to the right. Consider organizing and integrating your case study around one such diagram. For example, the Atlanta BeltLine Case Study is divided into Environment, Economy, and Society sections. This and other diagram models can be found at the end of this document.
- The concept of a sustainable community can be difficult to grasp. Our case studies emphasize real people and communities, to put a face and narrative behind the concept. Whenever possible, cite community members and organizations in your case study. Also, include photographs of real people. For example, the Atlanta BeltLine case study includes a variety of images including people, infrastructure, and art.
- When including sources and images, cite them per the standards of your discipline.
- If possible, include both a Discussion Questions section and a section on Additional Resources, with links to readings, videos, web pages, and more. Also, at the end, list the SLS Student Learning Outcomes that relate to this case study.