Skills needs, integrative pedagogy and case-based instruction

Purpose The purpose of this study is to advance the proposition that organizations involved with training of employees should make. First, CBI is linked to skill development areas recognized as high value in the contemporary and future workplace such as analysis, problem-solving and soft skills such as active listening, collaboration and compromise. A second linkage is to an emerging, tested model of integrative pedagogy (IP) focused on improving workplace learning for adults. Design/methodology/approach Reviews were completed of empirical literature and expert opinion from three different domains: current and future skills needs, IP for adult learners and CBI. Review information was analyzed and incorporated into a proposal. Findings Identified are some of the current and projected employee skill needs in the increasingly complex digital work place. Explained are features of IP as well as how the features help advance a learning environment for adults. The authors explain the application of CBI and how it meshes with IP to leverage workplace learning of needed current and future skills. Practical implications There is sufficient information presented to enable a practitioner with little experience with CBI to apply the approach with employees. This can be especially helpful if the training objectives involve critical thinking, strategy formulation, communicating ideas, teamwork and related areas. Originality/value Much has been written about skills needs for current and future scenarios, and about the efficacy of CBI. Yet there are few attempts at tying the skills needs with pedagogical theory and the delivery of instruction that engages many skill needs. This paper helps address this gap.