Case studies provide a positive and engaging experience for students, but if not chosen carefully, they may not necessarily promote concept learning. The case study method of instruction in undergraduate science courses is a constructivist pedagogy that can address some of the problems currently facing higher education. The case method often enhances student interest and focuses on the relevance of the subject matter, but the bottom line is to use them to improve student learning. The National Research Council's (2005) meta-analysis of current research on how students learn science concluded that there are three established principles about learning that can be used to drive educational reform. First, students come to the classroom with alternative conceptions based on their prior knowledge that are highly resistant to change. Second, development of competency in a discipline requires a deep foundation of factual knowledge that is organized in a "conceptual framework". Third, students can learn to take control of their own learning through "metacognitive approaches" that define their learning goals and help them assess their progress. This article discusses how these three concepts can help educators design interesting learning experiences for their students with the use of cases. The author further states that by focusing first on the concepts that educators want their students to understand, they can promote learning that is effective. (Contains 1 table and 2 figures.)