The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education

1
The Seven Principles for Good Practice in
Undergraduate Education

• May 11, 2005
• Jim Zimmer
• Academic Development Centre

2
Purposes of todays session

• Discuss practices that encourage student learning
• Introduce or re-introduce the seven
  principles of effective practice
• Share selected findings from the research
  literature in higher ed
• Reflect on our practice

3
What practices encourage student learning at the
undergraduate level?

• Individual Think (2 minutes)
• Discuss in Pair (3 minutes)
• Share (10 minutes)

4
The 7 Principles - Preface

• What are they?
• History
• 7 Principles are not enough
• The dual-edged sword
• A word about the research

5
1. Good practice encourages contact between
students and faculty

• the most important factor in student motivation
  and involvement
• in-class or out-of-class
• classroom attendance and student achievement
  directly correlated
• increasing ambivalence about coming to class

6
2. Good practice develops reciprocity and
cooperation among students

• Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team
  effort than a solo race
• Cooperative / collaborative learning
• Associated with significant gains in achievement,
  critical thinking, creativity and knowledge
  transfer
• Often attempted, but challenging to implement
  well

7
3. Good practice encourages active learning
Tell me, and I will forget. Show me, and I may
remember Involve me, and I will
understand. Confucius, 450 BC
8
Retention of learning the learning pyramid
more passive
more active
9
4. Good practice gives prompt feedback

• Knowing what you know and dont know focuses
  learning
• Prompt vs. frequent, meaningful, and prompt
• Sources of feedback
• instructor
• peers
• self
• experts in field
• computer
• What constitutes prompt?

10
5. Good practice emphasizes time on task

• Time energy learning
• Time on task
• In-class
• Out-of-class
• Direct correlation between time on task and
  student achievement
• Faculty expectations vs. student investment of
  time

11
6. Good practice communicates high expectations

• Expect more and you will get more
• Clear and explicit about teaching-learning goals
  and other expectations (e.g. attendance)
• Alignment of teaching-learning goals with
  assessment strategies

12
7. Good practice respects diverse talents and
ways of learning

• Many roads lead to learning
• Students benefit from direct instruction in
  methods of learning and metacognition but often
  dont receive it
• Technology has potential to address multiple
  learning preferences

13
In closing.

• Bibliography
• Resources
• Flashlight Current Student Inventory

Your Questions and Comments?