9. Does the course design fulfill the Seven Principles of Good Practice?

The article Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education was first published by the American Association for Higher Education in 1987. The principles were derived from decades of research findings on the undergraduate learning experience. Since then, several hundred thousand copies of the principles have been distributed to campuses throughout North America.

The article Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever discusses the principles in the context of distributed learning environments. The following questions are adapted from this article and may be used to evaluate the quality of the learning environment. Read over the questions to determine if your curriculum plan accommodates the seven principles of good practice.

1. In what ways does the course design encourage contact between the students and the instructor?
2. How does the learning environment foster reciprocity and cooperation among students?
3. In what ways is active involvement of the students facilitated throughout the course?
4. How are students given prompt feedback for learning activities?
5. Is the course organized so that students and the instructor use their time efficiently and effectively while focusing on the learning objectives?
6. How does the course design communicate high expectations?
7. How will the learning environment be structured to accommodate diverse talents and ways of learning?

© 2002 Academic Technologies for Learning, University of Alberta.

Summary of Seven Principles of Good Practice
American Association for Higher Education