David Baume forQueens University BelfastA good course...

What does a good course do?

Adapted from Chickering, A. W. and S. C. Ehrmann (1996). "Implementing the seven principles: Technology as Lever." AAHE Bulletin49(2): 3-6 and Chickering, A. W. and Z. F. Gamson (1987). Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education. AAHE Bulletin. Washington DC. 39: 3-7.

Introduction

There are many possible good courses (whether course means programme or module), and many good ways to teach (here using ‘teach’ to include everything that is involved in running a good course). The particular shape of course and the particular teaching methods you adopt will be influenced by, among other things:

  • The ways you were taught as a student
  • The capabilities and preferred learning styles of your students
  • The ways in which your colleagues teach
  • Technology and other resources available, including teaching and learning spaces
  • The ways in which your profession or discipline, and your University, may variously expect,encourage and even sometimes require you to teach.

So: what does a good course, well taught, do?

1Encourages contacts between students and staff

Frequent staff-student contact in and out of class is a most important factor in student motivation and involvement. Staff concern and support helps students get through rough times and keep on working. Knowing a few staff members well enhances students' intellectual commitment and encourages them to think about their own values and plans.

  • What do you think is real staff-student contact?
  • What your students think is real staff student contact?
  • What forms of contact do you have with your students?
  • What additional forms of contact could you have with your students?

2Develops cooperation among students

Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race. Good learning, like good work, is collaborative and social, not competitive and isolated. Working with others often increases involvement in learning. Sharing one's ideas and responding to others' improves thinking and deepens understanding.

  • Do your students cooperate with each other – in class – outside class?
  • Why/why not?
  • When is student-student cooperation OK and not OK?
  • How can you help students to cooperate with each other, more often and more effectively?

3Uses active learning techniques

Learning is not a spectator sport. Students do not learn much just sitting in classes listening to teachers, memorizing pre-packaged assignments, and spitting out answers. They must talk about what they are learning, write reflectively about it, relate it to past experiences, and apply it to their daily lives. They must make what they learn part of themselves.

  • What do your students do while studying – in class – outside class?
  • Why do they do the particular things they do while studying – in class – outside class?
  • What additional active learning techniques and abilities do they need to develop?
  • How will you help them to develop these additional active learning techniques and abilities?

4Emphasizes time on task

The task for the students is to learn to do the subject. They should spend the maximum possible time doing the subject. Learning to use their time well is critical, for students and for the professionals / scholars they will become. Allocating realistic amounts of tie to doing the subject leads to effective learning for students and effective teaching for staff.

  • How much time do you advise your students to spend on their studying?
  • How do you advise them to spend their study time?
  • What is a reasonable balance of student time between – listening to the lecturer – reading the course materials – doing assignments – other learning activities?
  • What additional tasks could you appropriately encourage your students to do?

5Provides prompt, constructive, usable feedback

Knowing what you know and don't know focuses your learning. In getting started, students need help in assessing their existing knowledge and competence. Then, in class and outside class, students need frequent opportunities to perform and receive feedback on their performance. Feedback can come from the teacher, from other students or from the student him or herself. At various points during the course, and at its end, students need chances to reflect on what they have learned, what they still need to know, and how they might assess themselves.

  • How often do youexpect your students to submit work to you for feedback?
  • How quickly do you get this feedback to them?
  • How do you make the feedback both constructive and usable?
  • How do you support and encourage your students to give feedback on each other's work?
  • How do you support and encourage your students to review and assess their own work?

6 Communicates clear and high expectations

Students are more likely to work appropriately and succeed when they are clear what is expected and required of them. Clear course learning outcomes, examples of previous good work, and the chance to explore what these learning outcomes mean and what makes good work good; all of these help students to build clear expectations for their work.

  • How do you ensure that your students understand, engage with and test their work against published course learning outcomes?
  • How do you explain and show to your students the requirements for and the nature of good, indeed excellent, work and achievement on this course...
  • ... through your teaching?
  • ... through your feedback on their work?
  • ... through other means?

8Respects diverse talents and ways of learning

Many roads lead to learning. Different students bring different talents and styles to college. Brilliant students in a seminar might be less good at producing written work. Students rich in hands-on experience may not do so well with theory. Students need opportunities to show their talents and learn in ways that work for them. Then they can be pushed to learn in new ways that do not come so easily. Good teachers know their students. Good learners know themselves.

  • What are the most important, ways in which your students differ from each other?
  • What are the implications for your teaching of each of these main kinds of difference?
  • How do you get to know each of your students as an individual?
  • How do you help each of your students to know themselves as a learner?
  • How do you ensure that every student on the course has the best opportunity to succeed?

Created on 04/04/2011 16: Page 1 of 3