Seven Principlesfor Goodpractice

Seven Principlesfor Goodpractice

SEVEN PRINCIPLESFOR GOODPRACTICE

INUNDERGRADUATEEDUCATION

ByArthurW.ChickeringandZeldaF.Gamson (1987)

Reprintedwithpermission.

Apatheticstudents,illiterategraduates,incompetentteaching,impersonalcampuses

--sorollsthedrumfireofcriticismofhighereducation.Morethantwoyearsof reportshavespelledouttheproblems.Stateshavebeenquicktorespondbyholding outcarrotsandbeatingwithsticks.

Thereareneitherenoughcarrotsnorenoughstickstoimproveundergraduate educationwithoutthecommitmentandactionofstudentsandfacultymembers. Theyarethepreciousresourcesonwhomtheimprovementofundergraduate educationdepends.

Buthowcanstudentsandfacultymembersimproveundergraduateeducation?Many campusesaroundthecountryareaskingthisquestion.Toprovideafocusfortheir work,weoffersevenprinciplesbasedonresearchongoodteachingandlearningin collegesanduniversities.

Goodpracticeinundergraduateeducation:

1. encouragescontactbetweenstudentsandfaculty,

2. developsreciprocityandcooperationamongstudents,

3. encouragesactivelearning,

4. givespromptfeedback,

5. emphasizestimeontask,

6. communicateshighexpectations,and

7. respectsdiversetalentsandwaysoflearning.

Wecandoitourselves-withalittlebitofhelp...

Thesesevenprinciplesarenottencommandmentsshrunktoa20thcentury attentionspan.Theyareintendedasguidelinesforfacultymembers,students,and administrators--withsupportfromstateagenciesandtrustees--toimprove teachingandlearning.Theseprinciplesseemlikegoodcommonsense,andtheyare

--becausemanyteachersandstudentshaveexperiencedthemandbecause

researchsupportsthem.Theyreston50yearsofresearchonthewayteachers teachandstudentslearnhowstudentsworkandplaywithoneanother,andhow studentsandfacultytalktoeachother.

Whileeachpracticecanstandaloneonitsown,whenallarepresenttheireffects multiply.Togethertheyemploysixpowerfulforcesineducation:

  • activity,
  • expectations,
  • cooperation,
  • interaction,
  • diversity,and
  • responsibility.

Goodpracticesholdasmuchmeaningforprofessionalprogramsasfortheliberal arts.Theyworkformanydifferentkindsofstudents--white,black,Hispanic,Asian, rich,poor,older,younger,male,female,well-prepared,underprepared.

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Butthewaysdifferentinstitutionsimplementgoodpracticedependverymuchon theirstudentsandtheircircumstances.Inwhatfollows,wedescribeseveraldifferent approachestogoodpracticethathavebeenusedindifferentkindsofsettingsinthe lastfewyears.Inaddition,thepowerfulimplicationsoftheseprinciplesfortheway statesfundandgovernhighereducationandforthewayinstitutionsarerunare discussedbrieflyattheend.

Asfacultymembers,academicadministrators,andstudentpersonnelstaff,wehave spentmostofourworkinglivestryingtounderstandourstudents,ourcolleagues, ourinstitutionsandourselves.Wehaveconductedresearchonhighereducationwith dedicatedcolleaguesinawiderangeofschoolsinthiscountry.Withtheimplications ofthisresearchforpractice,wehopetohelpusalldobetter.

Weaddresstheteacher'show,notthesubject-matterwhat,ofgoodpracticein undergraduateeducation.Werecognizethatcontentandpedagogyinteractin complexways.Wearealsoawarethatthereismuchhealthyfermentwithinand amongthedisciplines.Whatistaught,afterall,isatleastasimportantashowitis taught.Incontrasttothelonghistoryofresearchinteachingandlearning,thereis littleresearchonthecollegecurriculum.Wecannot,therefore,makeresponsible recommendationsaboutthecontentofgoodundergraduateeducation.Thatworkis yettobedone.Thismuchwecansay:Anundergraduateeducationshouldprepare studentstounderstandanddealintelligentlywithmodernlife.Whatbetterplaceto startbutintheclassroomandonourcampuses?Whatbettertimethannow?

SevenPrinciplesofGoodPractice.

1.EncouragesContactBetweenStudentsandFaculty

Frequentstudent-facultycontactinandoutofclassesisthemostimportant factorinstudentmotivationandinvolvement.Facultyconcernhelpsstudents getthroughroughtimesandkeeponworking.Knowingafewfaculty memberswellenhancesstudents'intellectualcommitmentandencourages themtothinkabouttheirownvaluesandfutureplans.

2.DevelopsReciprocityandCooperationAmongStudents

Learningisenhancedwhenitismorelikeateameffortthatasolorace.Good learning,likegoodwork,iscollaborativeandsocial,notcompetitiveand isolated.Workingwithothersoftenincreasesinvolvementinlearning.Sharing one'sownideasandrespondingtoothers'reactionssharpensthinkingand deepensunderstanding.

3.EncouragesActiveLearning

Learningisnotaspectatorsport.Studentsdonotlearnmuchjustbysitting inclasseslisteningtoteachers,memorizingpre-packagedassignments,and spittingoutanswers.Theymusttalkaboutwhattheyarelearning,write aboutit,relateittopastexperiencesandapplyittotheirdailylives.They mustmakewhattheylearnpartofthemselves.

4.GivesPromptFeedback

Knowingwhatyouknowanddon'tknowfocuseslearning.Studentsneed appropriatefeedbackonperformancetobenefitfromcourses.Whengetting started,studentsneedhelpinassessingexistingknowledgeandcompetence. Inclasses,studentsneedfrequentopportunitiestoperformandreceive suggestionsforimprovement.Atvariouspointsduringcollege,andatthe end,studentsneedchancestoreflectonwhattheyhavelearned,whatthey stillneedtoknow,andhowtoassessthemselves.

5.EmphasizesTimeonTask

Timeplusenergyequalslearning.Thereisnosubstitutefortimeontask. Learningtouseone'stimewelliscriticalforstudentsandprofessionalsalike. Studentsneedhelpinlearningeffectivetimemanagement.Allocatingrealistic amountsoftimemeanseffectivelearningforstudentsandeffectiveteaching forfaculty.Howaninstitutiondefinestimeexpectationsforstudents,faculty, administrators,andotherprofessionalstaffcanestablishthebasisofhigh performanceforall.

6.CommunicatesHighExpectations

Expectmoreandyouwillgetmore.Highexpectationsareimportantfor everyone--forthepoorlyprepared,forthoseunwillingtoexertthemselves, andforthebrightandwell-motivated.Expectingstudentstoperformwell becomesaself-fulfillingprophecywhenteachersandinstitutionsholdhigh expectationsforthemselvesandmakeextraefforts.

7.RespectsDiverseTalentsandWaysofLearning

Therearemanyroadstolearning.Peoplebringdifferenttalentsandstylesof learningtocollege.Brilliantstudentsintheseminarroommaybeallthumbs inthelaborartstudio.Studentsrichinhands-onexperiencemaynotdoso wellwiththeory.Studentsneedtheopportunitytoshowtheirtalentsand learninwaysthatworkforthem.Thentheycanbepushedtolearninnew waysthatdonotcomesoeasily.

Teachersandstudentsholdthemainresponsibilityforimprovingundergraduate education.Buttheyneedalotofhelp.Collegeanduniversityleaders,stateand federalofficials,andaccreditingassociationshavethepowertoshapean environmentthatisfavorabletogoodpracticeinhighereducation.

Whatqualitiesmustthisenvironmenthave?

  • Astrongsenseofsharedpurposes.
  • Concretesupportfromadministratorsandfacultyleadersforthosepurposes.
  • Adequatefundingappropriateforthepurposes.
  • Policiesandproceduresconsistentwiththepurposes.
  • Continuingexaminationofhowwellthepurposesarebeingachieved.

Thereisgoodevidencethatsuchanenvironmentcanbecreated.Whenthis happens,facultymembersandadministratorsthinkofthemselvesaseducators. Adequateresourcesareputintocreatingopportunitiesforfacultymembers, administrators,andstudentstocelebrateandreflectontheirsharedpurposes. Facultymembersreceivesupportandreleasetimeforappropriateprofessional developmentactivities.Criteriaforhiringandpromotingfacultymembers, administrators,andstaffsupporttheinstitution'spurposes.Advisingisconsidered important.Departments,programs,andclassesaresmallenoughtoallowfaculty membersandstudentstohaveasenseofcommunity,toexperiencethevalueof theircontributions,andtoconfronttheconsequencesoftheirfailures.

tates,thefederalgovernmentandaccreditingassociationsaffectthekindof environmentthatcandeveloponcampusesinavarietyofways.Themostimportant isthroughtheallocationoffinancialsupport.Statesalsoinfluencegoodpracticeby encouragingsoundplanning,settingpriorities,mandatingstandards,andreviewing andapprovingprograms.Regionalandprofessionalaccreditingassociationsrequire self-studyandpeerreviewinmakingjudgmentsaboutprogramsandinstitutions.

Thesesourcesofsupportandinfluencecanencourageenvironmentsforgood practiceinundergraduateeducationby:

  • settingpoliciesthatareconsistentwithgoodpracticeinundergraduate education,
  • holdinghighexpectationsforinstitutionalperformance,
  • keepingbureaucraticregulationstoaminimumthatiscompatiblewithpublic accountability,
  • allocatingadequatefundsfornewundergraduateprogramsandthe professionaldevelopmentoffacultymembers,administrators,andstaff,
  • encouragingemploymentofunder-representedgroupsamongadministrators,
  • facultymembers,andstudentservicesprofessionals,and
  • providingthesupportforprograms,facilities,andfinancialaidnecessaryfor goodpracticeinundergraduateeducation.

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