A recent Faculty Focus article, “Applying the Seven Principles for Good Practice to the Online Classroom,” identified seven principles of good instruction that are important considerations when designing or facilitating an online course.

The seven principles are:

1. Encourage contact between students and faculty.
2. Develop reciprocity and cooperation among students.
3. Encourage active learning.
4. Give prompt feedback.
5. Emphasize time on task.
6. Communicate high expectations.
7. Respect diverse talents and ways of learning.

The article pointed out that the seven principles were originally developed by Chickering and Gamson (1987) as good instructional practices for face-to-face undergraduate instruction over 25 years ago. What is striking is that whether instruction occurs in the virtual environment, or in a brick and mortar classroom, the principles of good instruction are much the same. These are actions that good instructors seem to do almost instinctively. Since springtime has traditionally been a time of renewal maybe this is a perfect time to take a quick self-assessment of our own instruction. How many of these seven principles are an essential part of your instructional practice?

Read more about Applying the Seven Principles for Good Practice to the Online Classroom here.
Read more about the Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education here.