The Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Part I) Jarrod E. Patterson, Ed.D. Department of English & Foreign Languages College of Education, Humanities, & Social Sciences
Student Development Theory
College Student Development Theory • the body of educational psychology that theorizes how student gain knowledge in post-secondary environments
Student Development Theory Historical Context
History of Student Development Theory
In loco parentis
Student services
Student development
Basic assumptions guiding the student development • Each student is a different
individual with unique needs.
• The entire environment of the student should be considered and used for education.
• Student has a personal
responsibility for getting educated.
Why is student development theory important? • Helps meet students where they are • Teaches how students rationalize, behave, and develop
• Helps [us] understand how to address students in a wholistic way
• Considers the needs of special populations be
The Authors Arthur Chickering • Educational researcher (student affairs)
• Major contributor to student development theories
Zelda Gamson • Former professor and sociologist
The Seven Principles • Encourage contact between students and faculty
• Develop reciprocity and cooperation between students
• Encourage active learning • Give prompt feedback
• Emphasize time on task • Communicate high standards • Respect diverse talents and ways of learning
Purpose for the Seven Principles
1 Encourages contact between teachers and students "Humans want human contact. You want someone...who can help you." Paul English
What is contact? • Contact involves communicating or interacting with someone, especially by speaking or writing to them on a regular basis.
Contact • Faculty are one of the three
institutional representatives that students interact with on a consistent basis
• Essential in the learning environment (Bernard et al., 2009)
• Most important feature in student motivation and involvement (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)
• Links between students' interactions
with their teachers and their social, personal, and academic growth ( Eccles and Roeser, 2013, Jennings and Greenberg, 2009, Reddy, et al., 2003)
• The interaction (contact) with faculty can dramatically impact students' academic progress.
2 Develops reciprocity between students "Reciprocity is the recipe for prosperity." Vincent L. Rogers
What is reciprocity? Reciprocity involves working with others in order to increase learning.
Reciprocity (Collaboration) • "Learning is enhanced when it is more like a team effort than a solo race." (Chickering & Gamson, 1987) • Effective learning is collaborative and social • Creates learning opportunities for building new knowledge while developing relationships inside and outside of the classroom (Kukulska-
Hulme & Viberg, 2018)
• Student engagement with each other
exhibit a deeper level of persistence, develop deeper levels of learning, and demonstrate a willingness to try (Law et al., 2017) • Collaboration can be a predictor of student academic success
3 Encourages active learning "All genuine learning is active, not passive. It involves the use of the mind, not just the memory. It is the process of discovery, in which the student is the main agent, not the teacher." Mortimer Adler
What is active learning? • Active learning is any approach to instruction in which all students are asked to engage in the learning process
Active learning • Passive learning • Memorizing information • Listening to lectures • Canned responses
• Learning is an active process • Gen Y & Zers were born in a multimedia environment • Low tolerance for boredom
• The benefits to using such activities are many, including improved critical thinking skills, increased retention and transfer of new information, increased motivation, improved interpersonal skills, and decreased course failure (Prince, 2004).
4 Gives prompt feedback • "We all need people who give us feedback. That's how we improve." Bill Gates
What is feedback? • Comments made after the fact, including advice, praise, and evaluation
• Information about how one is doing in an effort to reach a goal.
Feedback • In education, feedback is a major component of the teaching and learning process (Hattie & Timperly, 2007)
• In undergraduate education discussion, feedback is seen as highly needed.
• One of the most impactful on achievement (Hattie, 2008)
• Prompt feedback can serve as a valuable academic assessment tool for students