1. Chickering and Gamson’s 7 Principles
of Good Practice in Undergraduate
Education (1987)
The seven principles of good practice are:
1) Encouraging student-faculty contact
2) Encouraging cooperation among students
3) Encouraging active learning
4) Giving prompt feedback
5) Emphasizing time on task
6) Communicating high expectations
7) Respecting diverse talents and ways of learning

2. Teaching Techniques to help utilize the 7
Principles:
•E-mail your students or use Blackboard Announcements
•Use Discussion Boards or in-class/EV discussions
•Use Blackboard teams or EV Breakout rooms or group
projects
•Use Blackboard in grading and offering quick feedback
•Offer in-class feedback on discussions or classwork
•Use the ERAU template to help students navigate the
course and spend more time on task
•Communicate high expectations through the course
syllabus and in every interaction with students
•Provide multiple resources and activities for your students

3. Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987). Seven principles for good practice in
undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, (March), 3-7.
Abstract: Seven principles that can help to improve undergraduate education are
identified. Based on research on college teaching and learning, good practice in
undergraduate education: (1) encourages contacts between students and faculty; (2)
develops reciprocity and cooperation among students; (3) uses active learning
techniques; (4) gives prompt feedback; (5) emphasizes time on task; (6) communicates
high expectations; and (7) respects diverse talents and ways of learning. Examples of
approaches that have been used in different kinds of college in the last few years are
described. In addition, the implications of these principles for the way states fund and
govern higher education and for the way institutions are run are briefly discussed.
Examples of good approaches include: freshman seminars on important topics taught
by senior faculty; learning groups of five to seven students who meet regularly during
class to solve problems set by the instructor; active learning using structured
exercises, discussions, team projects, and peer critiques, as well as internships and
independent study; and mastery learning, contract learning, and computer-assisted
instruction approaches, which required adequate time on learning. (SW)
This is the original article where Chickering and Gamson describe each of the
Principles. This the reference that is used whenever the seven principles are referenced.