Applying the Seven Principles of Good Practice: Technology as a Lever--In an Online Research Course.

Abstract

This article provides an overview of the seven principles of good practice with emphasis on the implementation of technology in an online healthcare research class in a southwest Georgia (United States) university. The seven principles are outlined using various elements of the online course. Historical and philosophical reasoning are applied to the practices of good teaching for optimal student benefit. It is easy to consider the essential role of creativity in bringing joy and meaning to the human condition - without creativity we have no art, no literature, no science, no innovation, no problem solving, and no progress. It is perhaps, less obvious that creativity has an equally essential role in schools. The processes of creativity parallel those of learning. Recent calls for authentic activities, teaching for understanding, and real world problem solving all require engaging students with content in flexible and innovative ways (Wayant, 2003). To answer the call, higher education has included more online courses in the curriculum; and with the implementation of online courses, enrollment has grown exponentially (DiSlavio, 2008). Even so, the integration of technology, pedagogy, and quality may not occur simultaneously. Courses should meet quality standards. Online learners should be able to carry out course activities smoothly and without technical impediment (Cakiroglu, 2014). To address quality standards in teaching, Chickering and Gamson developed the seven principles of good practice principles. These principles have become extremely popular and widely used in education. The seven principles include: student and faculty contact, cooperation among students, active learning, prompt feedback, time on task, high expectations, respect for diverse talents and ways of learning (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996). Since the seven principles for good practice were created in 1987, new communication and information technology have become major resources for teaching and learning in higher education (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996). The original principles which were developed by Art Chickering and Zelda Gamson summarized findings from decades of research on the undergraduate experience with the support of the Lily Endowment and the Johnson Foundation (Chickering & Ehrmann, 1996). The principles have become useful in evaluating teaching and learning in online courses.