Faculty Development

Chickering & Gamson (1987) introduced the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education, according to which, good educational practice:

1. Encourages contact between students and faculty
2. Develops reciprocity and cooperation among students
3. Encourages active learning
4. Gives prompt feedback
5. Emphasizes time on task
6. Communicates high expectations
7. Respects diverse talents and ways of learning.

Although devised for undergraduate education, these principles are relevant to all learning situations. We can easily see how the principles could be achieved in face-to-face teaching, where teacher and learners are physically located in the same space (such as a classroom) at the same time. For example, a session might begin with the teacher communicating their high expectations by outlining learning objectives and defining the standards to be met in order to pass an assignment. At the same time the teacher might clarify time on task in relation to completion of learning activities and due dates for assignments.

Contact between teachers and learners can be encouraged by the teacher setting aside additional time during which he/she is available to talk to learners. Active learning can be encouraged by a group based learning activities based on collaborative research, which also encourages reciprocity and cooperation between learners. Requiring individual learners to take a lead in specific activities and building on learners’ needs is one way in which the teacher can demonstrate respect for diverse talents and ways of learning. Prompt and timely feedback on progress or areas for development can be given whilst activities are being carried out or in one-to-one tutorials. 

There is no point in introducing a technology just because it is available or for the sake of innovating. ‘The novelty factor can often cause us to be tempted to implement the latest and greatest technology, sometimes without thinking carefully enough about whether or not this is actually going to result in meaningful learning’  (Lee, 2005). A straightforward way to judge the potential value of a technology is to consider the seven principles and to ask how the technologies might help in adding value, realizing the principles in practice and achieving educational outcomes that would not otherwise have been possible (Gamson, 1995; Chickering and Ehrmann, 1996). 

Many clinical teachers are running a busy service and may teach diverse groups of students and trainees. Putting the Principles into practice may be more difficult in clinical settings than in a university setting where teaching sessions for groups of learners are clearly timetabled.  Here, e-learning might be helpful in helping to ‘scaffold’ the learning, through providing a common set of learning materials, links to library resources or by enabling group discussion or collaboration to occur without the need for teacher and learners to be in the same room, or even working at the same time.  One advantage of e-learning is that learners and teachers can work independently and communicate asynchronously (not in real time) through discussion boards or email. Or teachers and/or learners may communicate in real time (though from their own homes or other workplaces) through chat rooms, instant messaging or Skype.  Such ‘classrooms without walls’ can provide useful learning spaces for trainees and students who might find it difficult to meet in real time.