Decades of research show what helps college students learn. You don’t need to adopt every strategy at once. Small, deliberate changes, such as adding low-stakes quizzes or explaining the purpose of an assignment, can make a real difference in student learning.
Seven Principles for Good Practice
In 1987, Arthur Chickering and Zelda Gamson summarized research on undergraduate education into seven principles. They remain a strong foundation for teaching in any format.
| Good practice… | What it can look like in your course |
|---|---|
| Encourages contact between students and faculty | Hold regular office hours in person or on Zoom, and reach out to students who fall behind. |
| Develops cooperation among students | Use pair and small group work, peer review, and team projects. |
| Encourages active learning | Ask students to explain, apply, and discuss ideas, not just listen. See Active Learning Techniques. |
| Gives prompt feedback | Return work quickly, and use Canvas quizzes for instant feedback on practice questions. |
| Emphasizes time on task | Set clear deadlines, break large projects into steps, and help students plan their time. |
| Communicates high expectations | Share clear goals and examples of excellent work, and tell students you believe they can meet the standard. |
| Respects different talents and ways of learning | Give students more than one way to show what they know, and design materials everyone can access. See Universal Design for Learning and Accessible Canvas Content. |
How Students Learn
Research from cognitive science and education points to a few principles that shape learning in every discipline (Ambrose et al., 2010):
- Prior knowledge matters. Find out what students already know, and correct misconceptions early.
- Organization matters. Help students see how ideas connect, not just the individual facts.
- Motivation drives effort. Students work harder when they value the goal and believe they can succeed.
- Mastery takes practice. Students need practice that targets specific goals, along with feedback on their progress.
- Course climate affects learning. Students learn best in a respectful, well-organized environment with clear expectations.
- Students can learn to direct their own learning. Teach students to plan, monitor, and adjust how they study.
Strategies with Strong Evidence
Retrieval Practice
Recalling information from memory strengthens learning more than rereading or reviewing notes. In one study, students who practiced recalling material remembered much more a week later than students who restudied it, even though the restudy group felt more confident (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006).
- Start class with two or three questions on last week’s material.
- Use short, low-stakes Canvas quizzes that students can retake.
- Encourage students to quiz themselves instead of rereading.
Spaced Practice
Practice spread out over time leads to longer-lasting learning than cramming. A major review of study strategies rated practice testing and spaced practice as the two most effective techniques (Dunlosky et al., 2013).
- Return to key concepts throughout the semester, not just in one unit.
- Build cumulative questions into quizzes and exams.
- Help students plan study sessions across several days.
Feedback That Moves Learning Forward
Feedback is most useful when it helps students answer three questions: Where am I going? How am I doing? Where to next? (Hattie & Timperley, 2007).
- Tie comments to the learning goal or rubric criteria.
- Focus on a few specific next steps instead of marking every error.
- Give feedback while students can still use it, such as on a draft.
Transparent Assignments
Students perform better when they understand why and how to complete an assignment. Making the purpose, task, and criteria of assignments clear improved student success and confidence (Winkelmes et al., 2016). A transparent assignment explains:
- Purpose: the skills students will practice, the knowledge they will gain, and why it matters beyond the course
- Task: the steps to complete the work and common mistakes to avoid
- Criteria: a checklist or rubric, ideally with examples of strong work
For help writing clear criteria and building rubrics in Canvas, see Assessment, Grading, and Rubrics.
Evidence-Based Teaching and AI
These strategies work because they ask students to do the thinking. Generative AI can support that work or replace it. In one study, students who practiced math with an unrestricted AI chatbot scored higher during practice, but lower than students without AI once the tool was removed. A version designed to give hints instead of answers largely avoided that drop (Bastani et al., 2025).
If you allow AI in your course, encourage uses that keep students thinking, such as asking a tool to quiz them, explain a concept a different way, or give feedback on a draft they wrote themselves. For more, see Teaching in the Age of AI.
Put It into Practice
Choose one strategy to try this semester:
- Add a short retrieval quiz to the start of each class or week.
- Rewrite one major assignment to include its purpose, task, and criteria.
- Revisit a key concept from early in the semester in a later unit.
- Ask students halfway through the semester what is helping them learn.
Want help choosing or trying a strategy? Schedule a course design and teaching consultation.
Sources
Ambrose, S. A., Bridges, M. W., DiPietro, M., Lovett, M. C., & Norman, M. K. (2010). How learning works: Seven research-based principles for smart teaching. Jossey-Bass.
Bastani, H., Bastani, O., Sungu, A., Ge, H., Kabakcı, Ö., & Mariman, R. (2025). Generative AI without guardrails can harm learning: Evidence from high school mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(26), e2422633122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2422633122
Chickering, A. W., & Gamson, Z. F. (1987, March). Seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education. AAHE Bulletin, 3–7.
Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K. A., Marsh, E. J., Nathan, M. J., & Willingham, D. T. (2013). Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), 4–58. https://doi.org/10.1177/1529100612453266
Hattie, J., & Timperley, H. (2007). The power of feedback. Review of Educational Research, 77(1), 81–112. https://doi.org/10.3102/003465430298487
Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2006.01693.x
Winkelmes, M.-A., Bernacki, M., Butler, J., Zochowski, M., Golanics, J., & Weavil, K. H. (2016). A teaching intervention that increases underserved college students’ success. Peer Review, 18(1/2).
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