Principles of Quality Teaching – asynchronous online

The six evidence-based Principles of Quality Teaching model effective teaching strategies and behaviours. Reviewers can look for evidence of all six Principles in a reviewee's teaching.

The set of Principles for Quality Teaching below applies to asynchronous teaching. Principles of Quality Teaching for face-to-face and synchronous teaching can be found here.

Each Principle of Quality Teaching is underpinned by a set of observable indicators. In order to access the observable indicators, please click on the cross on the right of the Principle. The observable indicators illustrate possible ways in which a Principle can be demonstrated. Please note that it is not necessary to demonstrate all indicators.

Principles of Quality Teaching rarely occur in isolation. It is likely that one teaching activity can cover several Principles. For example, group work requiring students to relate a concept to real-life situations could potentially cover Principle 1 (Engages students in active learning), Principle 3 (Links learning to professional, disciplinary, industry and/or personal contexts), Principle 4 (Challenges and supports student learning) and Principle 6 (Caters for student diversity).

Principle1: Engages students in active learning

Observable indicators

  • Encourages students to ask and answer questions in fora, discussion boards, chats and wikis
  • Provides constructive feedback
  • Encourages students to interact with each other and the content
  • Creates opportunities for reflection
  • Employs resources and technology meaningfully to support student engagement in learning by effectively utilising synchronous and / or asynchronous online tools

Principle 2: Builds on students' existing knowledge

Observable indicators

  • Creates opportunities for sharing of and reflecting on prior knowledge utilising synchronous and / or asynchronous online tools
  • Seeks feedback to determine students' understanding
  • Provides real life examples or elicits them from students
  • Recapitulates and builds on class preparation
  • Seeks student feedback utilising synchronous and / or asynchronous online tools
  • Seeks student feedback toward the conclusion of the module (to assist students in determining individual work to be consolidated)
  • Helps students bridge the gap between their current conceptual understanding and the next “level”
  • Helps students become aware of what the next levels are

Principle 3: Links learning to professional, disciplinary, industry and/or personal contexts

Observable indicators

  • Provides opportunities for reflecting on the relevance of their discipline to industry, their profession and everyday life utilising synchronous and / or asynchronous online tools
  • Relates theory to real life situations, including personal, professional, industry and research contexts (or applications).
  • Facilitates learning activities that include simulated or real-life scenarios, e.g. case studies
  • Contextualises graduate capabilities within disciplinary and professional contexts
  • Provides examples from professional, disciplinary, industry or personal contexts. These may include images, videos, texts, biographies, products, artefacts and guest presenters.
  • Supports students’ engagement with research at a developmentally appropriate level.
  • Provides opportunities for research activities which are appropriate to the students’ level of understanding, e.g. critiquing a journal article, designing interview or survey questions
  • Links learning to professional values and ethical conduct within the discipline
  • Links learning to current research and disciplinary scholarship

Principle 4: Challenges and supports student learning

Observable indicators

  • Supports students in taking responsibility for their own independent learning
  • Challenges students intellectually by asking them to justify their conclusions (“What do you think is going on”; “Why”; “What if …?” etc.)
  • Encourages students to “construct“ their individual conceptual understanding
  • Encourages deep (rather than surface) approaches to learning by requiring students to relate ideas to one another, connect their learning to previous experiences or demonstrate their own understanding of concepts

Principle 5: Communicates expectations and requirements

Observable indicators

  • Makes relevant key learning outcomes explicit
  • Links activities to key learning outcomes
  • Establishes expectations about course preparation and participation
  • Establishes ground rules for student – student and student – lecturer interactions, such as discussions or pair and group work
  • Clarifies the relevance of learning to assessment
  • Clarifies the relevance of activities for student learning

Principle 6: Caters for student diversity

Observable indicators

  • Engage students in a variety of learning activities that accommodate different levels of knowledge, understanding, participation, contributions and opportunities to demonstrate learning in accordance with Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles; for example:
    • activities that require students to draw on their own experiences
    • collaborative and individual learning activities
    • activities for which there is more than one possible answer  
    • activities allowing spoken and written participation
    • a combination of teacher-directed and student-centred activities 
  • Ensure course materials, resources, and activities are accessible to all students with different abilities in accordance with UDL principles, including WCAG 2.0 AA standards (hyperlink)
  • Establish and remind students of ground rules for mutual respect
  • Encourage students to link learning to their diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives
  • Build students’ confidence in their ability to master concepts

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