Cleaning up my notes folder, I found an article about the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education:
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, and
7. respects diverse talents and ways of learning.
It seems to me that these principles can be useful in other areas as well. That paper is from The American Association for Higher Education Bulletin, March 1987. I am sure they didn’t have software in mind when they wrote it, but it is obvious that these principles can only really be followed by using Free Software. 🙂