For those considering teaching an honors course, a definition of honors education may be a good place to start. Honors education, which has existed in the United States since the 1920s, has been difficult to define because of the various forms it has taken in its development over the years and especially because of its various settings. In the last three decades, however, the National Collegiate Honors Council (NCHC) has identified common practices in honors education so that it can be meaningfully defined. The NCHC's definition of honors education is:

Honors education is characterized by in-class and extracurricular activities that are measurably broader, deeper, or more complex than comparable learning experiences typically found at institutions of higher education. Honors experiences include a distinctive learner-directed environment and philosophy, provide opportunities that are appropriately tailored to fit the institution’s culture and mission, and frequently occur within a close community of students and faculty. (http://www.nchchonors.org/directors-faculty/definition-of-honors-education)

This is an abbreviated version of the full length definition. That full length definition, complete with so-called “Modes of Honors Learning” that detail the common approaches honors education takes (e.g., learning in depth with research and creative scholarship; inter- and multidisciplinary learning), is available at http://www.nchchonors.org/uploaded/NCHC_FILES/PDFs/Definition-of-Honors-.... The descriptions of these modes of honors learning may be helpful in developing or adding to honors courses. The longer definition of honors education also has a fairly extensive list a references, some of which can be useful in understanding what should happen in an honors class. That bibliography is below.

Although honors courses will always vary in format and reflect different pedagogical and personal styles, an underlying principle is that honors courses differ qualitatively rather than quantitatively from non-honors courses. In other words, contrary to popular perception, honors courses are not normally more (or just more) work than a non-honors version of that course. Rather, although honors courses may on occasion proceed more rapidly through the subject matter – or at least through the rudimentary material of the subject, they are characterized by a different type of treatment of the subject: they cover the same material in different ways and in some cases may even move more slowly through the material.

• Learner-Directed Environment: Another characteristic that distinguishes honors from non-honors courses, as expressed in the NCHC’s definition of honors education, is that honors courses (and experiences) typically “include a distinctive learner-directed environment and philosophy.” What this means is that instructors lecture less and facilitate learning more. A good part of this approach is setting up the classroom environment so that students feel that they can safely influence and direct the learning process. For example, students may suggest an alternative approach to the topic or even exploration of another topic. In this type of pedagogy the instructor does not lead as much as facilitate the students exploring the topic and questions it presents. Thus, the students become a resource for each other and the instructor.
   
• Experiential Learning: Honors may promote learning outside the formal classroom (through service learning, research, and co-curricular activities), with the emphasis on exploration and/or discovery rather than acquisition of specific knowledge sets; a focus on hands-on, usually supervised, practical engagement with usable outcomes can also occur. Programs often include undergraduate research, international experience, and internships.
   
• Experimentation: Honors courses are more likely to encourage experimentation with new and different methods. This is a chance for instructors to stretch by trying new ideas, methods, and technologies; also by being open to direction from students on how they might learn best and be best evaluated.