CITAL HERO

High Impact Teaching Practices

What are High Impact Practices?

High Impact Practices (HIP’s) were developed by George Kuh (2008) and have been repeatedly tested to identify increases in student engagement, performance, retention, and graduation rates. The following ten practices were identified:

  • First Year Seminars and Experiences
  • Common Intellectual Experiences
  • Learning Communities
  • Writing-Intensive Courses
  • Collaborative Assignment and Projects
  • Undergraduate Research
  • Diversity/Global Learning
  • Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
  • Internships
  • Capstone Courses and Projects
What are High Impact Teaching Practices?

While High Impact Practices are designed for institutional effectiveness and can heavily influence curriculum, it is more challenging to identify how this directly translates into the classroom. Fink (2016) proposed five course-level practices to engage students and support broader institutional HIP’s. It is important to note that it isn’t necessary, or sometimes logical, to include all five in one course. However, a “mix and match” approach can be valuable to students. The five practices are:

  • Helping Students to Become Meta-Learners
  • Learning-Centered Course Design
  • Using Small Groups in a Powerful Way
  • Service-Learning/Community Engagement – With Reflection
  • Being a Leader with Your Students

Sources:

George D. Kuh, High-Impact Educational Practices: What They Are, Who Has Access to Them, and Why They Matter (American Association of Colleges & Universities, 2008).

Fink, L.. (2016). Five High-Impact Teaching Practices: A List of Possibilities. Collected Essays on Learning and Teaching. 9. 3. 10.22329/celt.v9i0.4428.