High impact practices — or HIPs — are a nationally recognized set of practices widely demonstrated within higher education to promote deep learning, student engagement and retention. This applies most notably to historically underrepresented student groups.
Examples of HIPs include:
- Collaborative projects
- Diversity/Global Learning
- First-Year Experiences
- Internships
- Learning and Living-Learning Communities
- Service Learning and Community-Based Learning
- Undergraduate Research
Why should I engage in HIPs?
HIPs offer students transformative, deeper learning opportunities in the classroom, through fieldwork and off-campus activities. According to the Association of American Colleges & Universities, HIPs usually:
- Require students to dedicate considerable time and effort to purposeful tasks
- Promote interactions with faculty and peers on substantive matters over long periods of time
- Increase the likelihood that students will experience diversity through collaboration with people who are different than themselves
- Provide constant, continuous feedback about performance on meaningful activities
- Give opportunities to see the relevance of what is being learned and transfer it to “real world” scenarios
- Help students develop the ability to take measure of activities and put them in perspective
Studies show courses that involve students in hands-on, active learning projects, particularly those where students apply academic content to real-world issues, are more effective in improving student success compared to traditional lecture courses.
Here at CSUCI, HIPs have reduced equity gaps, positively influenced students’ final GPA and degree completion and serve as bridges to the workforce. Other campus-based data about HIPs:
- Participation in Learning Communities had a higher overall grade point average at the end of the first term and year; higher probability of retention into the second tern and second year; and a higher probability of being in good academic standing at the end of the first year.
- CSUCI graduates who completed an internship were significantly more likely to have secured employment compared to those who did not.
- Those who completed internships while enrolled at CSUCI were more likely to be accepted into graduate school, complete a research project and participate in leadership activities across campus.
