The Effect of High Impact Practices on Student Engagement: A Guide to Using Collaborative Assignments and Projects to Increase Student Persistence.

Concurrent Session 5

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

The use of High Impact Practices (HIPs) in college courses is a highly effective strategy used to assist students with expansion of workplace skills. HIPs allow educators to provide equitable access to experiential learning opportunities. Through the inclusion of HIPs in courses, persistence and student engagement are increased.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Shanika Wright Turner, Georgia Highlands College

Shanika Wright Turner is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Georgia Highlands College (GHC), in Marietta, Georgia. She obtained her undergraduate degree in Management Information Systems from Alabama A&M University. Wright Turner received her Master’s in Business Administration from Florida Institute of Technology. Shanika developed the Entrepreneurship Degree Program at GHC. The program assists students with the basic knowledge of how to create their own ventures. Wright Turner brings in successful business leaders to work with students and advise them on their business plans. She also is the co-creator of the Charge into Leadership Conference at GHC which is a one-day conference with business leaders, administration, and faculty that focuses on leadership and entrepreneurship. Wright Turner also created the Entrepreneurship Speaker Series (ESS) at GHC. The ESS was a monthly Speaker Series aimed to bring in highly successful business leaders from a variety of industries to share their experiences of starting and running their own business as well as discuss other thought-provoking topics. She transitioned the ESS into a podcast titled 'The Loop'. She resides in Atlanta, Georgia with her Husband and two daughters.

Extended Abstract

Perhaps you are unfamiliar with High Impact Practices (HIPs). You are probably already doing them in your courses! Are you assigning projects with multiple steps? Are you giving frequent and consistent feedback to your students? Are your students assigned presentations? If so, you are well on your way in the development of HIPs in your courses.

The American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) has established a set of High Impact Practices (HIPs) that postsecondary institutions are encouraged to adopt and scale. The AAC&U states that HIPs are teaching and learning practices that have been widely tested and shown to benefit college students from many backgrounds. There are eight elements that make a learning experience a HIP. The elements include challenge, time, interaction, diversity, feedback, reflection, real world connection, and public demonstration.

The rewards of using HIPs in your courses are far reaching with one notable return being increased student engagement. Engaging with students as educators is an uppermost priority along with trying new strategies and making the necessary adjustments each semester. Reaching disengaged students can be difficult and require some time to get it just right; however, with the use of High Impact Practices, the task can become less daunting. High Impact Practices aid the expansion of workplace skills. These proficiencies include problem solving, researching, writing, critical thinking, and working with diverse populations.

There are various ways you can implement HIPs into your course offerings.  We want to support your realization that it does not take much adjusting to your existing projects to implement the elements of a HIP. High Impact Practices can be fun interactive assignments for which students learn a great deal. Creating projects in the semester that leave a lasting impact helps students form a bond with the faculty member and also the institution, thus increasing retention rates.

Come join us for an informative lecture that will include great examples, learning tools, and a fun activity to help you increase your knowledge about using HIPs to increase student engagement!

Level of Participation:

This session will explain what High Impact Practices (HIPs) are. There will be learning activities given to assist with understanding how to implement HIPs into your course. The session will also include a short business pitch competition much like “Shark Tank” with attendees placed into small groups where they will be given a business idea. Teams will have 10 minutes to create a short business pitch. Teams will then pitch their business in front of judges. This project will mimic a semester long HIP that students complete in their course. The winner of the business pitch competition will win a special prize.

Session Goals:

Individuals attending this lecture will be able to demonstrate their understanding of High Impact Practices (HIPs) and how to implement a HIP in their course. They will identify the eight elements of HIPs. They will also be provided examples of successful HIPs and how those HIPs have increased student engagement.