High Impact Practices

UW-Whitewater is committed to providing experiences that enhance student learning and development, which is articulated in the university's Strategic Plan. Goal 2 of the strategic plan includes plans to build upon the strong foundation of our LEAP(Liberal Education and America's Promise) initiative to define, establish, and promote high-impact practices(HIPs). All reports contain diversity information including, but not limited to: Gender; First Generation status; URM status; Pell recipiant status; Participation in UW-Whitewater High Impact Practices.

• University Honors Program
• Learning Communities
• Freshman Year Seminar (New Student Seminar)
• Study Away
• Undergraduate Research Program
• Community-Based Learning (CBL)
• Student Employment
• Athletics

What are High Impact Practices? Due to their positive associations with student learning and retention, certain undergraduate opportunities are designated "high-impact." High-Impact Practices (HIPs) share several traits: They demand considerable time and effort, facilitate learning outside of the classroom, require meaningful interactions with faculty and students, encourage collaboration with diverse others, and provide frequent and substantive feedback. As a result, participation in these practices can be life-changing (Kuh, 2008). George Kuh recommends that institutions should aspire for all students to participate in at least two HIPs over the course of their undergraduate experience—one during the first year and one in the context of their major ( NSSE, 2007). Kuh identified eleven learning experiences as high-impact practices:

• First Year Seminars and Experiences
• Common Intellectual Experience
• Learning Communities
• Writing Intensive Courses
• Collaborative Assignments and Projects
• Undergraduate Research
• Diversity/Global Learning
• ePortfolios
• Service Learning, Community-Based Learning
• Internships
• Capstone Courses and Projects

References:Kuh, G. D. (2008). High-impact educational practices: What they are, who has access to them, and why they matter. Washington, DC: Association of American Colleges and Universities.Association of American Colleges and Universities High-Impact Educational PracticesVande Zande Case Study: A System equity-minded approach to scale HIPs in the undergraduate experience (UWSA)