AAC&U Annual Meeting, 2021 Getting Beyond the High-Impact Practice (HIPs) Checklist: Designing with Elements of Quality and Racial Equity in Mind

Abstract

High-impact practices (HIPs) represent a core feature of a high-quality undergraduate education and are often hailed as life-changing events. The literature identifies a set of essential elements common across HIPs, yet to date most evidence about HIPs has been limited to student participation in designated HIPs, with scant empirical examination of their implementation. We report on a multi-institution study of students’ exposure to these el! ements of quality in seven HIPs (first-year seminar, learning communities, service-learning, research with faculty, study abroad, internships and field experiences, and culminating senior experiences) to deepen understanding of HIP quality and to explore racially minoritized student access to high-quality HIPs and discuss strategies to enhance quality standards and equity.