High-Impact Practices (HIPs) Spectrum: Introducing the High-Engagement Experiences (HEEs) Taxonomy

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Kathryn Marten
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8072-2086
Dianne D. Murphy
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0987-2780
Heather L. Kaminski
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9746-2425
Mathew Dornbush
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7864-8050

Abstract

Abstract: High-Engagement Experiences, or HEEs, are introduced as part of a new classification taxonomy: The High-Impact Practices (HIPs) Spectrum. The introduction of the HIPs Spectrum is relevant because it expands educators’ definition of HIPs from binary to a more nuanced continuum, which lays the foundation for future research on HIPs and HEEs that can translate into practical implications for curriculum and student success. We propose a quantitative scale for measuring and classifying courses along the HIPs Spectrum, which ranges from ‘Neither HEE nor HIP’, to ‘HEE’, to ‘HIP’ based upon Kuh and colleagues' (2013) widely-used Universal Elements of HIPs. This scale is part of a course classification system that is foundational for a comprehensive assessment process to measure the impact of the HIPs Spectrum on student success (i.e., course completion rates, grades, retention). We demonstrate this rating system using a School of Business at a midwestern regional comprehensive university in the United States. The assessment process and initial results are shared and discussed–including the disbursement of the HIPs Spectrum classifications across majors. We discuss the impact on faculty and students, limitations, contributions, and future research. The assessment process delineated can be used as a model for other colleges and universities.

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How to Cite
Marten, K., Murphy, D. D., Kaminski, H. L., & Dornbush, M. (2025). High-Impact Practices (HIPs) Spectrum: Introducing the High-Engagement Experiences (HEEs) Taxonomy. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.14434/josotl.v25i1.36024
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Author Biography

Kathryn Marten, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

With a background in International Education and Career Services, Kathryn is passionate about connecting students with high impact experiences that will help them meaningfully grow during college and prepare for their future careers. In her current role, Kathryn helps to lead programs such as the Mentoring Project, Innovation On-Ramp, company tours, pitch competitions, Transcripts to Resumes, and High Impact Practice assessment. She earned an M.S.Ed. in Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education from UW-La Crosse (2020) and a B.A. in Psychology and Cross-Cultural Studies from Augsburg University (2016).