High-Impact Practices: Applying the Learning Outcomes Literature to the Development of Successful Campus Programs

Abstract

In AAC&U's 2007 report, College Learning for the New Global Century, the National Leadership Council for Liberal Education and Americas Promise (LEAP) identified a number of innovative, practices gaining attention in higher education. In a subsequent AAC&U report, Kuh (2008) describes strong positive effects of participating in high-impact activities as measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Specifically, first-year students and seniors who participated in learning communities, service learning, study abroad, student-faculty research, and senior culminating experiences reported greater gains in learning and personal development. These gains included deep to learning, which encompass integrating ideas and diverse perspectives, discussing ideas with faculty and peers outside of class, analyzing and synthesizing ideas, applying theories, judging the value of information as well as one's own views, and trying to understand others' perspectives. According to Kuh, Deep approaches to learning are important because students who use these approaches tend to earn higher grades and retain, integrate, and transfer information at higher rates (14). In discussing the evidence for the success of these practices, Gonyea, Kinzie, Kuh, and Laird (2008) recommend that all students in higher education participate in at least two high-impact practices, one in their first year and another in their academic major. Yet this recommendation is far from the current reality in higher education. A majority of college students do not have the opportunity to participate in high-impact activities, and, as Kuh notes, underrepresented students - such as first-generation college students and African American students - are far less likely to participate. Kuh's (2008) findings about the outcomes of high-impact practices provide colleges with strong reasons to continue the development of these practices on college campuses. They also raise the question of what else we know about the proven outcomes of these practices. In 2008, the authors of this article completed a literature review for AAC&U, researching the proven outcomes of five activities: first-year seminars, learning communities, service learning, undergraduate research, and capstone experiences. We found substantial support for the value of these programs for students in general, and more specifically, for underserved students (underrepresented minority, low-income, and first-generation students). Each practice leads to a range of positive outcomes for students, and for colleges and universities as well. However, it is also clear that the impact could potentially be greater when colleges and faculty take the time to design these experiences carefully, paying attention to each piece of planning and implementation. Designing these activities with an eye to each campus's own culture and goals will increase the likelihood of strong educational outcomes for all students. Of the five practices reviewed, much has been written about four of them. For first-year seminars, learning communities, undergraduate research and service learning, there are many published descriptive and prescriptive pieces talking about program elements, advocating for the development of these experiences as a response to current criticisms and challenges in higher education, or providing advice for implementing the activities. There are also many articles and books describing case studies of successful programs. Unfortunately, there has been little attention paid to capstone experiences in the past decade, and almost none of that literature looks at student outcomes, including student learning (however, it is worth noting that capstone experiences may fall under the rubric of undergraduate research at many colleges and universities). Therefore, this article will focus on the other four practices reviewed: first-year seminars, learning communities, service learning, and undergraduate research. …

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