What are HIPS?
The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has identified a number of high-impact learning practices (e.g., undergraduate research, collaborative assignments, learning communities, service-learning, study abroad, freshman seminars). Each of these learning practices involves a significant investment of student effort over time with multiple interactions between faculty, students, and/or relevant community parties about substantive matters as well as frequent, constructive feedback from faculty, and regular, structured processes for reflection and integration.
Learning Communities
The key goals for learning communities are to encourage the integration of learning across courses and to involve students with “big questions” that matter beyond the classroom. Students take two or more linked courses as a group and work closely with one another and with their professors. Many learning communities explore a common topic and/or common readings through the lenses of different disciplines. Some deliberate link “liberal arts” and “professional courses”; others feature service learning.
