High-Impact Practices Academy

UNG faculty are invited to apply for the CTLL High-Impact Practice (HIP) Academy, a faculty professional development experience focused on designing meaningful, evidence-based learning experiences that promote student success. Each participant will be paired with a dedicated mentor who specializes in a specific HIP and will serve as a resource and guide throughout the academy.

Calendar 2026-2027

Date and Location	Topic	Meeting Mode
Monday, August 24, 2026 noon to 1 p.m.	Welcome and Introduction to HIPs This opening session will welcome participants to the academy and provide an overview of High-Impact Practices. Faculty will be introduced to the core characteristics that make HIPs effective, including active engagement, real-world application, and sustained student effort. The session will highlight the four focal HIPs for the academy (i.e., work-based learning, service learning, undergraduate research, and capstone experiences), providing examples of how each can be implemented across disciplines. Participants will begin considering how these practices might align with their courses and professional goals as they prepare to develop their own HIP-focused project.	Zoom
September	Mentor Meeting #1: Project Brainstorming and Planning Initial mentor-guided session focused on refining HIP ideas, identifying goals, and developing actionable next steps for project development.	Zoom
Monday, October 26, 2026 noon to 1 p.m.	Designing Effective HIP Experiences This session focuses on how to design high-quality HIPs that align with course goals and promote meaningful student learning. Faculty will explore key design elements such as scaffolding, alignment with learning outcomes, appropriate levels of challenge, and integrating reflection. Emphasis will be placed on translating big ideas into manageable, course-ready components that work across disciplines and class sizes.	Zoom
November	Mentor Meeting #2: Progress Check and Implementation Planning Participants share progress on initial steps, receive feedback, and refine projects with an emphasis on potential implementation in upcoming spring courses.	Zoom
Monday, January 25, 2027 noon to 1 p.m.	Assessment, Feedback, and Measuring Impact This session addresses how to evaluate student learning within HIPs and how to measure their effectiveness. Faculty will examine strategies for assessing applied, experiential learning, including rubric design, formative feedback, and reflective assignments. The session will also explore how to gather evidence of impact for both student learning and program-level outcomes, helping faculty make data-informed improvements.	Zoom
Monday, February 22, 2027 noon to 1 p.m.	Implementation Strategies and Overcoming Barriers This session focuses on the practical side of bringing HIPs into the classroom. Faculty will discuss common challenges such as time constraints, scalability, student readiness, and resource limitations, along with strategies to address them. The session will highlight adaptable models, share examples from across disciplines, and help participants develop realistic plans for implementation in their own courses.	Zoom
March	Mentor Meeting #3: Project Reflection & Presentation Preparation Final mentor session to assess project outcomes, discuss sustainability and future use of HIPs, and prepare for the culminating academy presentations.	Zoom
Friday, April 26, 2027 noon to 2 p.m.	HIP Project Presentations This culminating session provides participants the opportunity to share their HIP projects developed through the academy. Faculty will present a brief overview of their project, including its goals, design, implementation (if applicable), and key takeaways. The session will highlight a range of approaches across disciplines and create space for shared learning, discussion, and feedback. Participants will reflect on what worked, what they would revise, and how they plan to sustain or expand their HIP moving forward.	Zoom

Purpose
Faculty will deepen their understanding of High-Impact Practices (HIPs) and how to design and implement them in their courses to promote student engagement, applied learning, and academic success. Through this academy, participants will focus on integrating work-based learning, service learning, undergraduate research, and capstone experiences, leaving with a concrete, course-ready plan to enhance student learning through meaningful, research-based practices.

HIPs, as identified by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), are evidence-based approaches that enhance student engagement, deepen learning, and improve retention and achievement across a wide range of student populations.

This academy will focus on four key HIPs:

Work-based learning (e.g., internships, field experiences)

Service learning and community-based learning

Undergraduate research

Capstone courses and projects

Participants will explore practical strategies for integrating these practices into their courses and leave with a concrete plan to implement a new or enhance an existing HIP. With support from their assigned mentor, participants will receive targeted guidance aligned with their chosen practice, helping them develop a more engaging and applied learning experience for UNG students.
Skills

The purpose of this academy is to help faculty refine skills that are essential to their own and their students’ success in the classroom:

Design (or redesign) of a project, or projects equivalent to 51 hours of student engagement in one of six High-Impact Practices: Undergraduate Research, Work-based Learning (Internships), Capstone), Service Learning, ePortfolios, or Learning Communities

Apply educational taxonomies to be intentional about student learning outcomes

Implement the ideals and practices of the Association of American Colleges and Universities initiative for a 21st century education, entitled Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP).

Articulate the qualities of the assignment or project that qualify it as a HIP

Knowledge

This academy will help faculty become familiar with the following important content, including:

Research-based teaching practices

Methods for revising assignments for clarity.

Strategies to create new or revised High-Impact Practice projects

Practices and theories underpinning Undergraduate Research, Work-based Learning, Capstone, Service Learning, ePortfolios, and Learning Communities

Knowledge of the 8 Key Elements that qualify an assignment or project as a High-Impact Practice

Application Information
Application Requirements:

Applications must include a Statement of Interest with the following ideas addressed:

Why you would like to participate in the academy and how it aligns with your goals.

Which HIP (e.g., work-based learning, service learning, undergraduate research, capstone experiences) you plan to focus on and why. This helps us pair you with a mentor.

A brief description of a potential project you are interested in developing, implementing, and presenting as part of the academy (recognizing that ideas may still be forming and will be refined through the academy experience).

Application Deadline
Monday, July 13, 2026

Apply for the HIP Academy

Past Academies

Date and Location	Topic	Meeting Mode
Monday, August 24, 2026 noon to 1 p.m.	Welcome and Introduction to HIPs This opening session will welcome participants to the academy and provide an overview of High-Impact Practices. Faculty will be introduced to the core characteristics that make HIPs effective, including active engagement, real-world application, and sustained student effort. The session will highlight the four focal HIPs for the academy (i.e., work-based learning, service learning, undergraduate research, and capstone experiences), providing examples of how each can be implemented across disciplines. Participants will begin considering how these practices might align with their courses and professional goals as they prepare to develop their own HIP-focused project.	Zoom
September	Mentor Meeting #1: Project Brainstorming and Planning Initial mentor-guided session focused on refining HIP ideas, identifying goals, and developing actionable next steps for project development.	Zoom
Monday, October 26, 2026 noon to 1 p.m.	Designing Effective HIP Experiences This session focuses on how to design high-quality HIPs that align with course goals and promote meaningful student learning. Faculty will explore key design elements such as scaffolding, alignment with learning outcomes, appropriate levels of challenge, and integrating reflection. Emphasis will be placed on translating big ideas into manageable, course-ready components that work across disciplines and class sizes.	Zoom
November	Mentor Meeting #2: Progress Check and Implementation Planning Participants share progress on initial steps, receive feedback, and refine projects with an emphasis on potential implementation in upcoming spring courses.	Zoom
Monday, January 25, 2027 noon to 1 p.m.	Assessment, Feedback, and Measuring Impact This session addresses how to evaluate student learning within HIPs and how to measure their effectiveness. Faculty will examine strategies for assessing applied, experiential learning, including rubric design, formative feedback, and reflective assignments. The session will also explore how to gather evidence of impact for both student learning and program-level outcomes, helping faculty make data-informed improvements.	Zoom
Monday, February 22, 2027 noon to 1 p.m.	Implementation Strategies and Overcoming Barriers This session focuses on the practical side of bringing HIPs into the classroom. Faculty will discuss common challenges such as time constraints, scalability, student readiness, and resource limitations, along with strategies to address them. The session will highlight adaptable models, share examples from across disciplines, and help participants develop realistic plans for implementation in their own courses.	Zoom
March	Mentor Meeting #3: Project Reflection & Presentation Preparation Final mentor session to assess project outcomes, discuss sustainability and future use of HIPs, and prepare for the culminating academy presentations.	Zoom
Friday, April 26, 2027 noon to 2 p.m.	HIP Project Presentations This culminating session provides participants the opportunity to share their HIP projects developed through the academy. Faculty will present a brief overview of their project, including its goals, design, implementation (if applicable), and key takeaways. The session will highlight a range of approaches across disciplines and create space for shared learning, discussion, and feedback. Participants will reflect on what worked, what they would revise, and how they plan to sustain or expand their HIP moving forward.	Zoom

2020-2021

Date and Location	Topic	Meeting Mode
Saturday, September 12, 2020 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.	Introduction to Assignment Design for Undergraduate Research, Service Learning, Work-based Learning (Internships), and Capstone Retreat and Kickoff Celebration High-Impact Educational Practices: Ensuring Quality Projects and Aspirations Introduction to Assignment Design for Undergraduate Research, Service Learning, Work-based Learning (Internships), and Capstone	Blackboard Collaborate
Monday, October 26, 2020 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	Coaching Session: Sharing Project Ideas and Planning (Each small group will investigate their selected HIP with coaches)	Blackboard Collaborate
Monday, November 30, 2020 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	Skills and Knowledge: Using VALUE Rubrics and Taxonomies for Design	Blackboard Collaborate
Monday, January 25, 2021 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	Coaching Session: Teaching Contexts, Essential Readings, and Resources for each HIP (Each small group will investigate their selected HIP with coaches)	Blackboard Collaborate
Monday, February 22, 2021 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	HIP Tasks and Scaffolding for Student Comprehension	Blackboard Collaborate
Monday, March 22, 2021 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	Assessment of Student Progress in each HIP	Blackboard Collaborate
Monday, March 29, 2021 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.	Coaching Session: Finalizing Project Planning (Each small group will investigate their selected HIP with coaches)	Blackboard Collaborate
Friday, April 16, 2021 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.	Final Reports and Celebration	Zoom

2017-2018

Date and Location	Topic	Meeting Mode
Dahlonega: faculty attend on September 29, 2017, 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Downtown Office Building 228 Gainesville: Faculty attend on October 13, 2017, 12:00 p.m. - 3 p.m. in Dunlap-Mathis 137	Retreat and Kickoff Celebration High-Impact Educational Practices: Ensuring Quality Projects and Aspirations Introduction to Assignment Design for Undergraduate Research and Service-Learning	Face-to-Face
October 8, 2017, 1:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m.	Coaching Session: Sharing Project Ideas and Planning	Face-to-face and small group meetings for Service-Learning and Undergraduate Research
November 29, 2018	Skills and Knowledge: Using VALUE Rubrics and Taxonomies for Design	Videoconference
December 8, 2018, 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.	Criteria for Success in Undergraduate Research and Service-Learning	Videoconference
December/January	Coaching Session: Teaching Contexts, Essential Readings, and Resources for Service-Learning and Undergraduate Research	Face-to-face and small group meetings for Service-Learning and Undergraduate Research
February 19, 2018 Before we meet on February 19, please read the materials in our eLearning site to prepare. Consider how this influences your UR or S-L project.	HIP Tasks and Scaffolding for Student Comprehension	Videoconference via GoToMeeting February HIP Academy Meeting Mon, Feb 19, 2018 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.EST Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (786) 535-3211 Access Code: 628-756-317 First GoToMeeting? Let's do a quick system check.
March 26, 2018 Before we meet on March 26, please read the materials on our eLearning site to prepare. Consider how this influences your UR or S-L project.	Assessment of Student Progress in Service-Learning and Undergraduate Research	Videoconference via GoToMeeting March HIP Academy Meeting Mon, Mar 26, 2018 3:15 p.m. - 4:15 p.m. EDT Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. You can also dial in using your phone. United States: +1 (669) 224-3412 Access Code: 612-758-469 First GoToMeeting? Let's do a quick system check.
March	Coaching Session: Finalizing Project Planning and Presentation at Retreat	Face-to-face and small group meetings for Service-Learning and Undergraduate Research
April 9, 2018 Dahlonega: 3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. in Downtown Office Building 228	Academies Retreat: Celebration and Sharing of High-Impact Practices and Project Design	Face-to-face meeting in Dahlonega of participants and leaders from all campuses.
May 11, 2018	HIP Academy Report	See eLearning for details.

High-Impact Practices Academy

Skills

Knowledge

2020-2021

2017-2018