Dr. George Kuh, chancellor’s professor emeritus of higher education at Indiana University, presented his research on effective strategies and policies in higher education to college faculty and staff on Friday, March 6. His talk, “High Impact Learning Practices,” was presented by the Office of the President and the Strategic Planning Council.
“Dr. Kuh is nationally renowned for his research on high-impact learning policies and practices, which are so-called because they are demonstrably effective in bringing about deep and lasting student learning and student success,” said President Donald P. Christian. “High-impact learning practices play a significant role in our Strategic Plan, particularly in Initiative 1, to ‘nurture innovation and the learning environment.’ We see Dr. Kuh’s visit as a professional development resource and opportunity for faculty and staff who are or who want to be engaged in these practices.”
Kuh’s definition of “high-impact learning practices” is based on research that examines the relationship between higher education institutional practices and various measurements of student performance, including the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), used at New Paltz since 2008.
His findings suggest that practices and curricula used to encourage students to “think about their thinking,” allows them to reflect upon their own learning and apply it to various aspects of their lives. This helps students develop the “broad, cross-cutting capabilities” they can apply to their academic, personal and professional growth.
“Students’ capacity to connect things that are happening to them in and out of class is more important than ever before,” Kuh said. “This is what the world is demanding of them after they finish. Getting a degree will be a hollow achievement if your graduates don’t also along the way obtain the dispositions, knowledge and efficiencies they need to make their way in what is a very different post-college environment than most faculty experienced when we left the university.”
Raymond Schwarz, assistant to the president and chair of the Strategic Planning Council, said “New Paltz has had a longstanding commitment to active, hands-on, collaborative, and inquiry-based teaching and learning. Dr. Kuh’s presentation supports and encourages these efforts while providing insights into enhancing and assessing their impact with our student body.”
He added, “Many students on our campus are already engaged in a variety of these high-impact practices, but expanding such opportunities and ensuring that all students take advantage of them must be among our priorities”.
About Dr. George Kuh
Kuh is adjunct research professor at the University of Illinois and Chancellor’s Professor Emeritus of Higher Education at Indiana University. He directs the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA) and founded the NSSE. Kuh has over 375 publications on topics related to institutional improvement and has consulted with more than 350 institutions of higher education and educational agencies in the United States and abroad.
More information about high-impact learning practices is available online through the Association of American Colleges & Universities.
