A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING THE DECISION-MAKING EXPERIENCES TO PARTICIPATE IN HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES

Oct 15, 2026

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Qualitative research examines how students make decisions to participate in six high-impact-practice programs, focusing on barriers to involvement. The study draws on interviews with 23 former participants and is framed by evidence that HIPs can improve persistence, learning depth, student-faculty interaction, critical thinking, writing skills, diversity appreciation, engagement, and equity effects. It addresses inequitable participation across African-American, Latinx, first-generation, and transfer students, and considers how institutions can begin equity-focused, evidence-based improvements.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time38 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

High-impact practices and participation variation

Equity effects and inequitable participation

Barriers to participation

Internship abroad and study abroad barriers

Problem statement

Evidence-based changes and engagement

A QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING THE DECISION-MAKING EXPERIENCES TO PARTICIPATE IN HIGH-IMPACT PRACTICES Dustin K . Grabsch Southern Methodist University Stephanie Webb Texas A & M University Lori L . Moore Texas A & M University Kim E . Dooley Texas A & M University High-impact practices in education can have a transformative influence on students’ educational growth and personal development; however, research suggests that not all students participate in these educationally purposeful activities. Some institutions have integrated high-impact-practice programs into the curriculum to center these opportunities within the student experience, yet participation varies by student demographic. The present qualitative research study explores the decision-making experiences of 23 former program participants, including a specific focus on barriers, for participating in six high-impact-practice programs. Please direct inquires about this manuscript to: Dustin K. Grabsch, [dgrabsch@mail.smu.edu](dgrabsch@mail.smu.edu) College Student Affairs Journal, Volume 39(1), pp. 88-102 ISSN 2381-2338 Copyright 2021 Southern Association for College Student Affairs All rights of reproduction in any form reserved. 89 College Student Affairs Journal Vol. 39, No. 1, 2021 ThUeniAssverosictiiatesion( 2of00A7)merhasniCdoenlletigfieesd and 10 promising high-impact practices (HIPs) for education, including first-year seminars, common intellectual experiences, learning communities, service learning, writing-intensive courses, collaborative assignmentsand projects, undergraduate research, study abroad and other experiences with diversity, internships, and capstones. Kuh, O’Donnell, and Schneider (2017) commented on the use of the HIPs since their introduction: HIPs are now part of the postsecondary lexicon and have earned a place among the most promising approaches to enhancing student success. But such promise carries with it a moral and public obligation: once something seems to promote high-quality learning, completion, and equity, the only acceptable response is adoption – with consistency, fidelity, and reliability. (p. 14) The success and growth in emphasis on HIPs likely can be attributed to the positive outcomes to which they are tied: (a) persistence and grade-point average, (b) deep methods to learning, (c) higher rates of student and faculty interaction, (d) improved critical thinking, (e) increases in writing skills, (f) greater appreciation for diversity, (g) higher student engagement, and (h) compensatory effects (Finley, 2011; Kilgo, Sheets, & Pascarella, 2015; Kuh, 2008) . Most HIPs can have a transformative effect on students’ personal and educational growth (Kinzie, 2012) . Research has persuasively shown that HIPs improve the quality of a student’s experience, learning, retention, and success, particularly for historically underrepresented populations (Kuh, 2008) . For example, HIPs are associated with outcomes such as improved graduation rates and narrowed achievement gaps between racial and ethnic groups (Kinzie, 2012; National Survey of Student Engagement [NSSE], 2007) . Sadly, HIP participation is inequitable; African-American, Latinx, first generation and transfer students are the least like- ly to complete such experiences (Finley & McNair, 2013; Kuh, et al., 2017) . Finley and McNair (2013) stated that “the evidence that high-impact practices provide distinctive and compelling benefits for multiple groups of students, including those who have been traditionally underserved in higher education, illustrates what might best be referred to as the ‘equity effects’ of high-impact practices” (p. 19) . Finley and McNair (2013) acknowledged that their national dataset is too far removed from the nuances of campus life and policymaking to guide adjustments in particular HIP practice or to inform new efforts. It is imperative, therefore, for faculty and staff practitioners to examine their own equity effec

FAQs

What is the purpose of the qualitative study?

The study explores decision-making experiences for participating in six high-impact-practice programs, with a specific focus on barriers to participation.

How many former participants are included?

The research analyzes decision-making experiences of 23 former program participants.

Why is HIP participation described as inequitable?

Participation is reported as uneven, with African-American, Latinx, first-generation, and transfer students least likely to complete these experiences.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore