Why are HITPs Recommended?
High-impact teaching practices (HITPs) are recommended because they align with learning and motivation theories.
The research shows that when instructors know more about these theories, their applications in the classroom are more effective.
Below are some key tenets of some of the biggest learning and motivation theories.
Once you know more about these key tenets, you can create more meaningful HITPs - and will know how to adapt them to best suit your course and students' needs.
Learning: Key Theoretical Tenets
The best learning happens when...
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Students are cognitively active.
Learners cannot be passive recipients of information if they are to retain new information; they should actively use this information.
This is why lecture alone is not recommended as an effective instructional practice.
Information-Processing Theory suggests that as new information comes in, it must be "processed" in working memory - worked with, coded, and filed - if it is to be effectively stored in long-term memory.
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Students work together.
A popular learning theory, Social Constructivism, suggests that learning is a social act, and we learn best when we learn collaboratively.
Socially learning material, within small groups or in whole-class activities, permits peer-level explanations and multiple viewpoints.
- Peer-level explanations can help scaffold another student's understanding.
- Multiple viewpoints expands and deepens understanding of a topic.
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Students develop their own understandings.
Theories suggest that learning is more powerful when we build our own understanding of concepts.
This "construction" of our understandings can be guided, however, by an expert or teacher.
Ultimately, it is helpful to lead the learner to build conclusions, rather than pre-emptively, and directly, stating those conclusions. In other words, what can the learner "figure out" - on their own or collaboratively?
Some of our recommended HITPs, such as guided inquiries, are applications of constructivist theory.
Learn more about Constructivism and instructional implications.
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Students are challenged at the right level.
If learners are not challenged enough, nothing new will be learned. If they are challenged beyond what they can handle (even with expert assistance), they cannot learn that new material.
Thus, learners must be challenged, but not excessively.
This is important as you design HITPs; some newer research indicates that many "active learning" methods are not cognitively challenging enough.
Deeper challenge leads to richer and more permanent learning. Avoid cognitively shallow activities.
Recommendations to ensure students can succeed on a "challenging-enough" task are to scaffold - or build-in assistance:
- Provide clear instructions, checklists, or other step-by-step guidance
- Allow collaboration for peer scaffolding
- Break down large projects into more manageable steps (with feedback)
- Offer tips or hints along the way
- Provide samples for practice or reference
Learn more about Social Constructivism and scaffolding/Zone of Proximal Development.
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Students can relate new information to what they already know.
Schema Theory suggests that what we learn is stored as abstract units, or "schemas." Schemas become increasingly complex and interlinked.
When schemas are brought to conscious awareness, learners can better connect new information to what they already know (their existing schemas).
This leads to better retention and retrieval of the new information.
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Students practice retrieving information.
Practicing with information does not need to happen only in the initial learning stages. As another step in the learning process, practicing retrieval of information can be impactful for long-term learning.
According to Information-Processing Theory, after information is stored in long-term memory, it should be retrievable. Sometimes, though, it isn't (or it's patchy).
Practicing with retrieval helps build the retrieval pathway and subsequently deepen the encoding (memory) of that information.
Retrieval practices can include, but are not limited to:
- Intermittent (pop, or announced) quizzes on older material
- Comprehensive exams
- Cognitive mapping without notes
- Interleaved learning of old material with new
- Case studies or problem sets that use older concepts as well as new
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Students progress from familiar to challenging.
Models of the learning process suggest that learners progress from first being engaged with the new content, all the way to evaluating their understanding of that content.
This "5-E" model of learning suggests that learning can be progressive, starting with Engagement, then Exploration (of the new material), followed by students' own Explanation of the new content, Elaboration - or Extension - of that new information into new applications, and finally, students' Evaluation of their own or peers' learning of the content.
This model is often recommended as a basis for instructional planning.
Learn more about the 5-E Model of Learning (or Instruction).
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Students feel psychologically safe.
According to some learning theories, if learners are distracted by other threats, or feel stressed in their environment, learning cannot happen.
This is because the cognitive "processing space" - or working memory - is being taken up at some level by anxiety, threat surveillance, or other distracting thoughts.
Decreasing students' sense of stress and threat is thus important if effective learning is to happen.
Broad categories to examine include:
- Grading: Avoid high-stakes grading, especially if no opportunities for revision
- Environment: Practice warmth and approachability as an instructor
- Environment: Encourage collaboration but start with warm-ups
- Environment: Learn about and avoid microaggressions
- Instruction: Practice scaffolding
Motivation: Key Theoretical Tenets
Ideal (intrinsic) motivation is boosted when ...
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Students feel empowered.
Self-Determination Theory indicates that the #1 way to increase intrinsic motivation is by helping students feel they have some autonomy, or control in their learning environment.
We can accomplish this by giving students voice and choice.
We can give students voice by...
- Allowing the class to make some decisions about what is in the syllabus.
- Giving students options for how their grades are determined in the class.
- Offering up for class vote a particular topic for a given week.
- Allowing the class to determine the exam questions from which final questions will be drawn.
We can give students choices by...
- Permitting students to choose the topic they will research for a project or paper.
- Allowing students the choice of which essay questions to answer in an exam.
- Giving students the choice of who to work with in a group (or to choose to work independently).
- Providing students different ways they can share their learning on a project (e.g., paper vs. presentation, etc.)
These lists above are non-exhaustive - there are many ways we can offer students voice and choice!
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Students feel capable.
The second of the 3 "psychological needs" that Self-Determination Theory says must be met to enhance motivation is Competence. That is, students need to feel they have the capability and support they need to succeed.
There are many ways to help students feel capable of success. Here are a few:
- Scaffold their learning so that earlier assignments build into later ones, leading to (likely) early success.
- Provide clear rubrics or other descriptions of what a successful assignment might look like.
- Give students clear and useful feedback they can build upon.
- Provide some guided "start-up" time in class so students can begin a larger project while getting your initial and prompt feedback.
- Answer student questions graciously and quickly.
- Give extra support resources (typically, online) that students can reference if they are struggling.
- Provide choices for how to complete work - this not only enhances autonomy (above), but also means students are likely to choose a method they feel they can be successful at.
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Students feel connected.
The final psychological need that Self-Determination Theory states is needed in order to build intrinsic motivation is a sense of connection with others. In the classroom environment, this can mean with you (the instructor) as well as with other students.
There are multiple ways to help build that sense of connection in your classes. Here are a few:
- In small groups (or an online discussion/Padlet), have students share personal stories around a course concept.
- Get to know students using a brief start-of-term survey (reach out with responses if you are able!)
- Give personalized feedback - it doesn't have to be long, but even using a student's name in feedback can increase a sense of being noticed and connected.
- Send quick "high-five" emails to students when they do something great!
- Use think-pair-shares or small group discussions regularly - particularly around opinion shares or other ways you can personalize some content.
- Create a class "playlist" of their current "theme songs" and play them as they come into class (or provide the link to your online students).