High-Impact Experiences

A high-impact experience is one that results in learning across multiple competencies, for example, teamwork, leadership, discipline knowledge, communication, ethics, etc. By now, you probably have several from which to choose for a reflective essay, including an internship, your capstone project, field trip, study abroad, language immersion, etc. Reflecting on and writing about "high-impact" experiences and projects will help you develop more comprehensive and detailed reflections about the universal competencies (also known as program-level outcomes) that are valued in your discipline and profession.

How do you write about a high-impact experience?

Begin by selecting the high-impact experience you want to write about. Next, address the 3 areas listed below. You could also use the S.T.A.R.T. approach described on the reflection page or the 3-column approach described in writing about assignments.

1. Describe the experience, the trip, job, project, etc.

2. Identify the takeaways (competencies) that are more fully developed in the body of the paper.

3. Explain the takeaways. Select 3 or 4 elements about the experience/project you believe will persuade your audience of its value AND your ability to transfer what you have learned through them to new projects. For example, you might choose to describe the following competencies about your capstone:

   1. • Discipline knowledge, for example, "public budgeting" (describe how the project required you to demonstrate knowledge of this topic)

      • Written communication (describe how the project required you to develop skills to prepare the written deliverables required for the project)

      • Teamwork (describe how the project required you to work with a group to solve the problem)

      • Leadership (describe how the project required you to demonstrate the skills you have learned through your leadership training)

Next, consult the sub-pages, drop-down menus, for more specific guiding questions to help you develop clear, persuasive reflections about each experience (such an internship), a skill or competency (such as leadership), or a project (such as your capstone).

Later, prepare the more comprehensive reflections about the universal competencies. For these reflections, use the individual reflections you have already written to help you synthesize information and generalize about your learning. For example, a "teamwork" reflection should draw from your individual reflections but should NOT be a re-statement of them. It SHOULD synthesize the main points discovered by analyzing and comparing the individual reflections in order to discover "new" knowledge. Thus, the more comprehensive competency reflection connects the dots among the individual reflections.

Analyze individual reflections, connect the dots, and formulate new knowledge from your synthesis

Writing from specific to general

Starting with the specific tasks/experiences/projects to identify the more "tactical" steps will help you see the "bigger picture," (i.e.,the theoretical, strategic principles involved. For example, begin by identifying a problem that you solved, focusing on the more tactical elements:

Specific-tactical

For example, begin by identifying a problem that you solved, focusing on the more tactical elements:

1. What was the problem? (Ex: My capstone team was consistently behind schedule, almost missing several deadlines for submitting critical documents to our client.)

2. How did you solve it? What steps did you take? (Ex: I set up a project schedule and required each member to identify when each step should be completed and how he/she would complete it.)

3. What were the results? (Ex: We met the interim and final project deadlines.)

4. Why did the results work out this way? (Ex: Team members knew what was expected regarding interim and final deadlines.)

General-strategic

Identify the strategic elements involved (how you solved the problem, results, and causes).

• 1. Complex projects require planning, particularly the development of a detailed management plan, including a task schedule.

  2. Requiring team members to help create the schedule increases involvement and accountability.

*For help getting started reflecting on a high-impact experience, use this handout, which also includes a SAMPLE reflection.

Writing from general to specific

Though your analysis started with the specific and moved to the general, your writing should move in the opposite direction.

Ex: Without clear planning and individual accountability, complex projects risk falling behind schedule. Successfully managing a large project requires detailed planning and must involve the entire team. Doing so will ensure that deadlines are met and individuals are held accountable. First, developing a management plan, including a task schedule, will keep the project moving forward . . . Second, requiring the entire team to create the schedule together increases participation and accountability because all members will have had the opportunity to influence the final schedule. I learned the importance of planning and team accountability when my capstone project risked meeting critical deadlines. . . .

Check your reflections using the rubric and peer review worksheet below.