CITL - Sharon Grigsby: Honors

Meet Your 2025 High Impact Practices (HIPs) Ambassadors

A high impact practice is a pedagogical approach which requires an investment of time and energy over an extended period that has unusually positive effects on student engagement in educationally purposeful behavior (Kuh, 2010). High impact practices are evidence-based teaching and learning practices that have been widely tested and shown to be beneficial for college students (Kuh, 2008).

Characteristics of high-impact activities include: setting appropriately high expectations of students; interaction with faculty and peers about substantive matters; experiences with diversity; frequent feedback; reflection and integrative learning; real-world applications; and demonstrated competence.

Meet Your 2025 HIP Ambassadors:

Sharon Grigsby from Columbia State Community College

Name: Sharon Grigsby

Institution: Columbia State Community College

Email: sgrigsby@columbiastate.edu

Office Number: 931-540-2771

Degrees earned and institution(s): MS Psychology, Walden University

How long have you worked at your institution? 4 years

What is your teaching/research focus area(s)? Social Science

What do you appreciate most about the HIP(s) that you have infused into the courses you teach?

The relatability and engagement the students now have to the course and real life events. They can see themselves more clearly and how they engage with the society, culture and environment around them.

Sharon Grigsby is your HIP Ambassador for Honors Education Courses.

Minimum Definition of Practice-

Honors education is characterized by in-class and extracurricular activities that meet the needs and abilities of the students it serves through practices that are measurably broader, deeper, or more complex than comparable learning experiences typically found at institutions of higher education. Honors experiences include a distinctive learner-directed environment and philosophy, provide opportunities that are appropriately tailored to fit the institution's culture and mission, and frequently occur within a close community of students and faculty (adapted from NCHC, 2016).

Global and cultural awareness courses are credit-bearing experiences in which students learn how to communicate across cultures while developing an understanding of global interdependence and how it is influenced by culture – understood as the values, beliefs, practices, traditions, heritage, rituals, and behaviors held by groups of people. These courses will provide tools to increase students’ critical analysis of the global and intercultural nature of society and practice ethical reasoning to successfully navigate this world.

More information here (scroll down and click on to expand the topic.)

Getting Started with HIPs

A high impact practice is a pedagogical approach which requires an investment of time and energy over an extended period that has unusually positive effects on student engagement in educationally purposeful behavior (Kuh, 2010). High impact practices are evidence-based teaching and learning practices that have been widely tested and shown to be beneficial for college students (Kuh, 2008). Characteristics of high-impact activities include: setting appropriately high expectations of students; interaction with faculty and peers about substantive matters; experiences with diversity; frequent feedback; reflection and integrative learning; real-world applications; and demonstrated competence.

Want to learn more?

You can request that Dr. Heidi Leming come and present at your campus for in-service or other even.
View "Work Smarter, Not Harder: Simplifying HIPs" presentation (47 minutes)
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