Unleash Your Library's HIPster: Transforming Student Library Jobs into High-Impact Practices

摘要

Introduction At a time when higher education is facing unprecedented external pressure to demonstrate its value and assess its outcomes, colleges and universities are eager to articulate the myriad ways they benefit students and society. Brick and mortar institutions are looking to differentiate themselves from each other as well as from other initiatives such as massive open online courses (MOOCs) and for-profit online providers that could be seen as competitors. One way institutions are doing this is by offering and emphasizing highimpact practices. In higher education, high-impact practices (HIPs) are defined as transformative experiences that "require students to connect, reflect on, and integrate what they are learning from their classes with other life experiences." HIPs enable students to "see firsthand the practical value of their classroom learning by applying it in real-life settings."~1 Studies show that HIPs contribute to student engagement and success. Experiences such as study abroad, collaborative research, living learning communities, service learning or internships are commonly cited as HIPs. They share characteristics such as engaging students in sustained and purposeful tasks and decision-making; they offer students the opportunity to interact regularly and in meaningful ways with faculty, staff or other mentors and receive regular feedback; they expose students to people different from themselves; and they provide opportunities for students to apply, synthesize and reflect on knowledge.~2 These experiences nurture skills that align with those that employers indicate they value when hiring college graduates. Employers cite critical thinking and problem-solving skills, communication skills, and the ability to apply learning to real-world situations as critical to workplace success.~3 Those who employ student workers recognize that most, if not all, of these qualities can be developed and enhanced in student jobs. With intentionality and effort, student employment can be recast into a high-impact practice.