This special issue of Christian Higher Education features papers from the inaugural Best Practices in Christian Higher Ed research seminar and conference, hosted by Abilene Christian University (ACU) in partnership with the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities (CCCU). We are confident that the diverse perspectives and innovative initiatives discussed in the following articles will serve institutions of Christian higher learning effectively as they seek to fulfill their missions and serve their students.
Background
Over the past decade and a half, the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has advocated for the value of high-impact teaching and learning practices, “based on evidence of significant educational benefits for students who participate in them—including and especially those from demographic groups historically underserved by higher education” (https://www.aacu.org/trending-topics/high-impact).Footnote1 Christian colleges and universities are wise to adopt such evidence-based pedagogies and strategies, as many have done for years. However, an important question must be addressed: How do we define and measure “impact” as a Christian institution of higher education? In other words, how can Christian higher education incorporate evidence-based practices from the wider landscape of higher learning in ways that align with and further our distinctive aims? In addition, when we implement these practices on our campuses, how do we know they are effective?
To answer the questions above, ACU instituted the Best Practices in Christian Higher Ed research seminar series. Our intention is to explore the intersection of high-impact practices and Christian higher education and discover best practices through research and collaboration. Over a two-year period, a cohort of high-impact scholars investigates one specific practice (e.g., first-year experience, service learning, study abroad) and its impact and implementation in Christian higher education. In the first year of the seminar, cohort members meet for two intensive workshops, during which they examine various aspects of the chosen high-impact practice and, with the guidance of research design experts from ACU, identify research questions and design their projects. The second year is spent engaging in research. The seminar culminates in a national conference, during which cohort members share their research alongside keynote speakers and session presenters highlighting other best practices in Christian higher learning.
The inaugural research seminar launched in the fall of 2020. We invited faculty and staff from faith-based institutions, as well as Christian scholars from other colleges and universities, to apply for the research seminar. Ten scholars were selected to this initial cohort focusing on the first-year experience. These high-impact scholars spent substantial time reflecting on the aim of Christian higher education, exploring the outcomes related to the first-year experience, and reviewing relevant literature on the topic. Members collaborated to surface potential research questions in light of the particular needs and opportunities at their respective institutions. Their first-year experience research topics included:
First-year seminars
Integrating first-generation students
Increasing engagement of traditionally underserved students
Spiritual formation
Creating campus cultures for student success and flourishing
Retention
Peer mentorship
Developing and fostering relationships between faculty and students
Participants then spent the 2021–2022 academic year engaged in research at their home institutions and participated in virtual check-ins throughout the year. They then presented their research at the Best Practices in Christian Higher Ed conference hosted at ACU in Abilene, Texas, September 25–27, 2022.
Articles
Both the research seminar and conference generated numerous quality papers covering a variety of topics. For this special issue, we have included four articles written by research seminar members and three from conference presenters.
The first four articles all focus on first-year experiences and showcase research related to interventions conducted at the scholars’ respective institutions. Brenda Morton and Aida Isela Ramos make a case for how bridge programs increase graduation rates among first-generation students, especially because of the enhanced sense of belonging. Chris M. Riley explains how incorporating the restorative justice practice of talking circles in the first year can bolster a sense of belonging among first-generation traditionally underrepresented students. Marcia K. Everett examines how a first-year seminar assignment intended to build bridges between students can be personally and spiritually formative. Sarah Todd investigates the practices and factors during the first-year experience that lead students to become mentors in subsequent years.
The final three articles were presented at the conference. These were selected because they focus on subjects that should be strategic priorities for institutions of Christian higher education: spiritual formation; vocational development; and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Austin T. Smith, Perry L. Glanzer, and Theodore F. Cockle argue for the value of creating residential chaplaincies for the spiritual formation of students. Christopher J. Payne and colleagues from Franciscan University of Steubenville attest to the importance of vocational formation in Christian higher education and describe and assess a constellation of initiatives they implemented toward that end. Finally, Brian E. Cole and Jennifer T. Butcher contend that Christian higher education has resources to meet the needs of diverse student populations and resolve inequities in online education, and they offer recommendations for systemic interventions.
We hope that the research and proposals in these articles spark new and creative thinking for institutions of Christian higher learning. We also hope that the collaboration experienced through the Best Practices in Christian Higher Ed research seminar and conference will continue to expand so we can spur one another on toward fulfilling our missions. And we must say, we hope to see you in Abilene, Texas, for the 2024 conference on global learning and study abroad!
Assistant Provost for Teaching, Learning, and Vocational Formation, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, USA
[email protected]
Derran Reese
Executive Director of Experiential Learning, Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas, USA[email protected]
Notes
1 The high-impact practices identified by the AAC&U are capstone courses and projects, collaborative assignments and projects, common intellectual experiences, diversity/global learning, ePortfolios, first-year seminars and experiences, internships, learning communities, service learning, community-based learning, undergraduate research, and writing-intensive courses.