Experiential Learning at Xavier University

High Impact Experiential Learning Opportunities (HIELOS)

Xavier University's  Xavier 200 strategic plan calls for Xavier to expand the breadth and depth of our commitment to fostering enriched learning through transformative, immersive, experiential opportunities.

Our commitment is realized in our expansive approach to experiential learning. We are looking broadly across campus, both in and out of the formal curriculum, to capture High Impact Experiential Learning Opportunities (HIELOs) wherever they're helping form our students.

We recognize our HIELOs not based on their format, the sponsoring office, or the activity, but rather by the degree of formative impact they have on students.

With the help of many individuals across campus, this rubric was developed to recognize distinctions among HIELOs' impact. 

The rubric is maintained and applied by the Associate Provost for Academic Engagment.

HIELO Learning Objective  Gold Silver Bronze

INTERACTION

Students develop skills for interacting with and/or serving individuals or groups, with respect and openness, in environments external to Xavier, including identifying resources and needs. 

There are multiple external interactions with individuals, groups, or environments.

Interactions require competent engagement with individuals, groups, or environments; in-depth understanding; and/or substantive service.

External interaction is limited. Interactions provide opportunity for students to practice engagement skills and/or service.

Students learn from or about individuals, groups, or environments.

External contact is one time and students interact minimally.


Students learn from or about external individuals, groups, or environments.

APPLICATION

Students apply learning in a discipline or field. Examples include simulation, case-based learning, research involving primary data, or performance. 

Students apply taught content within real-world contexts relevant to a discipline or field through an extended period. Appropriate mentors (including faculty) provide feedback.


Students are explicitly guided to develop more than two vocation-relevant skills, such as NACE Career Readiness Competencies.

 Students apply taught content within real-world contexts and develop skills relevant to a discipline or field.   
  
Students are explicitly guided to develop one or two vocation-relevant skills, such as NACE Career Readiness Competencies.		 Students apply taught content to basic problems or practice skills relevant to a discipline or field.

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Students develop critical thinking by acting within uncertainty and variability 

Contexts are consistently variable and present new challenges. Work requires repeated updating of ideas as new information becomes available.

 
Students are consistently engaged in problem-solving and creative thinking.

Contexts have moderate variability. Some updating of ideas is required as new information or feedback is presented.

Students move beyond information recall to solving problems.

Contexts have minimal variability.

Students are mostly recalling learned information with minimal problem-solving required.

REFLECTION

Students reflect upon experience and their relationship to others and/or to God, and articulate their place in the world including vocational commitments. 

 Students complete ongoing and final reflection relating the experience to their vocation, personal development, commitments to solidarity and justice, relationships with others, and/or their relationship to God. 
 
Reflection includes articulating how students developed skills that transfer to future work (service, career, graduate school, volunteering).		 Students engage in moderate or occasional reflection relating the experience to their vocation, personal development, commitments to solidarity and justice, and/or their relationship to God. Students engage in no reflection or minor reflection opportunities such as surveys, discussions, or brief written pieces related to the experience.

PERSEVERANCE

Students learn across multiple curricular and/or co­curricular experiences into a culminating final work (e.g., report, presentation, performance, competition, portfolio or integrated series of smaller works) 

Work requirements are clear, substantial, and require sustained and repeated effort.

Work requires students to integrate skills or content from multiple courses, fields, disciplines, or co-curricular experiences.

 Work requirements are clear and require effort over multiple weeks. Minor work requiring a week or less of effort from students.