Authenticity and Impact: Embedding HIPs in the First-Year Seminar

“When students can see you in them—that’s where high impact practices take shape.”

Case Study

Written Case Study

When Dr. Tameka Battle joined LaGuardia Community College as a new faculty member in Community Health and Wellness, she was assigned to teach the Health Sciences First-Year Seminar. What began as an initial teaching assignment quickly evolved into a deep engagement with high impact practices that has since shaped her pedagogy, scholarship, and commitment to student success. Battle’s work illustrates how HIPs, when embedded with intention and authenticity, can create transformative learning environments that honor students’ lived experiences and support their academic and professional growth.

Battle’s introduction to HIPs came not through a formal initiative, but through organic pedagogical development. This sense of ownership and design-from-scratch set the stage for what would become a deeply reflective and student-centered approach to teaching. Early on, she focused on incorporating culturally relevant pedagogy and reflective responses. She recognized the importance of creating space for students’ voices, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, and was drawn to the research showing HIPs’ effectiveness for high-risk and marginalized student populations.

One of the most powerful moments in her classroom is centered on cultural competency, a skill she sees as essential for students pursuing careers in health care. This topic became a gateway for deeper student engagement. “I kind of interweave that into my practice,” she says. “And didn’t realize how successful that was going to be.” She framed the lesson not as a one-way delivery of content but as a mutual exchange: “You’re here to learn something from me; I’m here to learn something from you.”

This philosophy of mutual respect and dynamic exchange lies at the heart of Battle’s practice. She emphasizes that HIPs are not transactional; they are “a living organism that’s changing and growing.” She describes HIPs as “intentional structured learning,” requiring student interaction, meaning-making, and most importantly, trust.

Battle shares her own cultural background, her journey as a first-generation college student from a single-parent home, and her experiences working through school. This authenticity, and her willingness to be vulnerable with students, opens the door for students to reflect, connect, and engage more deeply. “When students can see you in them—that’s where high impact practices take shape,” she says.

Her implementation of HIPs has evolved over time. The shift to virtual learning during COVID-19 created new challenges, particularly in sustaining student engagement. Battle responded by adapting her practices: using polls, breakout rooms, chat functions, and private messages to maintain interaction. “You have to really be intentional,” she emphasizes. “Because I will tell you, embedding high impact practices into your curricula, it takes time.”

That time, however, yields results. Battle sees her students begin with hesitancy, especially when asked to explore personal and cultural identity—but gradually open up as they realize the relevance to their careers. She draws clear connections between classroom discussions and real-world applications, linking cultural competency lessons to clinical fieldwork, service learning, and capstone courses. Whether students are preparing for a role in long-term care or entering recreational therapy, she helps them understand how their coursework prepares them to meet the needs of diverse patient populations.

The long-term nature of HIPs is especially important to Battle. She describes attending pinning ceremonies and hearing students say, “Now I understand.” The impact of HIPs is not always immediate, she notes, but it’s deeply felt over time. “They’re going to have all of the skills that they’ve learned from First-Year Seminar and throughout their whole entire academic journey here.”

Beyond First-Year Seminar, Battle supports HIPs across the curriculum. As a faculty member deeply involved in ePortfolio, she ensures students document their progress across every program course. Yet she sees opportunity for more, particularly in digital storytelling. “I would love to hear their voices,” she says. “What’s written in their ‘About Me,’ I would love to hear it, like a video.” For her, digital storytelling offers a way to reclaim and elevate student voices, reinforcing the authenticity that drives her pedagogy.

Her advice to colleagues new to HIPs is clear: start small. “You’re not going to get it done in one semester, but by being intentional and embedding at least one practice… you will see the impact in the end.” By starting with student engagement, through surveys, reflection pieces, or one redesigned assignment, faculty can begin to shift classroom culture and plant the seeds for longer-term impact.

Battle’s work demonstrates that HIPs are not a checklist or template. They are a practice of care, reflection, and responsiveness. Her classrooms are shaped by cultural humility, reciprocal learning, and a deep understanding of students’ goals and challenges. Through her leadership and teaching, she ensures that students are not only academically prepared but also empowered to bring their full selves into their learning and their professions.

Courses Targeting High Impact Practices

• HSF90: First-Year Seminar for Health Sciences 
• HTR102: Professional Issues in Therapeutic Recreation

Other High Impact Practices Used

• ePortfolio
• Capstone Courses
• Internships

About

Tameka S. Battle, Ed.D. is Professor of Community Health & Wellness and serves as Program Director of Therapeutic Recreation and Interim Program Director of Public & Community Health at LaGuardia Community College. A dedicated educator, scholar, and leader, Dr. Battle brings a deep commitment to intentional pratice, student engagement, and success. She is nationally recognized for her use of High Impact Practices (HIPs), such as reflective ePortfolios, culturally responsive pedagogy, and career-connected learning, to foster student engagement, confidence, and persistence. Dr. Battle’s work integrates HIPs into curriculum design, experiential learning, and professional development strategies that bridge academic instruction with real-world application. Through initiatives like clinical internships, mentorship, and community-based projects, Dr. Battle empowers her students to build professional identity and gain the social capital needed for success in health and human services fields. Dr. Battle co-authored an article with fellow LaGuardia colleagues in “ What Makes the First-Year Seminar High Impact? An exploration of effective educational practices” (Skipper, 2017), contributing to the national scholarship on effective educational practices in higher education.