Abstract
Research has demonstrated that high impact practices – including community-based learning, research, collaborative work, and capstones – may be even more impactful when they operate together. However, designing and executing student learning experiences that employ more than one high impact practice can be challenging and burdensome. This paper uses examples from the Social Policy Analysis (SOPA) Capstone program in the Department of Political Science at Rice University to consider how a collaborative and co-educational pedagogy may help to support the creation and delivery of multi-faceted high impact student learning opportunities. The program’s co-educational approach brings community partners, graduate students, and undergraduate students together with course instructors to serve as both teachers and learners. I propose that, despite notable challenges, this approach alleviates some of the burdens that come with facilitating high impact experiences while also providing students with opportunities to learn and practice democratic forms of citizenship and governance.