Using Integrative Assignments to Build a Learning Community: Targeting New Freshmen
with Dual Enrollment English Composition Credit
Susan R. Van Patten, Faculty Development, Radford University
Laurie Cubbison, English Department, Radford University
Candice Benjes-Small, McConnell Library, Radford University
Abstract: Freshmen with dual enrollment credits present unique challenges to universities.
Variable instruction and uneven student experiences create uncertainty about the skills of
incoming students in essential areas such as written communications. This practice session will
focus on a pilot project that utilized common courses, integrative assignments, and out-of-class
activities to build a learning community for new freshmen with dual enrollment English
composition credit. Tools and techniques for improving writing outside of traditional college
composition courses will be discussed as well.
Literature Review
During the 2002-03 academic year, 57% of all high schools had students participating in college-level courses
(National Center for Educational Statistics, 2005). Known as “dual enrollment,” these programs have been touted by
governors and legislators as a way to motivate students to finish high school while giving them a head start in
college. Although popular with elected officials, students, and their parents (Hoffman, Vargas & Santos, 2008),
dual enrollment is more controversial in higher education. Studies have shown that dual enrollment programs lack
consistent oversight, leading to uneven student experiences, and do not support student learning (Tinberg & Nadeau,
2011). Due to articulation agreements, public universities have been required to accept dual enrollment credit
(Catron, 1998). As a result, college and university instructors are looking for new ways to support dual enrollment
students once they reach college.
Goals and Objectives
Participants in this practice session will explore unique challenges of working with new freshmen who have dual
enrollment credit for English composition. Attempts to build a learning community for these students will be
addressed including a common reader, integrative assignments, extracurricular events, and instructor cohort.
“Lessons learned” during implementation of the program will be shared as will tools and techniques for improving
student writing outside of a traditional college composition course.
Description of Practice
CORE Connections is a pilot project at Radford University. About 75 new freshmen with dual enrollment credit for
English Composition were recruited during summer orientation. Students were pre-enrolled in special sections of a
one-credit university transition course (UNIV 100) and a required interdisciplinary seminar (CORE 201). The
purpose of this program was to create a learning community where knowledge, skills, and relationships would
extend beyond the classroom into integrated assignments and activities.
Participating students were given a common reader at the conclusion of summer orientation. On an enclosed
bookmark was their first writing assignment, which was due in both classes on the first Friday of the semester. This
assignment served as a baseline writing assessment. Other integrative assignments included a lecture series related
to the common reader and social gatherings. Instructors in both courses met regularly to discuss issues, plan for
future events, and confer about student problems.
Discussion
Dual enrollment programs make college credit available to high school students, but the quality of these programs is
highly variable because of the different ways in which instruction is provided. Some high schools send these
students to classes at a local college or university, where they share class time with traditional college students.
Other programs have the college send its own instructors to the high school to provide college-level instruction in
the course of the high school day. Still other programs recruit high school teachers with master’s degrees to teach
courses that are hybrid high school and college courses, so that a course may count as both first-year college
composition and 12th grade English. Unfortunately, in these latter programs, the high school course requirements
often dominate the college course requirements, and the students may not end up receiving a college-level education
for the credit they receive. The presenters will discuss ways the program seeks to enhance the skills of those students
who received credit from strong programs while helping those who received credit from weaker programs.
An additional issue for high school and college faculty to consider is the maturity level of students who are
transitioning directly from a dual enrollment program into their major courses. The presenters will discuss how the
CORE Connections program seeks to support these students as they jump past the traditional transition to college
aspects of freshman-level courses.
References
Catron, R. K. (1998). The Virginia plan for dual enrollment: A historical perspective. Inquiry, 2, 13-21.
Hoffman, N., Vargas, J., & Santos, J. (2008). On ramp to college: A state policymaker’s guide to dual enrollment.
Retrieved from http://www.jff.org/sites/default/files/OnRamp.pdf
National Center for Educational Statistics. (2005). Dual enrollment of high school students at postsecondary
institutions: 2002-03. Retrieved from
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/peqis/publications/2005008/index.asp?sectionID=3A
Tinberg, H., & Nadeau, J. (2011). Contesting the space between high school and college in the era of dualenrollment. CCC, 62, 704-724.