The Communications Division, in partnership with the National Center for Academic Transformation, NCAT, is participating in a course redesign project for Development Writing (DWRI) 0093 and English (ENGL) 1301. Both courses were redesigned this summer and the DWRI 0093 redesign is being piloted this fall.
Originally, two redesigned DWRI 0093 sections and one ENGL 1301 section were slated for the pilot. However, when new placement scores for ENGL 1301 went into effect this fall, enrollment for developmental writing courses increased dramatically; therefore, five redesigned DWRI 0093 sections were launched, and the ENGL 1301 section was placed on hold.
In our redesigned courses, which follow NCAT’s hybrid replacement model, students attend class one day a week, and on their other “virtual” day, they use eCampus to complete other assignments. In the redesign concept, only pure content is emphasized during face-to-face class meetings; students focus on writing techniques, community building and peer editing of essays in class while completing writing assignments, quizzes and grammar exercises outside of class. In addition, students complete online assignments that allow them to concentrate on their deficient areas and receive automatic computer-generated feedback.
Approximately 133 students are currently participating in the course redesign pilot, and members of the course redesign team include Selena Stewart-Alexander, developmental writing professor and lead instructor for DWRI; Hazel Carlos, English professor; Kendra Vaglienti, executive dean of communications; and Ben Barnes, executive dean of administrative and instructional technology.
