Initiatives
The English Co-requisite Accelerated Learning Program (ALP)
The English Department offers a co-requisite model for students who do not directly place, via a state-set ACT score of 18 or WritePlacer score of 5, into ENGL 1100: Composition I. This supportive model allows students to still enroll in ENGL 1100: Composition I, an important gateway course, and at the same time, enroll in the support course, ENGL 0199: Fundamentals of College Writing.
This model is known as the “Accelerated Learning Program (ALP)” and the “English Co-requisite Model.” These two courses together do the following:
The pipeline through which the students travel is shortened from two semesters to one. Students do not spend a semester in remediation before they can take the Composition I class.
There are a total 25 students in ENGL 1100. Sixteen of these students are enrolled in both the first class, ENGL 1100 and the second support course, ENGL 0199. Mainstreaming is foundational to this model.
The ENGL 0199 course immediately follows the ENGL 1100 course with the same instructor and provides support for students in the 1100 course. These 16 students meet together for a total of 6 hours a week.
Instead of the old model of remediation, we place students in the co-requisite model and provide them the support they need to successfully complete the college-level English course.
The primary goal of the co-requisite model is to transform developmental education. This data-driven co-requisite model has been carefully piloted and developed to be a holistic approach that attempts to address all the things that will help students be successful. English faculty work to change the students’ perception of learning and raise their confidence levels in an activity-based classroom where students collaborate with the teacher and one another. The learning that happens is very exciting and as a result, the data shows that students have proven to be very successful in the Composition I course.
If you have general questions about this program, would like our success data, or you would like access to curricular and philosophical materials, please contact the Lead for this program, Lisa Gordon at lgordon@cscc.edu.
Also, see Columbus Dispatch, Feb. 20, 2019: Columbus State wins award for boosting student success, reducing gaps
College Credit Plus
The English Department, along with many departments across campus, offers many courses through the College Credit Plus program. To view more about College Credit Plus at Columbus State, visit https://www.cscc.edu/academics/college-credit-plus/. To learn more about College Credit Plus at a statewide level, visit https://www.ohiohighered.org/collegecreditplus.
Open Educational Resources (OERs)
Faculty in the English Department have joined faculty from around the college and across the state in working to create OERs, Open Educational Resources, for high-enrollment, general education courses. In these courses, OERs are being used instead of traditional textbooks to provide a cost-savings to students. These resources are carefully created and/or revised/remixed and then vetted by faculty to make sure they help students work towards the same learning outcomes.
For example, an English Department Faculty team, with the assistance and guidance of many English instructors and research librarians (including the tireless work of Hydy Cates in particular), created The Compostition Reading Bank to replace the print book of readings that Composition I and Composition II courses had been using.
For more information, visit Columbus State's OER hub.
Contextualized English
The Composition I course selection includes some “contextualized” Composition I sections. Contextualized sections have been especially developed by faculty to focus on writing for particular disciplines. For example, some of the current contextualized sections are directed towards writing for STEM, Health and Human Services, or Business and Hospitality. These sections are open to all students, however.
The Honors Program
Students in the Honors Program can take Honors sections of select English courses. Students should look for the “H” Honors designation. For more information, visit the Honors Program website.
Service-Learning
Learn and Serve defines Service-Learning as, “a teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning process, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities.”
English Service-Learning classes include traditional in-class teaching as well as a meaningful community service project. The classes provide hands-on learning and also demonstrate Columbus State's commitment to our community. Service-Learning students gain valuable service experience that connects to the learning objectives of the course. They also receive an “S” designation on their transcripts and special service cords at graduation.
Service-Learning classes are identified by the “S” after the course number on the schedule. Service is incorporated throughout the class and students can search specifically for Service-Learning classes by using the dropdown menu when registering. For more information, please visit Columbus State’s Service-Learning website.