Dual enrollment (DE) is expanding rapidly, with broad ramifications. Policy makers place pressure on educators to get students through college faster and for less money, and DE--in which students take college-level courses in their high schools for high school and college credit--seems to be a convenient option. To better understand the range of DE programs at different types of institutions in various parts of the country, we published a forum on the subject in the September issue of Perspectives on History.
Elaine Carey and Alex Lichtenstein highlight key challenges in implementing DE, among them a lack of oversight, varying degrees of rigor, a shortage of qualified teachers, and possible decline in enrollment in undergraduate survey courses.
On the other hand, Daniel Brandon Swart and Trinidad Gonzales point out DE’s benefits to students. Swart argues that “DE courses successfully prepare students for the difficulty they will face later in their educations,” while Gonzales writes about the doors DE opens for working-class students to obtain a degree at a lower cost and “break the cycle of poverty.”
In practice, DE varies widely according to who teaches it and how it is administered. How does DE work at your institution? Do you see it benefitting your students? Conversely, what are the problems it faces in your school?
We look forward to hearing your thoughts!
Stephanie
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Stephanie Kingsley
American Historical Assoc.
Washington DC
skingsley@historians.org
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