4 Guide for Dual Enrollment: Welcome to College English!

Welcome to Dual Enrollment English 1010: Expository Writing!

Welcome to Dual Enrollment ENGL 1010! If you are taking a dual enrollment course for the first time, you might feel a bit apprehensive and have some questions about how the class will work. Do not panic! This brief guide aims to help ensure you feel comfortable and confident as you begin your writing journey at MTSU. The first chapter, “How to Prepare for Dual Enrollment ENGL 1010,” offers instructions on the steps needed to prepare for the first day of class.

What is dual enrollment?

In academia, the term dual enrollment refers to students being simultaneously enrolled at two different academic institutions. Dual enrollment programs allow students to participate in and earn credit for college-level courses while still attending high school. This concept is important to understand because you are being asked to be two things at once – a college student and a high school student – and straddle two different “worlds.” Think of it like this: while in a classroom at your high school, you will be an MTSU student, taking an MTSU course, taught by an MTSU instructor, that follows the university’s policies, guidelines, and calendar. As such, dual enrollment students and teachers are constantly balancing different expectations, schedules, rules, digital ecosystems, and identities. Trying to exist in this mixed state of multiple origins is referred to as hybridity, and requires a heightened level of responsibility, accountability, mindfulness, and flexibility on everyone’s part.

How do dual-enrollment courses differ from my other high school classes?

• Calendar: the MTSU and high school calendars do not align in some key areas. We do our best to mesh the two together, but it is critical you are aware of the discrepancies and remain flexible throughout the semester. The differences include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • MTSU is on a 15-week semester-based calendar, compared to the high school’s 9-week Quarter calendar. Therefore, dual enrollment classes typically begin later than the start of your first quarter and end before your second quarter ends.
  • Each school’s Fall Break and Spring Break take place during different weeks. Make sure you know your instructor’s plans and expectations for breaks and holidays as work may be required.
  • Any class days interrupted by school-related activities or events may be moved online or require work to be completed via D2L.
• Class Schedule: dual enrollment course types include on-ground (all classes meet in the classroom), blended (a combination of in-person and online instruction), remote synchronous (classes meet online on a designated day and time), or online asynchronous (instruction is entirely online on D2L with no class meetings). Make sure you know which class type you have registered for so you know when, where, and how the class meets.
• Online Learning Management System: MTSU’s online learning management system is called D2L. This is a website where your ENGL 1010 course lives and where you may access and submit assignments, monitor your grades, participate in discussions, complete surveys and quizzes, be notified of time-sensitive updates and schedule changes, and find various resources and materials necessary for the class. You will find detailed instructions for locating and logging into the site in the next chapter.
• Communication: MTSU instructors do not have access to your high school’s online learning management system or your high school email address. As such, nearly all communication outside of class will be through your MTSU email (MTMail) and course D2L site. Instructions for setting up your email and accessing D2L are available below.
• Coursework: Depending on your course type, coursework may include a combination of in-class activities (lectures, discussions, abbreviated writing assignments, group work, reading assignments, workshops, etc.) and outside ventures (critical readings, longer writing projects, primary and secondary research, discussion posts, etc.). Two vital notes:
  • Much of the coursework will have specific due dates throughout the semester. You will not have the option of submitting cumulative assignments at the end of the semester. Developing and maintaining effective time management skills will be essential for your success.
  • You may be required to complete or submit work during breaks, holidays, or high school-related off days if they conflict with the MTSU calendar.
• Grades: Detailed information on grades and the grading system will be provided to you by your instructor. During the semester, you can manage and track your grades on D2L. Remember that MTSU requires you to earn a final grade of C- or better to receive college Gen Ed English credit.

What sets Dual Enrollment ENGL 1010 apart from my previous English classes?

Based on your prior English education experiences, you might assume ENGL 1010 involves literature review, five-paragraph essays, advanced lessons in grammar, or perhaps a focus on “correct” writing. To dispel these notions, I encourage you to return to the front part of this textbook and read “First-Year Writing at MTSU.” You will discover that ENGL 1010 is all about understanding why and how writing is such an essential and powerful tool, and that in ENGL 1010 you will work hard to develop the concepts, questions, strategies, and rhetorical awareness necessary to effectively communicate in diverse genres of writing in and beyond college.

Prior to the first day of class, you should set up your MTSU online account, MTMail account, and make sure you can access D2L and PipelineMT.

Setting up your MTSU online account

• Locate your M# – before logging in to MTSU for the first time, locate your MTSU ID, called an M# (it starts with the letter M followed by 8 numbers, such as M12345678). Your M# appears on the admissions letter that was sent to your high school email address. If you cannot find your M#, contact your counselor or the school office.
• Create a password and retrieve your username
  • Go to MTSU’s Manage Your Password page
  • Enter your M# in the box
  • Follow the prompts to create a password and retrieve your username (the username consists of your initials plus two or three additional numbers and letters, such as – abc8yz)
  • Your username will be the prefix of your MTMail account, such as abc8yz@mtmail.mtsu.edu
• Set up 2-factor authentication – During your first login, you will be guided through setting up 2-factor authentication. This authentication requires using a second device (mobile phone, tablet, laptop) and either establishing a text message or phone call verification -or- using the Microsoft Authenticator app. If you need help, go to the Multi-factor Authentication help page.

Setting up your MTMail account

• Go to mtsu.edu and click on the envelope icon in the top white menu bar
• Under “MTMail for Students,” click on “Login”
• In the Microsoft pop-up box, enter your MTMail address (username@mtmail.mtsu.edu) and password
• Verify your sign-in with 2-factor authentication
• If you have trouble accessing your MTMail, go to MTMail FAQs for Students, which includes information for contacting the ITD Help Desk (phone: 615-898-5345; email help@mtsu.edu) and setting up MTMail on your mobile phone

Reminder: your MTMail account is the primary form of communication between you and your instructor. Your instructor does not have access to your high school email account. Therefore, it is imperative that you check your email at least once per day throughout the semester. To ensure timely reception of important or urgent communication, it is recommended you set up your MTMail account in an email app on your laptop or mobile device that provides immediate delivery and notification of messages.

Logging into D2L

MTSU employs a digital learning management system called D2L (Desire2Learn). Each class has a private designated website that hosts all of your course information, documents, calendar, assignments, grades, feedback, discussion forums, etc. You will be visiting D2L often, both inside and outside the classroom.

• Go to D2L
• In the Microsoft pop-up box, enter your MTSU username and password
• Verify your sign-in with 2-factor authentication
• Your D2L home page will show icons for any MTSU courses you are enrolled in.
• Click on the box titled “Expository Writing”
• You should now be on the ENGL 1010 homepage. You can explore the site using the menu bar at the top of the page.

Logging into PipelineMT

PipelineMT is where you can access your registration information, student records, midterm and final grades, financial aid, billing and payment, and other university resources.

• Go to mtsu.edu and click on “PipelineMT” in the top white menu bar
• In the Microsoft pop-up box, enter your MTSU username and password
• Verify your sign-in with 2-factor authentication
• You should now be on your PipelineMT homepage

An important technical note: because MTSU and many local high schools both use the Microsoft 365 online service, conflicts can arise when trying to access one school’s system while logged into another school’s system. This means you may receive error messages when trying to log into MTSU sites such as D2L or MTMail. The two most common remedies for this situation are to:

• Logout of your high school Microsoft account and retry logging in to your MTSU Microsoft account
• Open a private or incognito browser window under the File menu in your browser and log in through that window