Turning Insight into Impact: How Eastern Iowa Is Using Online, On Purpose

Author: Nikki Gullion, Dean of Curriculum & Concurrent Enrollment at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, NACEP Board of Directors – Secretary, Iowa Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (IACEP) President

As soon as Online, on purpose: A framework for building impactful dual enrollment experiences through online college courses (Williams, 2025) was published, I shared the link with my team and our vice chancellor of academic affairs. Recognizing its relevance, our vice chancellor promptly forwarded the article to our online division, inviting them to review the framework and consider a meeting to discuss its potential for enhancing our dual enrollment offerings for high school students. The piece sparked a rich dialogue about how our institution can better support concurrent enrollment students, especially those navigating the complexities ofonline learning.

The article emphasizes five essential elements for impactful online dual enrollment: provider integrity, strong partnerships, instructional models, student support, and engagement. These pillars guided our internaldiscussion as we reflected on where we currently stand as an institution and where we have the opportunity for growth. Together, we explored how we could better align our support systems with the needs of online learners,many of whom are experiencing college-level coursework for the first time. We discussed onboarding practices, communication strategies, and the importance of proactive academic and non-academic support.

Next steps include writing a proposal containing a set of actionable ideas to propose to senior leadership. These included expanding virtual tutoring access, enhancing orientation modules tailored for high schoolstudents, and creating a dedicated support liaison for concurrent students and all online learners. Our goal is to ensure that every student, regardless of course modality, receives equitable, holistic support that fosters confidence, persistence, and success.

As we move forward as an institution, we’re committed to using the framework not just as a reference, but as a roadmap for institutional change. Concurrent enrollment is often a student’s first touchpoint with higher education,and we believe that experience should be intentional, supported, and transformative.

This commitment has prompted us to take a closer look at each of the five pillars outlined in the article. Forexample, provider integrity challenges us to ensure that our online courses meet the same rigorous standards as our in-person courses. This means not only reviewing curriculum alignment but also ensuring that facultyteaching these courses are equipped with the tools and training necessary to engage high school learners effectively.

Strengthening our partnerships emerged as a vital area for growth a few years ago. We have long valued our relationships with local school districts, but this framework further reminded us that collaboration must gobeyond logistics, and it must be strategic. We continue to explore ways to design student orientations, ensuringthat students feel supported from both sides of the educational bridge.

When it comes to instructional models, we are asking tough questions about what works best for high school students in an online environment. Are asynchronous courses enough? Should we integrate more synchronoustouchpoints or hybrid models? These discussions will help us rethink course delivery and the underlying pedagogy.

Student support in online modalities is perhaps the most urgent area for growth for our department. While we offer tutoring and advising services, they are not always tailored to the unique needs of dual enrollment students. Our proposal includes creating a dedicated support liaison who understands the nuances of high schoollearners navigating college systems, while also maintaining excellent services for all learners. This role could be transformative in helping students persist and succeed.

Finally, engagement is the thread that ties it all together. Our concurrent enrollment department is exploringways to build community among online dual enrollment students through virtual meetups, peer mentoring, and interactive course design. Engagement isn’t just about participation; it’s about connection, belonging, andmotivation.

References

Williams, A. (2025). Online, on purpose: A framework for building impactful dual enrollment experiences through online college courses. National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships.