English Composition I

In this course, students learn about critical thinking, analysis, argumentation, reflection, and making sound rhetorical choices to write effective academic essays. Students also learn techniques for reading, interpreting, and utilizing a variety of sources in their writing. The course content covers key grammatical concepts, multimodal writing, collaboration, research skills, and proper documentation.

The course focuses on the rhetorical content and strategies that are the baseline of effective college writing. This course allows students a way to master these concepts and skills in small bites, through engaging practice activities and frequent questioning with targeted feedback.

The course was developed by Lumen Learning, with contributions from English faculty from various institutions, including faculty from the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Mississippi.

Lumen OER courses apply learning science to engage students and better support the learning process. Lumen materials aim to deliver an active learning experience. They include text, images, videos, assessments, directed feedback, practice questions, simulations, and other interactives that invite students to apply their knowledge, improve their understanding, and perform better. Term over term, Lumen’s Waymaker courseware makes it possible to use learning data to identify where content improvements are needed. We work collaboratively with faculty and subject matter experts to develop and test iterative, continuous improvements aimed at increasing efficacy and learning.

Additional Course Features

These course materials include:

  • Waymaker Courseware: User-friendly Waymaker learning tools improve success for at-risk students with personalized study plans, automated study tips and nudges, and early alerts to identify and help struggling students.
  • Outcome-aligned OER: Designed to replace expensive textbooks, this course curates the best available open educational resources (OER) aligned with learning outcomes. Teach it as-is or customize to fit your needs.
  • LMS Integration: This course is delivered with seamless LMS integration and automatic grade return for Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle.
  • Accessibility: Lumen is 100% committed to providing learning materials that are accessible to all learners. Lumen course materials are mobile-friendly.

Developed By

Audrey Fisch, New Jersey City University

Laura Alyse Leininger, Collin College

Barbara Egel, City Colleges of Chicago

Claire Brantley

Scott Barr

Alison Arntsen

What People Are Saying

“Lumen Learning has been a great partner for us with our work. Everyone has been helpful, and they care about students, which is my main concern.” – Guy Krueger, University of Mississippi

Video Overview: Waymaker English Composition I & Developmental English

This recorded webinar provides a guided walkthrough of Lumen’s Developmental English and College Composition course materials, including learning design, OER content, course structure, and how Waymaker courseware personalizes the learning experience and deepens student engagement.

Why Teach with Open Course Materials?