ORGANISATION
- How much time do I need to spend on the course?
The estimated study load is about six to eight hours per week. - Do I need to watch the lectures live in the corresponding week?
No, during the course, you can watch the lectures whenever you like. - Can I contact the instructor or teaching assistants?
Not directly. The discussion forum is the appropriate venue for questions. Instructors monitor the discussion forum and try to respond to the most important questions; in many cases response from other students and peers will be both adequate and faster. - Can I still finish all assignments when I start later in the course?
Yes you can. All assignments have to be finished by 21 December 2017, although the review assignments need to be submitted by 12 December, to be able to receive the peer reviews.
INTRODUCTION & PREPARATION
- Which browser can I use when working on this edX course?
We advise you to use Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Internet Explorer 11. - How can I download the transcripts?
On the right side of the 'download transcripts'-button underneath the video is the option to choose between an .srt-file of a .pdf-file. Choose the .pdf-file to download the text.
COURSE WORK
7. How can I download the PowerPoint presentations?
You can download the PowerPoint presentations used in the lecture videos by clicking on the ‘Download handout’ button under the video. Only the PowerPoint presentations that contain significant information have been made available for downloading.
8. Can I write my answers in a language other than English?
No, the official language of the course is English. All course materials are provided in English, and all communication, including answers, posts, and assignments, need to be written in English.
QUESTIONS FOR GRADING
9. What if I am having trouble with a question (for grading)? May I discuss this with others to get some help with solving the problem?
There are many assignments to practice. You can use these to discuss with your fellow students in the discussion forum. Do not share any answers on the forum for the Questions for grading. The formulas, together with the understanding of the matter brought by the videos, should give you hints on how to solve the questions.
10. After I checked an assignment, an asterisk was shown and I received the feedback ‘This answer is partially correct’. What does this mean?
In this MOOC, partial credit is used. This means that whenever you submit an answer that is partly correct, you still receive credit. You get points for selecting a correct answer as well as for not selecting a wrong answer.
For example: there’s a question with five answer options, of which three are correct. You selected two of the three correct choices, and did not select any incorrect choices. You therefore had four out of five correct answers. Because the course team set this problem up to award partial credit for every correct answer selected and every incorrect answer left unselected, you earn 80% of the points for this problem.
PEER REVIEW
11. What to do if I feel I am being treated unfairly in the peer review?
Reviewing is the responsibility of your peers and so far we are not able to manipulate these after the peer-reviewing. The community consists of highly capable and motivated people, so we trust that this will be done fairly. Double check your submission before handing it in and write your submission in English.
12. Why can I not click on 'Upload' in the submission of my assignment in the peer review module?
The button will become active if there is also text added in the response box. So if you just type a few letters it will be possible to save your progress. You can then finish your assignment at a later moment.
13. How many peers do I have to review in the peer review module (Module 8)?
In the peer review you will have to review the work of 3 of your peers. You will also receive feedback from 2 of your peers, however we would like to ask you to assess more peers to make sure everybody will be graded especially in the last week (12 - 21 December 2017).
AUDITING AND VERIFIED CERTIFICATE
14. What does it mean to audit a course?
Auditing is the basic form of participating in a course: you have full access to all course materials, tools (including the discussion forum) and information, and can do all exercises, assignments, and exams. At the end of the course, you don’t receive a certificate. However, you can print your progress page to have some proof of your achievements in the course.
15. When can I sign up for a verified certificate?
The deadline to upgrade to a verified certificate is 7 December 2017. Check the course info on how to do this. After the option of upgrading is closed, it is no longer possible to get a verified certificate.
16. When do I receive my verified certificate?
You can request your certificate at any time after you have qualified for the certificate. As soon as you have a minimum average grade of 60%, you see a message at the top of the course Progress page. Read more in the EdX Learner's Guide.