#1 GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PROJECT
1. I just enrolled but I see that the project began on May 6th. Am I too late?
A. New participants are welcome at any time!
2. When is work due? Are there deadlines?
A. The project schedule is flexible for participants. Simply work at your own pace to complete the assessments by the closing date (June 19th).
3. How do I earn a HarvardX/edX certificate?
A. All participants who achieve a cumulative total of 75% or greater on their Course Portfolio will earn a certificate. [For more information about scores see #6.1-6 below.]
4. I didn't participate in the first three modules of Poetry in America. Will I be at a disadvantage?
A. No! Each Poetry in America module is designed to stand alone (as well as alongside) the other modules. We welcome new participants as we launch more new modules.
5. Where will important news and updates be posted?
A. Be sure to check Course Info frequently. Important news, updates, and corrections will be posted here throughout the project.
6. When does this project end?
A. The closing date is June 19, 2015. After this date, we will no longer accept new participants, new discussion posts, or assessment/exercise responses. However, course materials will remain available and open for participants.
7. When and how will I receive my certificate?
A. Certificates will be released after June 22nd. Students can find their certificates on their edX student dashboard at that date.
#2 READINGS
1. Where can I find the schedule of readings for each Week?
A. You can find the schedule of readings in the Syllabus tab.
2. I can't view the readings in the Poems Tab. Where can I download and print them?
A. The readings are available as PDFs to download and print, if you would like, under "Course Handouts" on the Course Info page, and as links from the Syllabus.
3. I already finished this week's reading and I would like some additional readings and resources. Where can I find them?
A. Check out the Resources tab for suggestions for further reading. This page provides additional resources for the study of poetry and of the Civil War and its aftermath.
#3 VIDEOS
1. How do I watch the videos?
A. You can access all the videos for each week in the Courseware section.
2. For technical reasons, I can't watch the videos in Courseware. Can I download them?
A. If you look directly below the video frame, you will see a link for downloading the file.
3. For technical reasons, I can't even download the videos. Can I download audio files?
A. Look directly below the video frame to find the link for downloading the audio file.
4. Are all the video/audio download links available in one place?
A. Not at the moment, but we hope to provide that in the near future.
§4 ASSESSMENTS
1. How does grading work?
A. At the end of every week (beginning in Week 1), there is a multiple choice section where you can mark whether you completed the videos, readings, and discussion participation. Just check 'yes' and then click 'check.' You'll then seen a green check-mark appear. There is also a check after each Annotation Exercise and Open Response Exercise. Everything in the course is honor based. Then you can click on 'Progress' and you will see how much of the course you have completed. Completing 75% of the course content will earn you a certificate of completion.
2. I submitted my work for credit, but the system didn't give me proper credit. Instead of a green check I received a red X. It is located right next to my answer. What should I do?
A. Take a screen shot that includes your answer and the response you received (red X). A screen shot (alternatively called a screen capture, screen grab, or print screen) is a snapshot taken by your computer of what is visible on your computer screen at a certain moment. [For information about taking a screen shot, see #5.8 below.] Include the screen shot in a post for the Poetry Team on the FAQ Thread in the Discussion Board. A member of the Poetry Team will respond as quickly as possible.
#5 DISCUSSION FORUM
1. How can I follow a thread in the Discussion Forum?
A. Click on the grey star icon in the top right hand corner of the post.
2. I only want to view the threads I'm following. Is that possible?
A. In the Discussion Forum, click on “Show all Discussions” at the top of the list of threads. From the drop-down menu select “Posts I'm Following”. When you are ready to see all posts again, click on “Posts I'm Following”. From the drop-down menu select “Show All Discussions”.
3. How can I follow a particular person in the Discussion Forum?
A. The edX platform does not currently offer this function. But there is a way for you to see threads with contributions by a specific participant. Just click on that person's username near the top of a post or reply. That link opens a page where you can view recent activity by the participant. You can use your browser to bookmark this page.
4. I posted a question in the Discussion Board. How will I know if someone responds?
A. When you start a new thread, it will automatically be marked as a discussion to follow. You can get updates about all the threads you follow by going to the Discussion Forum Home and clicking on the check box for “receive update”. You only need to do this once. After that, you will receive a daily email digest about activity from posts you are following.
5. I found a post that I think is inappropriate. What should I do?
A. You can “flag” the post. A Poetry Team member will review these flagged posts.
6. I'm experiencing technical problems that appear to be related to the platform (new posts won't appear in the Discussion Board, I'm getting 404 errors, etc.). What should I do?
A. Please use the Help tab on the left hand side of the screen to report this problem directly to the edX team.
7. I'm experiencing a problem related to content in the project (I found an error in the transcript, I'm having a problem with a self-assessment, video, text, etc.) What should I do?
A. Please check the FAQ Thread in the Discussion Forum to see if this problem has been reported. If not, please take a screen shot and notify the Poetry Team by posting in the FAQ Thread in the Discussion Forum [For information about taking a screen shot, see #5.8 below.]
8. I've been asked to provide a screen shot. How do I take a screen shot?
A. For a Mac: press command + shift + 3 This will take a snap shot of your entire screen and place a copy on your desk top. For a PC: Use your “Print Screen” [PrtScn] Key. This will save a screen shot to a designated location on your computer. Many helpful tutorials are available online.
#6 PROGRESS AND SCORES
1. What work is scored?
A. There are five types of assessments in this module: open-response exercises, annotations, reading completion, video completion, and discussion participation. Students may, of course, participate in all of these activities without submitting them for portfolio credit, but those who are working towards a certificate can simply click on "submit for credit" at the end of an exercise or part, and the assignment will be recorded in their portfolios.
2. Is participation in the Discussion Forum required?
A. Participation in the Discussion Forum is required for those seeking an edX certificate, but many participants find it is a valuable addition to their experience. For those seeking a certificate, we ask that you participate in a discussion twice per week, not including the Open Response Exercises.
3. Who is required to answer the Discussion Question after the study of a poem?
A. Participants are not required to post a response to each Discussion Question included in the Courseware. Students seeking a certificate are expected to participate in a discussion twice per part, not incuding the Open Response Exercises. Still, we encourage you all to participate!
4. How much is each assessment worth? How are the assessments weighed?
A. Annotation Exercises, Open Response Exercises, Video Completion, Reading Completion, and Discussion Participation are each worth 20% of your grade.
5. What score do I need to earn a certificate?
A. Participants who achieve a total score of 75% or greater will earn a certificate. The lowest five Annotation scores will be dropped when calculating this total.
6. What are those five "x" marks on my Progress Page?
A. Those will mark your lowest scores. At the start of the project they will be shown on the assessments. Once all assessments are completed, they will move to the five lowest annotation scores which will be dropped.
7. Can anyone besides for me see my Progress Page?
A. Only staff members will have access to your Progress Page.
#7 annotation
1. The annotation tool isn't working.
A. The annotation tool is designed to be compatible with the Google Chrome web browser. If you are using Firefox, in particular, you will encounter some difficulty. Our apologies! We recommend that you try using Chrome, which you can download HERE.
2. The annotation tool is too confusing for me to use. Can I still earn a certificate without using the annotation tool?
A. Yes, you can still earn a certificate without using the annotation tool. Annotation is a central part of the work for Poetry in America, but we invite you to annotate in a more traditional way, using a pen or pencil, if you prefer. Simply print out the poems using the PDF versions found on the Course Info page, and annotate by hand. When you are finished, report your completion of the annotation activity in the multiple choice box below the annotation tool. Note: we do encourage you to give the annotation tool a try, even if it is difficult to learn at first! It allows us to see your annotations, and for other participants to learn from you, and vice versa.
3. How can I save my work in the annotation tool?
A. All annotations created will save automatically. If you click on "My Notes" you should see all of your annotations for any given poem.
4. How much is each annotation worth? How are the annotations weighed?
A. All of the annotation exercises are together worth 20% of your final grade. We have built in five "free passes," and so you could choose not to annotate five poems, and still receive 100% on the annotation component of your grade. It is up to you to report your completion of each annotation exercise according to the prompt provided to receive credit toward a certificate.
5. I'm using my tablet or smartphone. Why isn't the annotation tool working?
A. Unfortunately the annotation tool is not yet compatible with mobile devices. We recommend that you use the annotation tool on a computer (and with Google Chrome as the preferred browser). Our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause!