+
+
+More about 6.002x
+
+
+
Answering common questions about the first course on MITx, the
+Institute’s online-learning initiative.
+
+
+This set of questions and answers accompanies MIT’s February 13,
+2012, announcement regarding MITx’s prototype course —
+6.002x: Circuits and Electronics.
+
+
+
I tried to register for the course, but it says the username
+is already taken.
+
+
The system only allows each username to be used once. Probably,
+someone else already signed up with that username. Try a different,
+more unique username. For example, try adding a random number to the
+end.
+
+
I am interested in a different subject. What other courses do
+you offer?
+
+
6.002x is the pilot course for MITx. While we plan to offer a
+range of courses in the future, at present, 6.002x is the only course
+available.
+
+
How will I know that the course has started?
+
+
The course will start on March 5. Check the website
+mitx.mit.edu as the date approaches. A login button will appear on
+the course website 6.002x.mitx.mit.edu on or slightly before March 5
+so you can login, begin to get familiar with the site and start the
+course.
+
+
Why is there no log-in button?
+
+
You will not be able to log into the course until either the
+starting date, or shortly before.
+
+
Does the class have a schedule?
+
+
The lectures are on-line videos, and may be watched at your own
+pace and schedule. The course will have fixed deadlines for homework
+assignments and exams.
+
+
I just enrolled for the course. I have not received any form
+of acknowledgement that I have enrolled.
+
+
You should receive a single activation e-mail. If you did not, the
+most common issues are:
+
+- Typo in e-mail address
+
- Old browser. We recommend trying a modern version of Firefox or Chrome
+
- JavaScript disabled
+
- Activation e-mail in spam folder. Check spam folder.
+
- Non-unique username. Try adding a random string at the end.
+
+
+
If you run into issues, try recreating your account. There is no need
+to do anything about the old account, if any. If it is not activated
+through the link in the e-mail, it will disappear later.
+
+
How do I drop the course?
+
+
You do not have to do anything. You can simply stop working on the
+course at any time you choose to do so.
+
+
What happens if I drop the course?
+
+
For the prototype course, learners achieving grades of "A," "B,"
+or "C" will receive an electronic Certificate of completion with the
+learner's name and grade on it. If you receive a grade below a "C" or
+do not complete the course, you will not receive a Certificate and no
+grade record attaching your name to your participation in the class
+will be disclosed outside of MITx. You can also choose to opt for a
+no record at any time. However, the posts you make while enrolled in
+the class will remain visible.
+
+
+What is MITx?
+
+
MIT seeks through the development of MITx to improve
+education both on the MIT campus and around the world.
+
+
On campus, MITx will be coupled with an Institute-wide research
+initiative on online teaching and learning. The online learning tools
+that MITx develops will benefit the educational experience of
+residential students by supplementing and reinforcing the classroom
+and laboratory experiences.
+
+
+Beyond the MIT campus, MITx will endeavor to break down barriers to
+education in two ways. First, it will offer the online teaching of MIT
+courses to people around the world and the opportunity for able
+learners to gain certification of mastery of MIT material. Second, it
+will make freely available to educational institutions everywhere the
+open-source software infrastructure on which MITx courses are based.
+
+
+
+Since it launched OpenCourseWare 10 years ago, MIT has been committed
+to using technology to improve and greatly widen access to
+education. The launch of MITx represents a next step forward in that
+effort.
+
+
+
+What is 6.002x, and how is it different from the on-campus version of
+6.002?
+
+
+
+At MIT, each course is assigned a number. All courses in the
+Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) start
+with the number 6, and 6.002 (also known as Circuits and Electronics)
+is one of the introductory courses for EECS
+undergraduates. MITx’s 6.002x is modeled on the on-campus
+version of 6.002.
+
+
+
+ The course introduces engineering in the context of the lumped
+ circuit abstraction. Topics covered include: resistive elements and
+ networks; independent and dependent sources; switches and MOS
+ transistors; digital abstraction; amplifiers; energy storage
+ elements; dynamics of first- and second-order networks; design in
+ the time and frequency domains; and analog and digital circuits and
+ applications.
+
+
+
+6.002x is built on the content created collaboratively by MIT
+professors Anant Agarwal and Jeffrey H. Lang for 6.002.
+
+
+
+How do I enroll in 6.002x?
+
+
+To enroll, visit http://mitx.mit.edu
+and sign up.
+
+
+
+When will the course be available online?
+
+
+
+6.002x will become available online on Monday, March 5.
+
+
+
+Do I need to follow a set timeline in completing 6.002x?
+
+
+
+In this pilot course of MITx, learners seeking a certificate will have
+weekly deadlines for homework and labs. Similarly, the midterm and
+final exam will be given within a specific range of days. However,
+faster-paced learners can proceed multiple weeks ahead if they choose.
+
+
+
+How much time is required to complete the course?
+
+
+Students should expect to spend approximately 10 hours per week on the
+course. However, the time taken by individual students might vary
+considerably depending on background and skill.
+
+
+
+Who are the instructors for 6.002x?
+
+
+There are four instructors for 6.002x: Anant Agarwal, Chris Terman,
+Gerald Sussman and Piotr Mitros. The team also includes several
+teaching assistants (TAs).
+
+
+
+What is the work like in 6.002x?
+
+
+Students taking 6.002x will have weekly video lectures, readings from
+the textbook, practice exercises and homework; design and laboratory
+exercises are also significant components of the course. The course
+will also provide additional tutorial material. There will be a
+midterm and a final exam. An interactive laboratory playground will
+also be made available for students to experiment creatively.
+
+
+
+In general, for any given week, learners are expected to work through
+a couple of lecture sequences containing a few videos (each 5 to 10
+minutes in length) and a few interactive practice exercises. Learners
+can also read appropriate parts of the textbook linked to the
+videos. Lab and homework exercises will round out the week. Tutorials
+are also provided as additional reference material.
+
+
+
+What if I have a question during the course?
+
+
+The course will include a discussion forum for learners to ask
+questions, to post answers, and for discussions. Several helpful
+documents, FAQs, tutorials and videos on using the various components
+of the course will also be provided.
+
+
+
+Will 6.002x offer any means for collaboration among online learners?
+
+
+Yes. 6.002x will offer modest support for collaborative work through a
+prototype wiki and discussion forum.
+
+
+
+Are there prerequisites to take the course?
+
+
+While MITx courses are open to all, there are some skills required to
+succeed in taking the course.
+
+
+
+In 6.002x, students are encouraged to have the knowledge obtained from
+a college-level physics course in electricity and
+magnetism (or from an advanced secondary-education course in electricity and magnetism, as with an Advanced Placement course in the United States). Students must know basic calculus and linear algebra, and
+have some basic background in differential equations.
+
+
+
+Since more advanced mathematics will not show up until the second half
+of the course, the first half of the course will include an optional
+remedial differential equations component for students with weaker
+math backgrounds.
+
+
+
+How much does the course cost?
+
+
+All of the courses on MITx will be free of charge. Those who have the
+ability and motivation to demonstrate mastery of content can receive a
+credential for a modest fee. For this prototype course, the fee for a
+credential will be waived.
+
+
+
+What is a credential?
+
+
+Any learner who successfully completes 6.002x will receive an
+electronic certificate indicating a grade. This certificate will
+indicate that you earned it from MITx’s pilot course. In this
+prototype version, MITx will not require that you be tested in a
+testing center or otherwise have your identity certified in order to
+receive this certificate.
+
+
+
+Who is grading the course?
+
+
+MITx courses will use automated technologies to check student work
+including practice exercises, homework assignments, labs and exams.
+
+
+
+What is a passing grade?
+
+
+Grading schemes for each course will be announced with the
+course. 6.002x will be graded on an absolute scale. The components
+affecting a student’s grade and the grade thresholds will be
+posted on the course website when the course comes online.
+
+
+
+Do I need to buy a textbook?
+
+
+The course uses the textbook Foundations of Analog and Digital
+Electronic Circuits, by Anant Agarwal and Jeffrey H. Lang. Morgan
+Kaufmann Publishers, Elsevier, July 2005. Relevant sections will be
+provided electronically as part of the online course. While the
+textbook is recommended, it is not required. The electronic text is
+provided for personal use in connection with this course only. The
+copyright for the book is owned by Elsevier. The book can be purchased
+on Amazon.
+
+
+
+Do I need to have special software to access 6.002x?
+
+
+No, you do not need special software to access 6.002x, as you will
+access the online interactive course through your browser. The course
+website was developed and tested primarily with Google Chrome. We
+support current versions of Mozilla Firefox as well. The video player
+is designed to work with Flash. While we provide a partial non-Flash
+fallback for the video, as well as partial support for Internet
+Explorer, other browsers and tablets, portions of the functionality
+will be unavailable.
+
+
+
+When will the next courses become available and what topics will they be on?
+
+
+ Additional courses will be announced
+ on mitx.mit.edu as they become
+ available. We expect this will happen in fall 2012.
+
+