edx-platform/6002x-faq.html

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<h1>
More about 6.002x
</h1>

<h2> Answering common questions about the first course on <i>MITx</i>, the
Institute&rsquo;s online-learning initiative.</h2>

<p>
This set of questions and answers accompanies MIT&rsquo;s February 13,
2012, announcement regarding <i>MITx</i>&rsquo;s prototype course &mdash;
6.002x: Circuits and Electronics.
</p>

<h2> I tried to register for the course, but it says the username
is already taken.</h2>

<p> 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.</p>

<a name="othercourses" ></a>
<h2> I am interested in a different subject. What other courses do
you offer? </h2>

<p> 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.</p>

<a name="start" ></a>
<h2>How will I know that the course has started?</h2>

<p> 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.</p>

<a name="login" ></a>
<h2> Why is there no log-in button?</h2>

<p> You will not be able to log into the course until either the
starting date, or shortly before.</p>

<a name="schedule" ></a>
<h2> Does the class have a schedule?</h2>

<p> 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. </p>

<a name="enrollissues" ></a>
<h2> I just enrolled for the course. I have not received any form
of acknowledgement that I have enrolled.</h2>

<p> You should receive a single activation e-mail. If you did not, the
most common issues are:
<ul>
<li> Typo in e-mail address
<li> Old browser. We recommend trying a modern version of Firefox or Chrome
<li> JavaScript disabled
<li> Activation e-mail in spam folder. Check spam folder.
<li> Non-unique username. Try adding a random string at the end.
</ul>

<p>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.

<a name="howdropcourse" ></a>
<h2> How do I drop the course?</h2>

<p> You do not have to do anything. You can simply stop working on the
course at any time you choose to do so.</p>

<a name="ifdropcourse" ></a>
<h2>What happens if I drop the course?</h2>

<p> 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. </p>

<a name="whatismitx" ></a>
<h2>
What is <i>MITx</i>?</h2>

<p>  MIT seeks through the development of <i>MITx</i> to improve
education both on the MIT campus and around the world.

<p> On campus, <i>MITx</i> will be coupled with an Institute-wide research
initiative on online teaching and learning. The online learning tools
that <i>MITx</i> develops will benefit the educational experience of
residential students by supplementing and reinforcing the classroom
and laboratory experiences.</p>

<p>
Beyond the MIT campus, <i>MITx</i> 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 <i>MITx</i> courses are based.
</p>

<p>
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 <i>MITx</i> represents a next step forward in that
effort.
</p>

<a name="differentcampus" ></a>
<h2>
What is 6.002x, and how is it different from the on-campus version of
6.002?
</h2>

<p>
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. <i>MITx</i>&rsquo;s 6.002x is modeled on the on-campus
version of 6.002.
</p>

<p>
 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.
</p>

<p>
6.002x is built on the content created collaboratively by MIT
professors Anant Agarwal and Jeffrey H. Lang for 6.002.
</p>

<a name="howenroll" ></a>
<h2>
How do I enroll in 6.002x?
</h2>
<p>
To enroll, visit <a href="http://mitx.mit.edu">http://mitx.mit.edu</a>
and sign up.
</p>

<a name="whenavailable" ></a>
<h2>
When will the course be available online?
</h2>

<p>
6.002x will become available online on Monday, March 5.
</p>

<a name="timeline" ></a>
<h2>
Do I need to follow a set timeline in completing 6.002x?
</h2>

<p>
In this pilot course of <i>MITx</i>, 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.
</p>

<a name="workrequired" ></a>
<h2>
How much time is required to complete the course?
</h2>
<p>
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.
</p>

<a name="instructors" ></a>
<h2>
Who are the instructors for 6.002x?
</h2>
<p>
There are four instructors for 6.002x: Anant Agarwal, Chris Terman,
Gerald Sussman and Piotr Mitros. The team also includes several
teaching assistants (TAs).
</p>

<a name="worklike" ></a>
<h2>
What is the work like in 6.002x?
</h2>
<p>
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.
</p>

<p>
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.
</p>

<a name="questionsduringcourse" ></a>
<h2>
What if I have a question during the course?
</h2>
<p>
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.
</p>

<a name="collaboration" ></a>
<h2>
Will 6.002x offer any means for collaboration among online learners?
</h2>
<p>
Yes. 6.002x will offer modest support for collaborative work through a
prototype wiki and discussion forum.
</p>

<a name="prereqs" ></a>
<h2>
Are there prerequisites to take the course?
</h2>
<p>
While <i>MITx</i> courses are open to all, there are some skills required to
succeed in taking the course.
</p>

<p>
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.
</p>

<p>
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.
</p>

<a name="cost" ></a>
<h2>
How much does the course cost?
</h2>
<p>
All of the courses on <i>MITx</i> 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. 
</p>

<a name="credential" ></a>
<h2>
What is a credential?
</h2>
<p>
Any learner who successfully completes 6.002x will receive an
electronic certificate indicating a grade. This certificate will
indicate that you earned it from <i>MITx</i>&rsquo;s pilot course. In this
prototype version, <i>MITx</i> will not require that you be tested in a
testing center or otherwise have your identity certified in order to
receive this certificate.
</p>

<a name="whograding" ></a>
<h2>
Who is grading the course?
</h2>
<p>
<i>MITx</i> courses will use automated technologies to check student work
including practice exercises, homework assignments, labs and exams.
</p>

<a name="whatpassing" ></a>
<h2>
What is a passing grade?
</h2>
<p>
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&rsquo;s grade and the grade thresholds will be
posted on the course website when the course comes online.
</p>

<a name="textbook" ></a>
<h2>
Do I need to buy a textbook? 
</h2>
<p>
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 <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1558607358/ref=nosim/mitopencourse-20" target="_blank">Amazon</a>.
</p>

<a name="technicalrequirements" ></a>
<h2>
Do I need to have special software to access 6.002x?
</h2>
<p>
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 the current version of
Google Chrome. We support current versions of Mozilla Firefox as
well. The video player is based on Youtube, and is designed to work
with Flash. We provide a partial non-Flash fallback for the video, but
this uses Google's experimental HTML5 API, and hence we cannot
guarantee those will continue to function for the duration of the
semester. We provide partial support for Internet Explorer, as well as
other browsers and tablets, but portions of the functionality will be
unavailable.
</p>

<a name="futurecourses" ></a>
<h2>
When will the next courses become available and what topics will they be on?
</h2>
<p>
 Additional courses will be announced
 on <a href="http://mitx.mit.edu">mitx.mit.edu</a> as they become
 available. We expect this will happen in fall 2012. We also have
 accounts
 on <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/MyMITx">Twitter</a>, <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/MITx/378592442151504">Facebook</a>,
 and <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/groups/Friends-Alumni-MITx-4316538">LinkedIn</a>.
</p>
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