AngieW in Texas Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 My 16yo is signed up for it and so am I. I'm watching the getting started lectures and there's an awful lot of talk about Christianity in it. Is there that much focus on Christianity in the rest of the course or is it just in the getting started videos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I think it's a brand new course and I believe Coursera is also new. Why is it so Christian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 22, 2012 Author Share Posted July 22, 2012 There was just a lot of talk in one of the getting started videos relating one of Aesop's fables to the story of the Garden of Eden. Then he referred back to that again several times in one of the other getting started videos. He also brought up the rising of Lazarus. I was wondering if it was going to be a recurring topic or just occasional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 There was just a lot of talk in one of the getting started videos relating one of Aesop's fables to the story of the Garden of Eden. Then he referred back to that again several times in one of the other getting started videos. He also brought up the rising of Lazarus. I was wondering if it was going to be a recurring topic or just occasional. Well, the bible and it's allegories are used within lots of literature. I'm thinking you might have a hard time erasing that part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanetC Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 Found this on RateMyProfessor.com Very smart guy and I highly encourage office hours. His lectures go off in EVERY direction, but most end up at religous readings. since his knowledge of Catholicism and the bible clearly affects how he reads things. The papers are manageable once you figure out the grading system, but the reading load is too heavy. Several other comments along the same vein.... Not sure I'm as excited about the class now either. (I signed up, not my kids.) --Janet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 I watched the start up videos last night as well. I don't think I will be able to read a novel and write a decent essay in 5 days:(. Too bad, I was looking forward to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted July 22, 2012 Share Posted July 22, 2012 The same professor does the Teaching Company's course on fantasy literature, and here is a snippet from one review of that course: His focus on Freudian or religious interpretations in every piece of material became very annoying. I'd really like to know how on Earth Christian symbolism is present in Oedipus Rex. Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
serendipitous journey Posted July 23, 2012 Share Posted July 23, 2012 There was just a lot of talk in one of the getting started videos relating one of Aesop's fables to the story of the Garden of Eden. Then he referred back to that again several times in one of the other getting started videos. He also brought up the rising of Lazarus. I was wondering if it was going to be a recurring topic or just occasional. The same professor does the Teaching Company's course on fantasy literature, and here is a snippet from one review of that course:"His focus on Freudian or religious interpretations in every piece of material became very annoying. I'd really like to know how on Earth Christian symbolism is present in Oedipus Rex. " Jackie Just my thought ... Aesop probably wasn't thumbing through his Hebrew Bible for inspiration :) ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 I'm hoping it will end up being good anyway. I didn't realize that the Teaching Company course was also taught by Rabkin. I didn't actually look up the reviews of the course. When I saw I it was $25, I just bought it because I remembered people saying on this board that it was a good course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melmichigan Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I just dropped it. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eloquacious Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 Why did you drop? I'm still enrolled, and submitted my first "essay" last night. (One-page response paper, more like.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4peace Posted July 31, 2012 Share Posted July 31, 2012 My 15 year old is in the course. It is a large reading load, so he's been reading ahead for the past few weeks. I'm optimistic (and not put off by the content of the first few videos). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngieW in Texas Posted July 31, 2012 Author Share Posted July 31, 2012 I dropped this morning because I signed on only to have access to the videos myself and so I could see what the course was like. My 16yo submitted her essay this morning. She was really hoping to have a specific paper topic assigned. She's going to stick with it for several weeks to see if it's worth her time. She had already read about half of the assigned readings before ever hearing about Coursera, so she doesn't have much to read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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