Creative Writing: Unleashing the Core of Your Imagination
Course Description:
For many hundreds of years, literature has been one of the most important human art forms. It allows us to give voice to our emotions, create imaginary worlds, express ideas, and escape the confines of material reality. Through creative writing, we can come to understand ourselves and our world a little bit better. This course provides students with a solid grounding in the writing process, from finding inspiration to building a basic story to using complicated literary techniques and creating strange hybrid forms of poetic prose and prose poetry. By the end of this course, students will learn how to discover their creative thoughts and turn those ideas into fully realized pieces of creative writing.
Course Details:
| Course Title (District): | Creative Writing: Unleashing the Core of Your Imagination | ||||||||||
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| Course Title (NCES SCED) : | Creative Writing | ||||||||||
| Course Provider : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Content Provided By : | eDynamic Learning | ||||||||||
| Online Instructor Provided By : | Michigan Virtual | ||||||||||
| Standards Addressed : | Michigan Merit Curriculum, Common Core State Standards, National Collegiate Athletic Association | ||||||||||
| Alignment Document : | https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qlFmjMpL1ewnS0hOxbh9dZzeOqgsT6god8FUp3Ig1Dw/edit?usp=sharing | ||||||||||
| Academic Terms : | Semester, Trimester, Accelerated, Open Entry / Fixed End | ||||||||||
| NCES SCED Code : 01104 |
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How To Enroll:
| Enrollment Website : | https://slp.michiganvirtual.org/ |
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| Email : | [email protected] |
| Phone : | (888) 889-2840 |
Students and Parents: It is important to work closely with your local school counselor or registrar to follow the school's enrollment procedures. By clicking the "Start Registration Request" button below, you will be able to notify the school of your interest in registering for the online course. However, it is the responsibility of the district or school to review the registration request and approve or deny the request. Please make a note to follow up with your school after submitting a registration request.
Additional Course Information:
- Email: [email protected]
- Phone: (888) 889-2840
- Analyze how an author’s craft can take such effects as mystery, tension, or surprise, how an author uses source material in a specific work to illuminate a theme, and how an author unfolds a series of events or descriptions to enhance setting.
- Understand the history and origins of creative writing and distinguish between genres of creating writing.
- Understand how language functions in different contexts and recognize the importance of an author’s voice and how it affects tone and style.
- Analyze how language contributes to characterization and evaluate a speaker’s point of view, reasoning, and use of language.
- Understand the purpose and approach to writing effective dialogue and how dialogue is an integral part of both fiction and screenwriting.
- Determine how an author uses point of view to attain certain goals.
- Recognize and understand the various areas of creative nonfiction.
- Identify how poetry can access significant ideas through imagery and other literary devices.
- Explain the difference between a revision and a critique and list several approaches to revision that allow you to see your first draft with more objectivity.
- Demonstrate the purpose and process of drafting and editing.
Additional Cost Description:
None
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to...
NSQ National Standards for Quality Online Courses
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| A1. A course overview and syllabus are included in the online course | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. |
| A2. Minimum computer skills and digital literacy skills expected of the learner are clearly stated.* | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. |
| A3. The instructor’s biographical information and information on how to communicate with the instructor are provided to learners and other stakeholders. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a quick access widget on class homepages displaying the instructor's name, photograph, contact information, office hours, and personalized messages. Additionally, instructors post a welcome letter for students in their Getting Started module describing further biographical and professional information. |
| A4. Learner expectations and policies are clearly stated and readily accessible within the introductory material of the course. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual Student Orientation to Online Learning lesson content, linked in the Getting Started module common to all course offerings, describes in detail expectations and responsibilities for learners as well as for their instructors. Additionally, the course quick links located on the class homepage includes a link to Michigan Virtual policies, including policies for academic integrity, acceptable use, accommodations and web accessibility guidelines, anti-bullying, terms and conditions for dropping a course, student privacy, and purchasing terms and conditions. |
| A5. Minimum technology requirements for the course are clearly stated, and information on how to obtain the technologies is provided.* | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. It is the responsibility of schools or parents/guardians enrolling their students to provide them with the necessary hardware and internet access. However, if the course requires additional software downloads, then this information is provided to students within the technology requirements description and/or in additional guidance located in the Getting Started module of the course. |
| A6. Grading policies and practices are clearly defined in accordance with course content learning expectations. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. |
| A7. The online course provides a clear description or link to the technical support offered and how to obtain it.* | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings contain a link to the course syllabus within the quick access menu located on the class homepage. The syllabus describes, among other things, a course description, prerequisite learning requirements, course objectives or outcomes, an outline of learning topics, resources included, scoring systems and grading policies, estimated time commitments, assessment requirements, technology requirements, additional material costs, technical and digital literacy skill requirements, contact expectations and academic support information. Additionally, the course quick links menu located on the class homepage includes a link to Getting Help, detailing who to contact for various common needs, a link to the online Knowledge Base articles maintained by Michigan Virtual, and contact information for the Michigan Virtual Customer Care Center. |
| A8. Learners are offered an orientation prior to the start of the online course. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual students complete the Student Orientation to Online Learning module, containing introductory lessons and four assessments, prior to beginning their other coursework. Additionally, all courses include as their first activity an introductory discussion board as an opportunity to engage with the instructor and other classmates. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| B1. The online course objectives or competencies are measurable and clearly state what the learner will be able to demonstrate as a result of successfully completing the course.* | Fully Met | |
| B2. The online course expectations are consistent with course-level objectives or competencies, are representative of the structure of the course, and are clearly stated. | Fully Met | |
| B3. The online course content is aligned with accepted state and/or other accepted content standards, where applicable.* | Fully Met | |
| B4. Digital literacy and communication skills are incorporated and taught as an integral part of the curriculum.* | Fully Met | |
| B6. The online course content and supporting materials reflect a culturally diverse perspective that is free of bias.* | Fully Met | |
| B5. Supplemental learning resources and related instructional materials are available to support and enrich learning and are aligned to the specific content being delivered.* | Fully Met | |
| B7. The online course materials (e.g., textbooks, primary source documents, OER) that support course content standards are accurate and current. | Partially Met | The instructional materials have depth and currency, but I would not say that they offer breadth, as most of the instructional materials consist of large amounts of text. There are roughly 5-6 lesson pages per unit with large amounts of text on each one. While there is a podcast in each unit, it simply reads through the lessons. There are few interactive elements within the lessons other than students simply clicking on a dropdown menu to read more information. |
| B8. The online course is free of adult content and avoids unnecessary advertisements.* | Fully Met | |
| B9. Copyright and licensing status for any third-party content is appropriately cited and easily found. | Partially Met | The lessons are cited at the bottom of the page, however, each individual photo is not cited. |
| B10. Documentation and other support materials are available to support effective online course facilitation.* | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| C1. The online course design includes activities that guide learners toward promoting ownership of their learning and self-monitoring. | Fully Met | |
| C2. The online course’s content and learning activities promote the achievement of the stated learning objectives or competencies. | Not Met | Engagement is there, but alignment is not, as students don't see what specific learning objective each activity is aligned with. They could search for the alignment document. However, the alignment document shows the standards that are met by unit, not activity. Students do not practice their creative writing skills frequently throughout the course. For example, they don't write complete essays but small texts. |
| C3. The online course is organized by units and lessons that fall into a logical sequence. | Fully Met | |
| C4. The online course content is appropriate to the reading level of the intended learners.* | Fully Met | |
| C5. The online course design includes introductory assignments or activities to engage learners within the first week of the course. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual students complete the Student Orientation to Online Learning module, containing introductory lessons and four assessments, prior to beginning their other coursework. Additionally, all courses include as their first activity an introductory discussion board as an opportunity to engage with the instructor and other classmates. |
| C6. The online course provides learners with multiple learning paths as appropriate, based on learner needs, that engage learners in a variety of ways. | Fully Met | |
| C7. The online course provides regular opportunities for learner-learner interaction. | Fully Met | |
| C8. The online course design provides opportunities for learner-instructor interaction, including opportunities for regular feedback about learner progress.* | Fully Met | |
| C9. Online course instructional materials and resources present content in an effective, engaging, and appropriate manner.* | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| D1. Learner assessments are linked to stated course, unit, or lesson-level objectives or competencies. | Fully Met | |
| D2. Valid course assessments measure learner progress toward mastery of content. | Fully Met | |
| D3. Assessment practices provide routine and varied opportunities for self-monitoring and reflection of learning.* | Fully Met | |
| D4. Assessment materials provide the learner with the flexibility to demonstrate mastery in a variety of ways.* | Fully Met | |
| D5. Rubrics that clearly define expectations for varied levels of proficiency are created and shared with learners.* | Partially Met | Rubrics are provided, but they are quite basic in terms of the criteria and expectations. They aren't specific to each assignment. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| E1. Online course navigation is logical, consistent, and efficient from the learner’s point of view.* | Fully Met | |
| E2. The online course design facilitates readability.* | Fully Met | |
| E3. The online course provides accessible course materials and activities to meet the needs of diverse learners.* | Not Met | Images don't have alt text. |
| E4. Course multimedia facilitate ease of use.* | Fully Met | |
| E5. Vendor accessibility statements are provided for all technologies required in the course.* | Fully Met |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| F1. Educational tools ensure learner privacy and maintain confidentiality of learner information in accordance with local, state, and national laws for learner data. | Partially Met | Student data within Michigan Virtual's learning management system are password-protected and require single sign-on from a secure student information system in full compliance with FERPA requirements. There is a blog in the Unit 2 activity where students are provided with websites where they can publish a blog to complete the activity. However, guidelines to help ensure the student's privacy are not provided. |
| F2. The online course tools support the learning objectives or competencies.* | Partially Met | The course tools support the learning objectives, but it isn't directly explained/stated as to why or how they do so. |
| F3. The online course provides options for the instructor to adapt learning activities to accommodate learners’ needs and preferences.* | Partially Met | Instructor role permissions within Michigan Virtual's learning management system permit instructors to add supplemental content and external resources both within lessons and announcements. Additionally, the learning management system permits online accommodations including text-to-speech tools, extended testing time, provision of multiple attempts, and scoring exemptions for extenuating circumstances. Course content is desgined, however, to meet state and national content standards alignment and provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum to all enrolled learners, and therefore there are restrictions on instructor permissions to modify the scope and sequence of course assessments. |
| F4. The course allows instructors to control the release of content.* | Partially Met | Michigan Virtual provides for flexible pacing and asynchronous delivery of its online course offerings. In order to maximize these opportunities for personalized learner preferences and flexibility concerning frequency or timing of individual learner availability or participation in courses during academic terms, with few exceptions, all course content is made available at all times throughout the term, and generally only midterm or final exams are password protected. Conditional release of content is intentionally avoided or used sparingly within Michigan Virtual course design and instructional delivery models. |
| F5. The course provides the necessary technical functionality to score and record assessments and calculate earned course points or grades.* | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual ensures that the gradebook items are pre-populated in its course offerings, and the association of grade items with individual assessments, and the inclusion of grade categories, progress check calculations, and total point scoring established prior to the enrollment of learners. |
| Rating | Comments | |
|---|---|---|
| G1. The online course uses multiple methods and sources of input for assessing course effectiveness. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual regularly examines enrollment trends, student performance data, student completion rates, student responses to end-of-course surveys, and technical support requests to continuously examine the quality and effectiveness of individual course offerings. |
| G2. The online course is reviewed to ensure that the course is current. | Fully Met | All Michigan Virtual course offerings offered by third party content providers undergo formal evaluation and review for their degree of alignment to course design and content standards, including the currency of content where appropriate. |
| G3. The online course is updated on a continuous improvement cycle for effectiveness based on the findings from ongoing reviews. | Fully Met | Michigan Virtual maintains a continuous cycle of monitoring course functionality through multiple support ticketing systems for internal and external users, annual reviews of performance and perception data, as well as a 3 to 5 year cycle of updating, replacing, or retiring course versions in an effort to maintain currency. |
Review Conducted By: Michigan Virtual
Date of Review:
08/16/2022
Unit 1: Starting the Path to Creative Writing
Unit 2: Finding Your Creative Light
Unit 3: Fiction First
Unit 4: A Fictional Place
Unit 5: Speech in Writing
Unit 6: When Truth Meets Imagination
Unit 7: Finding Your Inner Poet
Unit 8: Revision and Purpose
| Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends | Random Draw Date | Enrollment Drop Date | Course Starts | Course Ends | # of Seats | Course Fee | Potential Additional Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/17/2025 | 01/03/2025 | 05/23/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/24/2025 | 01/10/2025 | 05/30/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 01/31/2025 | 01/17/2025 | 06/06/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/07/2025 | 01/24/2025 | 06/13/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/14/2025 | 01/31/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/21/2025 | 02/07/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 02/28/2025 | 02/14/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 03/07/2025 | 02/21/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 02/28/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 | |
| Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 | 07/01/2024 | 03/21/2025 | 03/07/2025 | 06/20/2025 | 100 | $350 |
| Drop Policy | Completion Policy | Term Type | Enrollment Opens | Enrollment Ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
| Students have 14 days from the enrollment start date to drop the course and receive a full refund. No refunds are given after 14 days. Drop dates are calculated and what is posted is the last possible drop date for enrollments created within the enrollment window. | Students may access their course from their enrollment start date to their enrollment end date. A completion is a 60% final score or higher. | Semester | 03/29/2024 | 03/14/2025 |
Students can use email or the private message system within the Student Learning Portal to access highly qualified teachers when they need instructor assistance. Students will also receive feedback on their work inside the learning management system. The Instructor Info area of their course may describe additional communication options.
| School Year | Enrollment Count | Pass Count | Completion Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23-24 | 124 | 116 | 93.55% | |
| 22-23 | 52 | 48 | 92.31% |
Students will require a computer device with headphones, a microphone, webcam, up-to-date Chrome Web Browser, and access to YouTube.
Please review the Michigan Virtual Technology Requirements: https://michiganvirtual.org/about/support/knowledge-base/technical-requirements/