Modern & Contemporary American Poetry (“ModPo”)

You're getting a master-class, close discussion setting and really good exposure to some of the movements in American poetry (including the stuff happening now), that sneaks up and teaches you to think in ways you never expected.

It is hard to imagine how incredibly intimate a MOOC w/1000's of students from many countries can become over the common discovery of American Poetry(along w/it's modern political and philisophical movements).

As well as learning so much about American poetry, I feel part of a world community of people inspired to discuss complex issues together.

The course is fun, but it is also challenging, and you complete it knowing far more about the subject and its impact on society than you may have known before, Signing up for Modern American Poetry with Al Filreis, or ModPo for short, I wondered what a 60-something woman living in the middle of nowhere would gain.

American poetry got short shrift when I studied English Lit and earned a BA in the 60s.

to modern American poetry.

We've been led through a lively introduction to contemporary American poetry by an amazing group of TAs and poets, and the use of video, close reading, forums, assignments, peer reviews, and social media come together to make a class with 40,000+ members seem like a small-group seminar.

wonderful beginning class for american poetry from dickenson and whitman to current poetry scene.

I came to the course with no knowledge of modern American poetry and have learned a lot about the subject, especially in relation to modern art.

The ideal way to dwell in the possibility of Modern & Contemporary American Poetry!

A great way to learn American Poetry.

Discussion threads are created for each poem in the course, as well as for general topics such as help for people "hopelessly lost," local study groups, teachers bringing Modern & Contemporary American poetry into their classrooms, and a range of other topics.

Round table videos for close reading our poems, live web casts with the community, discussion forums and assignments designed to encourage participation in assessing our and other's contributions.

I had never enjoyed poetry before but discovering “close reading” and finding out that the fun is in the difficulty of modern poetry has allowed me to take great pleasure in most of the poetry offered in the course.

In ModPo we do close reading of poetry, starting with Whitman and Dickinson, right up to the present day poets.

The teacher is a recognized expert in this field, but he prefers to emphasize a collaborative 'close reading' approach where all participants can work together to bring out the fullness of the poems.

I love the round table discussions and close readings of each poem.

Gave me a brand new approach to poetry (the close reading), exposed me to poets I'd never read before, and allowed be to discuss it all with a world-wide community of like-minded people.

The videos feature a collaborative close reading between Al and his TAs, modelling the deep and thoughtful study of poetry that they want students to learn.

It is actually "taught" via a roundtable discussion and close reading of contemporary poems.

There is no MOOC like ModPo, far as I know-- Having very little to do with poetry since my schoolyears, I enjoyed this seminar-like MOOC, where Al and his enthusiastic assistents in their peer-like joint close reading sessions inspired me to open up to new poetry and try to close read myself poems and collaborate on the interpretation.

and I'll be joining the 1000s worldwide who keep on SloPoing.1 · Modern and Contemporary American Poetry is an amazing ten week course which I would recommend to anyone who has an interest in poetry.

ModPo, Modern and Contemporary American Poetry, is an oasis of sense, feeling, creative and analytical experience and free exchange of ideas.

This is one of the most powerful courses on the learning planet if anyone on this planet is eager to learn about the Modern and Contemporary American Poetry.

Professor Al Filreis and his TAs are deeply engaged and involved in the forum discussions, and are passionate about modern poetry.

Professor Al Filreis and his TAs made this so enjoyable and engaging.

ModPo means inspiration and creation, it gives the unique opportunity to realise a magic journey, to live fascinating adventures in company of interesting people guided by Professor Al Filreis, heart and soul of the project, and his wonderful team.If you are just interested in something new, if you are tired of everyday routine, this course is for you.

ModPo is not only one of the greatest courses with regards to opening up the mystery of modern poetry, but due mostly to the methods employed by professor Al Filreis, it is both a community and an experience that can open up new paths of thinking in all areas of your life, including areas not even tangentially touching on poetry.

I love and am coming back next year... Be aware this is a truly inspirational and life-changing course – I have even travelled from the UK to attend some of the live webcasts in Philadelphia!

The class uses the entire gamut of online tools, from videos to online forums to live webcasts.

The live webcasts and video discussions about the work being studied each week let you feel like you're there and truly part of the discussion.

Absolutely the best structured MOOC I've taken, with lots of interaction in the class videos as well as in the live webcasts.

There were live webcasts and/or audio messages several times a week.

I highly recommend it to all writers, not just poets.

I highly recommend it to all my students, friends, colleagues living anywhere on this earth.

ModPo is one big family, and I HIGHLY recommend it to anyone interested in modern poetry.

The teaching assistants became weekly friends and the teacher, Al, is without peer in my experience.

Excellent webinars led by highly qualified faculty and teaching assistants.

Thanks to fabulous Professor Al and to his brilliant teaching assistants.

The instructor and teaching assistants are closely in the class + there is a lot more interaction with them and the rest of the students than any other MOOC.

The prepared materials are absolutely excellent, but the real draw of this course is the vibrant discussion forum with fellow classmates, teaching assistants, and the professor (!).

If you watch a couple of the videos, and if you spend an hour on the discussion forums, you will see a joint learning experience, with a fully engaged professor, a well informed team of grad student Teaching Assistants and a crazy dedicated team of what ModPo calls Community Teaching Assistants, or as Coursera calls them, "mentors".

It's more than a class, it's an experience.

This is so much more than a course about poetry.

Modern & Contemporary American Poetry is more than an online course, more than a MOOC, more than a learning experience - It is community.

This course is so much more than a study of poetry, although it is certainly that in its comprehensive manner of presenting a variety of poets and poems.

More than that ModPo is a gathering of poetry lovers from around the world in a thoughtful discussion and close reading of poems that is mind expanding in so many ways.

ModPo is more than poetry, it's the distillation of our very essence.

More than a course.

More than poetry.

More than it's international community.

More than edifying.

More than inspiring.

Al Filreis and the TAs at Kelly Writers House kept things lively.

Live webcasts each week from the Kelly Writers House also add to the feeling of immediacy and community.

Active involved community of learners Great, inspirational and it is so noticeable that the people who have created this course love poetry so much.

Mentors work their socks off to create a real global community of learners.

I am humbled by how little I know.

The video-based readings of the poems, led by the prof., give the poems the completion they need in terms of understanding and appreciation (a poem is meant to be talked about; that is what brings it to life, I believe).

It's comprehensive, covering the early rise of modernism, cubism, Dadaism, post-modernism, formalism, New American formalism, etc.The team or the "gang", as I like to call them , led by Al Filreis, are extremely insightful and intelligent.

Lectures, webcasts, meet-ups, office hours, this is an online community where you find real friends in real life.

ModPo staff and instructor Al Filreis make the asynchronous communication seem almost synchronous through responsiveness and office hours.

The videos, live webcasts, and staff live office hours are interesting and fun!