Programming 2: Extended Learning - DATA Step Resources: missing(?) eCourse lessons

[MO93]

Dear SAS Training team,

First of all, thank you for providing the Extended Learning section to the Course and including the useful papers, Case Study and additional eCourses.

Working through the Extended Learning section of the Programming 2 Course, there were also two extra lessons included in the "DATA Step Resources" section - Lesson 3: Reading Raw Data, and Lesson 8 - Using SAS Arrays.

Initially, I wondered why they had this kind of numbering - or alternatively where the other lessons might be found. Now, after completing the Extended Learning section, I realized the Course Progress stuck at 86% (even after re-checking all the boxes and making sure every sub-box in the eCourses was checked).

After re-opening one of the provided extra eCourse lessons, suddenly a menu with a list of 12 extra Lessons was shown to me. Trying to take a look at the first of them, nothing but the videos worked. After closing the window and re-opening it, everything was as it had been before, the links to the single eCourse lessons lead to nothing but the initial lesson.

Hence my question: How can I access the other 10 extra ecourse lessons of the Extended Learning section of the Programming 2 class? And may this issue also be the reason why I seemingly cannot finish the Extended Learning class?

Thank you very much for your help, I'm looking forward to reading from you.

Best,
MO93

[Panagiotis]

Hello @MO93 ,

The Extended Learning Page is a location with additional resources you receive access to after you take one of our courses. While you can go through everything on the page (which is fantastic), there is no 'finishing' it. The materials are provided as additional learning on a variety of topics for those interested.

The eCourse lessons are additional, they were from an another course but are useful for learners in the Programming 2 course. The other chapters you saw that you don't have access to were taught in the Programming 2 course already. Reading Raw Data and Arrays were not, but included for learners like yourself who are interested in those topics.

Would you be able to send a screenshot where you see those additional chapters?

Hope this helps.

- Peter

[MO93]

Hello @Panagiotis ,

Thank you for your reply.

So the progress display in the Dashboard is rather misleading because there is no getting to 100%?

I couldn't tell which subjects they were about because I only saw the list once. I just know that the topics of the other 10 lessons didn't sound too familiar or much like the 7 lessons in the Programming 2 course.

Unfortunately, I can't because it only happened to me once. I'm not aware that I did anything differently to before or afterwards (where only the targeted lesson opened), hence I can't replicate it (and I was too surprised to react in that way).

But, in the end, I should just suppose that the other 10 lessons don't belong there as the topics were already introduced in the main course, and continue with the next training, right?

Best,
MO93

[Panagiotis]

But, in the end, I should just suppose that the other 10 lessons don't belong there as the topics were already introduced in the main course, and continue with the next training, right?

Yeah if i'm thinking correctly of what you saw, you probably saw the chapters in the older course. The Programming 2 course you took is the updated version. It does not include Arrays and Reading Raw Data, so those topics were included in the Extended Learning Page for learners like yourself who would be interested in those topics. Everything else was covered in the course you took. I keep trying to recreate that issue but cannot. 

So the progress display in the Dashboard is rather misleading because there is no getting to 100%?

I believe the progression feedback is utilizing the check boxes on the side of the activity. You can get 100% if you complete all of the activities. That is entirely up to you.

- Peter

[MO93]

Thank you for your reply. It's good to know I didn't "lose" any useful material due to technical issues or whatsoever.

I believe the progression feedback is utilizing the check boxes on the side of the activity. You can get 100% if you complete all of the activities.

That's what I initially thought, too. But as I mentioned in the first post, I double-checked that all the check boxes are checked and all of the activities were made. But that's obviously just a minor flaw.

Speaking of minor issues: The quizzes of the extra lessons stated there'd be a completion certificate if all of the quizzes were submitted successfully (>80%). It didn't happen despite meeting the criteria. I guess it's because that information is due to the extra lessons being a part of the old version of the course - or are there certificates for the Extended Learning portions you should get after completing the extra lessons and activities?

Thank you for your help!

MO93

[Panagiotis · Accepted solution]

No problem! Glad you are utilizing the material.

The completion certificate after taking all the quizzes was for the previous version of the course. With the new version of the course you should of received a badge after completing Programming 2. The Extended Learning Page does not offer an additional certificate or badge.

If you want to continue your learning I recommend solving these case studies and challenges: https://communities.sas.com/t5/Course-Case-Studies-and/tkb-p/training_library

- Peter

[MO93]

I believe the progression feedback is utilizing the check boxes on the side of the activity. You can get 100% if you complete all of the activities. That is entirely up to you.

After letting some time pass, rechecking all the boxes, completing all activities and doing so with the Programming 3 Extended Learning as well, I'm still wondering why I cannot reach 100% progress in any of the two Extended Learning portions (I'm stuck at 86% for PG2 and 92% for PG3).

Is there anything I might be missing or I could do to "officially" complete the Extended Learning Classes?

Best,
MO93

[Panagiotis]

That's great! 

I don't think you can get a full 100%. The idea is to use the resources that you fit your needs. I think it's fantastic you did it all!

- Peter

[Cynthia_sas]

Hi:
The Dashboard is not useful in regard to the Extended Learning material. The Extended Learning page for any course is just a collection of after-class resources. There is NOT any certificate or progress tracking with the Extended Learning page. Please do not stress over this or keep trying to make the Extended Learning show 100% on the Dashboard. Sometimes it might work, it might not. There is other material behind the Extended Learning page that is reserved for instructors who have instructor log-ins. You can't see those items. But when a teacher is on the road, they need access to the Extended Learning page for other material. The Dashboard is "confused" by this extra material and not reliable in separating out the student material from the instructor material in the same way as in a regular e-learning class. But the Extended Learning page is NOT a class there is NOT progress tracking toward a certificate on the Extended Learning page.

The ONLY progress that counts toward a Learn Badge is the progress for the actual e-learning class itself. The Dashboard is not ever accurate in regard to the Extended Learning pages.
Cynthia

[MO93]

Hi,

that's really useful information for me to understand what's going on there.

Thank you very much for your detailed response!

Best,

MO93