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Learner Reviews & Feedback for Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop by California Institute of the Arts

4.8
stars
1,817 ratings

About the Course

Why just write poems when you can write better ones? This course is built on the notion that the most exciting writing begins after the first draft. It is specifically for folks who believe that writing poems just to express oneself is like using the Internet just for email. After all, poetry can change the way you and your readers think of the world and its inhabitants; it can break new ground for language; turn a blank sheet of paper into a teeming concert of voices and music. Though any of us may have the potential to make that happen, having an understanding of how several tools of poetic composition can be used (and audaciously “mis-used”) gives you more ways to try (and if we do this right, we might surprise ourselves most of all). We'll cover key poetic terms and devices by studying poems by a handful of modern and contemporary poets and then get a chance to try our own hand at writing new poem drafts from a select number of prompts. Throughout the course you will have the opportunity to workshop your poem drafts and get feedback on your work, working towards a more polished poem....

Top reviews

SM

Jun 12, 2020

Loved the course. Douglas Kearney is amazing as an instructor. I love poetry and this workshop has made me happy during the times of COVID 19. I thank CalArts for the encouragement and appreciation.

CN

May 23, 2024

Very personable instructor with quality content and a workshop system that works well even if you never get to actually meet your fellow poets. I was very impressed and got a lot out of this course.

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726 - 745 of 745 Reviews for Sharpened Visions: A Poetry Workshop

By Scott D

Nov 22, 2016

Doug's lectures were great! He's entertaining and he gets the concepts across very clearly. I struggled with the course itself, however. The participation rate was low and the iOS app was so buggy I deleted it. The web interface was better but still difficult to work with.

The iOS app would forget I was in the course and lose my assignments. It also wouldn't let me open the discussion forums. With the technical problems and low participation I can only give the course 3/5.

By Victoria B

Jul 6, 2019

I think this course is good if you're just starting out and want to know the basics. But it's not a great course for more advanced students. The peer graded assignments are a gamble because some people fail to understand what the assignment actually is before they try to grade your assignment. Also, I don't like how certain sections are heavily focused on rhythm and rhyme. This course isn't really geared toward free verse poets.

By Elizabeth D

Aug 1, 2016

The annotations of the different poems were great and taught me a lot about different poetic elements, but the lectures were unbearably corny with all of the different sound effects and bits. I found myself reading the transcripts because I could not watch the videos without feeling like I was being talked down to or that the instructor didn't take the course seriously.

By Emily A

Aug 27, 2024

The course itself is very good but the peer review process for your grade is a bit lackluster. If you have a peer who doesn't actually feel like trying or doesn't understand the material then your grade suffers despite what the other reviewers provided.

By Samantha A

Sep 9, 2015

Not as much creative flexibility as I thought there would be. Writing to prompts left very little room to create poetry that felt like my own. Good short course (knocked it out in a couple of days) for revising/learning techniques.

By Stefan W

Sep 6, 2020

This course seems to be aimed at absolute beginners. If you don't know what a rhyme is, this "workshop" is definitively worth your time. Else, there may be better investments.

By Hari K D V

Oct 28, 2017

there's got to be more poems, more reviews. 1 poem to be reviewed makes the brilliant course flippant

By Jennifer F

Sep 5, 2020

ok. some tools are missing, like a resource page referred to by the instructor.

By Liz A

May 21, 2018

A stimulating course. Great online interaction with tutors. Some great links.

By Priyanka D

Jul 5, 2021

Learnt a lot about writing poetry. Realised there's still a lot yet to learn

By Garrison C G

Sep 1, 2017

The course could have used more content. That is, it is too brief.

By Tonya

Sep 21, 2015

Elementary and entertaining with some unique and creative prompts.

By Lama B

May 7, 2020

It was a great course, however it was very short and brief.

By Jessica T

Feb 17, 2025

Several links and resources are unavailable when you follow links, which, if paying for the course especially, is unacceptable. I would also argue that this is not a beginner course, some knowledge of poetry is very helpful.

By R.B. W

Jan 18, 2024

The instructor is animated and great, but the grading process is flawed and sucks.

By Michael N

Jun 11, 2020

While the material has been interesting, I paid to take this course in large part for what I assumed would be helpful feedback and critique, to help me improve. I submitted my first peer assignment 6 days ago, and I've not received even one critique/feedback. If things change as I continue this course, I'll revise my rating. But at the moment, I'm not satisfied in the least. If none of my fellow students reviews my work, how about one of the staff mentors? Hello? Is anyone even out there?

By Ava C

Jan 7, 2024

This guy blew up my earphones because he randomly starts shouting?? Also the things he teaches are so elementary. Very boring, learnt nothing.

By David M C

Apr 18, 2021

Decided I wasn't interested so tried to unenroll but can't.

By Ali M

Dec 11, 2022

Waste of time. Bad curriculum. Unprofessional instructor.