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Diabetes - A Global Challenge. Course Discussion Thread.

J

janewatt

Well-Known Member
Messages
3,528
Location
Baie du Mont Saint Michel, N.E. Brittany, France
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
I'm starting a thread to discuss this course which started this week; I'm impressed with the presentation so far and have already learned a lot.

I'm keen to get as much out of it as possible so hope that anyone else who's following the course will join us here to share thoughts and experiences.

It's not too late to start it even if it's just to dip in from time to time.

It can be assessed if you choose to do the tests, but isn't at all intimidating. There are little quizzes throughout the videos on the first week, dso you can check you're getting the right idea.

Jane.
 
Hi
I've just joined the course so its not to late. Look forward to forthcoming discussions.
I reside in South Africa
 
Just completed module 2, a bit of a wake up call from Number 1, pleased they give you 3 tries at the answers as I only got 7 right on the first try
How did you find the second one ?
Next week we on exercise, that I do a fair bit of so should be interesting, I hope a bit easier ?
 
Hi Jane,
Looks like only the two of us appear to be doing the course
Have a good week
Best Wishes Brian
 
I think there's at least 2 more of us.
This week was more challenging, lots of biochemical detail which was new.
After watching the videos I found a medcape series of lectures Targeting Glucagon in Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (google and you will have to register). These really helped consolidate and added info about incretin therapy.
It's a strange course for me. All of the others have had more input ie more lectures and readings, most I've done don't give the answers to the quizzes and let you try again either.
I'm finding some of the forum posts that speak from experience about the conditions of diabetes in developing countries enlightening /worrying
Week 3 tomorrow and I have a feeling it might be more general again.
I've read the mandatory paper, interesting because it addresses questions about weight loss and exercise.
 
Hello All.

Sorry not to have been more active here. Been ill for a week and was dismayed to find I was quickly lost in first Lecture of Week 2.

Week 1 was really interesting, putting the whole thing in perspective with some frightening global statistics. Relatively easy to understand.

Feeling better now so have just re-watched lecture1, Week 2 again. OKish with it now, but very difficult - I'm no scientist. Will re-watch the other 2 lectures, but not going to worry about it if I still don't understand everything.
It's helpful to have seen others struggled here too. Thanks for tip about Medcape lectures, Phoenix. Will try to look at them too.

Then I'll start Week 3 later today.

Jane
 
Yes, and as they've changed the deadlines then you can catch up on the first 2 weeks quizzes. This week though has a 500 word peer assessed written example so that will have to be done before the deadline. There is no compulsion though to do the assessment, you can just watch the video lectures.
https://www.coursera.org/course/diabetes
 
Having struggled with Week 2, I've really found Week 3 great. Lots of interesting concepts and research results.I'm completely convinced that exercise is very important for everyone.
And I got full marks first go! (Week 2 was 4/10).
I see next week with essay is delayed due to Easter.

How's everyone else finding it?

Jane.
 
OK I've completed and submitted the assignment.
I actually did not really know were to start, but it grew on me as I progressed.
Never thought at 65 id be doing assignments!;)
Anyone else done yet ?
 
Hello!

Just finished and submitted! Very last minute, but pleased I've done it. I think it's good to try to get our older brains around this sort of thing (I'm 61).

I find science quite difficult and research findings seem to involve so many statistical terms and acronyms! Anyway, I've written 500 words on what I found most important result of the study and what I think governments need to do with this. It will certainly be very interesting to learn what other participants thought.

Well done everyone who's completed the Essay and don't worry if you haven't - the course is open to all to use as they wish.

Jane.
 
Hi well done, not quite last minute, I thought it was deadline tomorrow, but see it is actually the 22nd -Tuesday. I'm quite looking forward to see how others approach it.
I wonder how they get to the final mark, apparently 4 peers assess you assignment , than you mark it.
Don't know if they then average scores, ( As I am sure you will give yourself 10/10 He! He! ;)) and it then counts for 30% of the total course marks, if I understand what I read.


So if you not done it yet, all the others, you still got time.
Good Luck
 
Has anyone tried this weeks lectures yet, frightening, its so over my head I don't even glimpse the subject ?
How dis you do with the assignment, I got better results than I expected !
 
Yes, this weeks lectures are almost totally beyond me. The quiz though is not so difficult . I got one wrong first time round and that was easily corrected on the second go.
(TBH, I find 3 goes at a quiz with only 3 possible answers rather a strange model but then it's a bit odd to get a course that has 30% of marks from one 500 word assignment )
I was pleased with my mark on the assignment. The first 4 that I assessed were I thought a bit dire, which made me a bit concerned about how people might mark mine. (2 had decided to more or less ignore the question and wrote justifications of their own hobby horses, the other 2 just hadn't understood any of it) . I kept going though in the hope of finding better answers and the next 3 were far better.


I found the final lecture last week by Professor Sorensen really excellent. It wasn't the first time I'd come across the hypothesis of 'overfilled fat cells' and once I tried and failed to explain the idea on here. His explanation was very clear and really helped further my understanding of it.

I'm starting another Coursera course today,on epigenetics . I will have to do a lot of work on that one. The intro thread seems to be full of people who are already researchers in the field with just a few people I recognise from other more introductory genetics courses. Now this one I will be pleased to get a pass mark on.
 
I've fallen behind a bit, but will get there!

Did OK on essay, but was quite intimidated by ones I marked. Really academic and well-written.

Found the week after interesting and useful and then was totally lost with the next one - just like others have said here.

It seems quite up and down for me but good to persist with something scientific. Ha

Have also been doing some UK FutureLearn MOOCs on totally different subjects and am really enjoying their presentations. Much less academic and certainly not so scientific, but still learning a lot. Quite busy as working quite a bit too, so perhaps not giving this one as much time as I'd like.

How's everyone else doing?

Jane.
 
Hi all, just finished the last Quiz (7), a bit confusing with the multiple choice on some of the questions
Thank you Jane for letting me know about the course, I really enjoyed it and learnt a lot. I think I found out that Diabetes is a hell of a lot more complex than I ever imagined.
I live in South Africa and don't really get to hear of what's on offer, so
If you hear of any other courses I would be very interested in hearing about them.
Let me know how you all did on the course
Keep well and good luck:D
 
randburg
On my watchlist:
The New Nordic Diet - from Gastronomy to Health Univ -Copenhagen

Present:
Genomic & precision medicine - UCSF

Upcoming:
Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us -Univ Pennsylvania
Health for all through primary health care - Johns Hopkins Univ
Intro to Global Health Univ Copenhagen
Useful Genetics Parts 1&2 - Univ British Columbia
Drug Discovery, Development & Commercialzation - UCSD
 
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