Topic outline

  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Below is a list of frequently asked questions about learn.civiced.org. If you have a question that does not appear in this list, please contact the site administrator at support@civiced.org. Thank you.

    Account Management

    About Courses

    About the Civics Forum

    About our Resource Page


    Account Management

    How do I create an account on the learn.civiced.org website?

    The majority of accounts will be created through the automatic account creation method described below. If  you wish to create a manual account please email support@civiced.org. Please keep in mind that the fastest way to have access to the features of the website is through the automatic creation method described below. 

    Automatic Account Creation - Click either the Google or Microsoft button and enter your login information for one of these sites. This will automatically create your learn.civiced.org account and you will be redirected back to the learn.civiced.org site. 

    Note: If you create an account with Google or Microsoft you must use the appropriate login button for all future logins. The username and password boxes will not log you in.

    Do I need to create separate accounts to join the courses or the forum?

    No. When you create a login for the website you are automatically enrolled in both the Civics Forum and the We the People Open Course.

    How do I retrieve my username or password if I lose it?

    If you have an account that was provided to you by the site's administrators and you cannot access your password and username information, please follow these directions. Click the "Manual Account login" link in the top right corner of the homepage. Next, click the link that says, "Forgotten your username or password?"

    You will need to email support at support@civiced.org if you forgot your username or password.

    Please try logging in with your Google or Microsoft account. If you forgot the password for any of these accounts, you will need to contact Google or Microsoft directly. Please keep in mind that if you signed in with any of these services we do not have access to your password information. 

    If you did not create your account using either Google or Microsoft, please contact support@civiced.org for assistance. Be sure to include your first name, last name, and e-mail address.


    About Courses

    What is the We the People Open Course?

    This course will introduce you to the fundamental principles of the U.S. Constitution and our system of government. It's perfect for teachers and students of civics courses and for anyone who wants to gain an in-depth understanding of American representative democracy.  To start your journey into a better understanding of the American system of government click here.

    How do I enroll in the We the People Open Course?

    Log in to the learn.civiced.org website, and you will have access to both the We the People Open Course and the Civics Forum. If you are having trouble creating an account for the learn.civiced.org website, please refer to the "How do I create an account on the learn.civiced.org website?" question on this page. 

    Do I have to purchase the book (We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution: Level 3) to take the self-directed course?

    The purchase of the book is not required in order to enroll in the course. If you wish to get the most out of the course consider purchasing the We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution Level 3 available in the Center for Civic Education website.  

    Who can I contact if I have a question about the content of the course?

    You can contact support@civiced.org.  

    Are there any model answers to the discussion questions in the course?

    No, the discussion questions are meant to prompt interaction and civil discourse between the participants.  

    Where can I interact with other participants of the course?

    You can interact with other participants through the discussion and research questions under "Review Questions" in each of the sections in the course lessons. 

    What is the difference between the We the People open course and the instructor-led courses?

    The We the People open course is a free, self-paced course. It contains six units of instruction with multiple lessons in each unit. You can complete the course at your own pace and in your own time. The instructor-led courses will be led by qualified instructors who will monitor your progress and offer feedback on your work.   


    About the Civics Forum  


    What is the purpose of this Forum?

    The learn.civiced.org Civics Forum is a space where educators can discuss civic education content and pedagogy with peers from throughout the country. To join the lively discussion click here.

    Who can use the Civics Forum?

    The forum was created with educators in mind. However, anyone can enjoy the knowledge that this forum offers.

    How to create a post?

    To create a new post on the forum, first, click on the desired topic under either the "Content" or "Pedagogy" sections on the Civics Forum home page pictured below. 

    Once you have clicked on the desired topic then click on the"Add a new post" button on the top left-hand of the page. On the next page, click the button under the topic heading that says “Add a new post.”

    “Subject” should be the title or topic of your post. “Message” is where you write the content of your post.

    Use the icons above the “Message” box to insert links, photos, and videos.

    If you would like to receive a notification every time someone responds to your topic, check the box that says “Discussion subscription."

    When you are finished with your post, click “Post to forum.” Your post will now appear at the top of the forum.

    How do I reply to a post on the forum? 

    Click the “Discuss this topic” link in the bottom right corner of the post you want to reply to. You will be taken into that post, where you will see the original topic, as well as all replies to that topic.

    Then, you will need to click “Reply” in the bottom right corner of the post you wish to reply to. You can either reply to the original topic, or to another response someone has left on that topic.

    How do you create tags in a post? 

    When you create a response or an original post you will have the option to create tags on the bottom left-hand side of the screen as seen in the picture below.

    How do you search for different tags?

    You can search different tags by typing in the desired keyword or tag into the search bar. 

    What is the best way to use the search bar in the Civics Forum?

    You can use the search bar at the right-hand side of civic forum home page to search for any civics-related topic or question.

    How do I receive updates on the threads or entire sections of the forum? 

    To subscribe to a specific topic of interest on the Civics Forum, first, click on the "subscribe here" button in the paragraph under the "Welcome to the Civics Forum!" heading.

    Once on the subscription page, if you would like to receive a notification when someone responds to a topic of interest, please click on the "No" in the "Subscribed" column. It will turn into "Yes," and you will be subscribed to that topic section. If you wish to subscribe to all of the topic sections click on the "Subscribe to all forums" link on the top right-hand side of the page. 

    The email digest type will default to "Digest," which means you will receive an email once a day of all the posts of the day. 

    If you would like to receive a notification every time someone responds to a discussion thread of interest, please click on the "subscribe" button on the right-hand side of the screen. 

    If you would like to include a specific "tag" on your list of interests you can click on the tag on any post then click the  "+ Add 'tag' to my interest" link on the right-hand side of the page. 

    How can I share materials in the Civics Forum? 

    We encourage you to share links to your favorite documents, presentations, images, videos, audio files, and useful websites as long as you do not infringe on copyrights or other intellectual property rights. Classroom-ready materials, assessments, student project or assignment ideas, and teaching strategies are particularly helpful resources to share with your peers. You are encouraged to share any links that you have found to be successful in your classroom in order to make the community a vibrant and productive one. If you are uploading any videos or materials please keep in mind that there is a 25MB limit on any uploaded materials.

    Are all of the materials found in this forum available for classroom use?

    Materials shared within the forum are provided for the benefit of members of the community. Member users may review, download, and utilize these materials. If you upload copyrighted material, please be sure you have permission to do so and cite the work. If you feel that a copyrighted work has been posted to the site inappropriately, you should not further share or utilize that resource in a way that would violate copyright laws. You should also inform the forum moderator (Patience LeBlanc at patienceleblanc@gmail.com).  

    If I share any resources on this site do I still retain ownership?

    Yes! All of the community members that have shared original resources will retain ownership. But keep in mind that this is a public forum and thus all of the materials that are shared in this public are freely available for public consumption.

    Can I remove any of the links or materials I have shared from the forum after I have posted them?

    Yes! You can remove materials by deleting your post.

    Does anyone monitor or evaluate the posts in this forum?

    The Civics Forum is a place where members can share resources that they have found helpful in their teaching. Since everyone's classroom experiences differ, opinions on what works best can vary. You can share feedback on what you have found helpful by commenting on shared resources, contributing to discussions, and reporting inappropriate or outdated content or broken links. If you see anything that you believe is inappropriate please feel free to contact our forum moderator at patienceleblanc@gmail.com.

    How do I contact the forum moderator?

    The forum moderator is in charge of facilitating discussion within the forum and assisting with any questions you might have regarding the forum posts. You can contact the forum moderator, Patience LeBlanc, at patienceleblanc@gmail.com. 


    About our Resources Page


    What is the resources page? 

    The resource page includes a variety of books, free instructional resources, research, and other websites. The Center for Civic Education and other organizations have many resources to offer! To view the great resources available click here.

    Who can use the resources that are posted?

    The resources are for anyone who is interested in civics and government.