Leading Digital Money Markets
Grading policy
As a student, you will be evaluated on the basis of your:
• Comprehension of the material presented in the course
• Interpretation of the material, making it relevant in the context of payment situations
and systems around you
• In-depth analysis
• Constructive engagement with the reading materials and fellow students.
We have designed the grading in a way that allows you to demonstrate these levels of
competence and engagement in a variety of ways, to suit your interests, strengths and time
availability. You can accumulate points as you complete certain tasks throughout the 10
weeks of the course. The maximum number of points that are available is 101, but you only
need 60 to pass and be certified. This means that you do not have to engage in all the
activities that we set out for students; you can opt out of those which you feel are
unnecessary or too onerous for you. Again, none of the activities mentioned blow are
mandatory; just ensure that you do enough of them to collect 60 points by the end of the
course.
Activities and points opportunities
Activity
Description
Scoring
Understanding and retaining concepts
Weekly quiz
8 multiple choice questions
to be answered each week,
designed to check
understanding of the material
presented in the topic
videos.
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1 point for scoring less than
50%
2 points for scoring between
50% and 75%
3 points for scoring more
than 75%
Commenting: Interpreting & discussing
Weekly
discussions
Each week there will be at
least one discussion
question posted each week
as a classroom post. These
are designed to get you to
build on the content of the
lecture videos.
Max
Point
allocation
21
30
Earn 2 points per comment
or question up to a total
maximum of 30 points.
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In depth research: Conducting independent research
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Hands on
tasks
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In week 3, week 4 and week
9 there are opportunities for
you to product short videos
sharing your insights around
different areas of the fintech
stack.
In week 4 you can earn 2
points, while in week 3 and
9 each task is worth 4
points.
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Analysis
project
A written memo on an idea
from another country that
you want to disseminate
within your own country (2
pages long). You will write a
draft memo, which your
Coach will give you feedback
on, and then a final memo
incorporating the feedback.
Earn 4 points for the draft,
and up to 4 additional points
for a final version that
incorporates the feedback
from your Coach.
Engagement: Other activities
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Reading
summaries
Every week, you can prepare
a written summary of any
reading from the current
week's reading list and share
with the rest of the students
in your group.
Earn 2 points per reading
summary, up to a maximum
of 8 points.
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Special
challenges
From week 2 through to 9,
there will be special fun
challenges posted as
classroom posts that you can
take up to earn more points.
Earn 2 points for each
challenge, with one of the
challenges in week 7 being
worth 4 points.
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Engagement
You can also earn additional
points by participating in
suggested conversations
proposed from time to time..
Earn a maximum of 4 points
for these.
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Course
evaluations
Completing the survey at the
end of the course will also
earn you points.
Earn 2 points for completing
the final course evaluation.
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Total points
101
Points required to pass
60
The learning platform shows each student the points that you have earned as
you progress through the course - see under your name, on the top-right of the
screen.
Most of your points will be updated automatically (quizzes and comments\ but
some points need to be uploaded manually by your Coach (reading
summaries, experiential and analysis projects, engagement points, course
evaluations). We will do this at least once every week, usually on the weekend. If
more than a week has passed and you think you're missing some points, please
message your Coach.
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Expectations
We encourage you to try to keep engaged in the course throughout the ten weeks.
You'll need to carve out regular time each week to dedicate to the course.
Generally, it doesn't work well to just dedicate extra time, on a unplanned basis.
We recommend setting aside at least one hour per day. Since this is an
interactive, peer learning exercise, it's important that we all keep up the same pace
as your classmates. We will, of course, be willing accommodate you if for
whatever reason you cannot engage for a few days from time to time, but it will be
a lot less effective and fun for you if you are systematically behind.
New content is released every Sunday through posts in the Classroom, which
introduce required and optional lectures, videos, readings, polls, questions, and
assignments. You can go back into older materials and continue to collect points
for tasks from previous weeks; we will let you go back up to three weeks, but not
more. Be aware that if you are working on previous weeks, it will feel rather
lonelier: your colleagues will have moved on, and the teachers will not be going
back and responding to your comments very frequently. We commit to be
responsive in the current and maybe the previous week, but not in weeks prior to
that.
You must earn at least some points before the end of week three to continue in the
course, otherwise you will be automatically off-boarded. Please, let us know if you
feel that your current work or family commitments prevent you from participating
in the current course so we can consider the possibility of deferral to a future
edition of the course.
DFI reserves the right to remove students during the running of the course who
have not met or kept up with the minimum academic performance
requirements, as follows:
•
•
Students who have not logged on at the end of Week 3 of the course, will
have their access removed.
Students who have 0 points at the end of Week 4 of the course, will
have their access removed.
Note that points can only be earnt for comments, tasks or responses up until 21
days after the post has been published. You can still contribute, and your peers
can still read and appreciate your thoughts, but you will not gain points if your
contribution is posted later thon the 21 days.
This 21-day rule ceases to apply towards the end of the course as here the final
closing date defines the availability of points. No commenting or completing of
tasks is possible after the final closing date. Please ensure that you have earned
all the points you need as a minimum to pass the course and shared your
thoughts with the class by this date. There are no exceptions or exemptions that
can be made to this final closing date. Evaluations/Surveys are valid for shorter
periods, generally 2 weeks after being released. Please be sure to read the
related post to ensure you complete the evaluation/survey in the time frame
advised.
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Honour Code
Academic integrity and professional ethics are important to DFI and our
institutional partners. Your commitment to these standards shows respect for
your own work and the work of your peers and teachers.
The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Digital Frontiers Institute
expect you to demonstrate the qualities of mind and character that you would
expect to see from others within the digital finance profession. Honesty, integrity
and a commitment to upholding the reputation of the profession will be expected
throughout the course.
Remember - the students, teachers, coaches, and funders you encounter through
DFI courses may well be future colleagues, business partners, employers, clients,
government officials or other influential people in your professional network.
Protecting your reputation as an ethical actor will be important for your career
long after this course ends.
Consistent with these policies, and in your own interest, the course operates
within an 11honour code". You are expected to maintain, without constant
supervision, the highest standards of honesty in the preparation of research
papers and assignments, in engagement and discussion with your peers and
teachers, and in other academic activities, as well as in personal conduct. This
includes adhering to our policies on collaboration and plagiarism, as detailed
below.
Failure to follow these policies could result in removal from the course.
Collaboration vs. Copying
Discussion and engagement with your peers are some of the best ways to learn
and challenge your own thinking. Because of this, the Fletcher School and DFI
both encourage discussing the course content and questions with your peers and
colleagues.
However, you are always expected to submit your own unique piece of work
unless the assignment or discussion question specifically states that you are
allowed to work with a partner.
This means that you may not copy answers or assignments (in whole or in part)
from anyone else, including a current student, past student or outsider.
Copying answers from another person or asking another person to complete work
for you is cheating and will lead to a grade of O on the assignment at the least. It
may even result in removal from the course. We want to hear your thoughts and
opinions on the topic, not someone else's!
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Thus, while you are welcome to discuss course content with others, please do not
share written notes or copies of your assignments that may tempt others to
plagiarize. If we find any evidence of plagiarism on either side, you will be
penalized. We therefore urge you to safeguard your work to so that everyone’s
submissions reflect their own efforts.
Remember, if you're not certain whether your collaboration with a peer is
appropriate or not, please approach one of your class coaches or teachers for
guidance.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is when you copy words, ideas, or any other materials from another
source without giving credit. Plagiarism is considered cheating and is
unacceptable in any professional or academic environment.
One important part of this definition is that plagiarism does not only refer to situations
where you have used direct quotes without reference; rather, it covers any use of
external ideas or opinions without reference.
Let's look at some examples.
Plagiarism Examples
Original text
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Studies have suggested that pirates
were 1not in fact as wealthy as
1
popular myths and legends have made them out to be. While some of
the more notorious pirates1 such as Blackbeard or Captain Morgan1
may indeed have been rolling in the dough1 many of their crew might
not have been as well off 11
The Wealthy Pirates by NE Body, found on the website ARRR Matey at
www.arrmatey.com.
EXAMPLE A
Student text
Studies have suggested that pirates were not, in fact, as wealthy as
popular myths and legends have made them out to be. While some
of the more notorious pirates, such as Blackbeard or Captain
Morgan, may indeed have been rolling in the dough, many of their
crew might not have been as well off.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes. The student has simply copied and pasted the full section of text
without paraphrasing. There are no quotation marks to indicate that
this is a direct quote and there is no in-text reference.
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EXAMPLE B
Student text
Studies have indicated that pirates were not as wealthy as popular
myths and legends would have us believe. While some of the more
well-known pirates, such as Blackbeard or Captain Morgan, may
indeed have been rich, many of their crew might not have been as
wealthy.
Is this plagiarism?
Yes. Although the student has made some minor changes to the text,
the majority of the writing is still taken directly from the source. Although
there is a brief reference to the original author of the text, there is no
indication that the full section has been taken from his works.
EXAMPLE C
Student text
Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean have, for many years, helped to
perpetuate the myth that all pirates became fabulously wealthy through
robbing other ships and discovering secret hoards of gold. Surprisingly,
this isn't necessarily true. According to NE Body of ARRR Matey,
members of pirate crews may actually {/...not have been as well off". (NE
Body, ARRR Matey).
Is this plagiarism?
No. The student has paraphrased the content well and made it her own. Where
she has taken information from the external source, she has made sure to use
an in-text reference and credit the author. Where she has used a direct quote,
she included quotation marks and a proper in-text reference.
How do I attribute a source?
If you have used information from an online source in one of your submissions,
you need to provide a hyperlink to the source as well as the title of the source.
If you have used an offline source (such as a hard copy textbook), you will need to
provide the title of the source as well as the author name.
This information must be included, regardless of whether your submission is an
assignment, discussion forum response, or research project.
Is plagiarism really that important?
Yes. DFI is committed to academic integrity and will not tolerate plagiarism in any
student submissions. All authors, regardless of the field or position in which they
operate, deserve to have their original works properly credited and referenced
wherever appropriate. To take the ideas of another and present them as your own
is a form of intellectual theft.
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Should you be found to have committed plagiarism, you will receive a mark of 0
for the relevant submission. In severe cases, you may also be removed from
the course.
If you're not certain whether the way in which you've worded something
constitutes plagiarism, please approach one of your class coaches or teachers for
guidance.
Harassment Policy
Being a responsible member of this peer community means helping to ensure that
every member feels safe, comfortable, and respected. To that end, DFI is committed
to providing an institutional environment where all may pursue their studies and duties
free from harassment.
While we encourage students to network and build professional connections, it is
paramount that ALL community members feel safe and comfortable. Messaging your
peers or inviting them to connect on social media may be fine, if the tone is
professional and the intent is to facilitate professional collaboration among a group of
people. Even so, no student should feel pressured to accept such an invitation.
Sending repeated messages, invitations or friend requests, on any platform, to a
fellow student can be considered as harassment and is not appropriate.
More broadly, DFI will not tolerate any unwelcome conduct that is demeaning,
intimidating, hostile or abusive, and that adversely affects an individual(s)'s
educational or work environment.
If you feel uncomfortable or have concerns about the behaviour of another member
of the DFI community, or if you aren't sure if your own conduct is appropriate, please
reach out to your coach or one of the DFI staff members: Tariro, Camilla or Jean.
Thank you for helping to ensure this is an enjoyable, respectful, professional
environment for all of us!
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