.. _Getting Started with edX:

#############################
Getting Started with edX
#############################

The following topics provide an introduction to edx.org and edX Edge, and
describe steps for getting started on edX websites.

.. contents::
 :local:
 :depth: 1

This information is intended for course teams. The *EdX Learner's Guide* also
includes information about :ref:`creating and activating
accounts<learners:Register on edX>` and about the `edX Demo course`_. You might
want to share pointers to information in the *EdX Learner's Guide* with
prospective learners, along with your own course- or institution-specific
details about the registration process, such as password policies or the use of
campus credentials.

For information about enrolling learners in a course, see :ref:`enroll_student`.

.. _edX.org and edX Edge:

***********************************
Introducing edx.org and edX Edge
***********************************

To explore edX courses or create edX course content, you can register an
account on the `edx.org`_ website, the `edX Edge`_ website, or both. These
sites are visually and functionally similar, but their content and purposes are
different.

* edx.org hosts massive open online courses (MOOCs) from edX institutional
  partners. To publish a course on edx.org, you must have an agreement with edX
  and specific approval from your organization. Courses on edx.org are publicly
  listed in the edX course catalog and are open to learners from around the
  world.

* Edge, at edge.edx.org, is a more private site. Courses on Edge are not
  published on edx.org. Any member of a partner course team can create and
  publish courses, including test courses, on Edge without receiving approval
  from edX or a partner institution. You can also host small private online
  courses (SPOCs) on Edge.

  However, Edge does not have a course catalog, and courses cannot be found
  through search engines such as Google. Only learners whom you explicitly
  invite or who have the URL for your course can participate in your course on
  Edge. Note that you can invite an unlimited number of learners to participate
  in an Edge course. Edge courses do not offer certificates.


.. _CA About Accounts:

************************************
About edX.org and edX Edge Accounts
************************************

.. note::  The user accounts on edx.org and edX Edge are separate. To access or
   create courses on both websites, you must complete the account registration
   process on each of the two sites.

   When you create an edx.org or edX Edge account, you associate an email
   address with your edX account. EdX strongly recommends that you use your
   organizational email address or select an existing account (such as a campus
   account) that is set up to use your organizational email address.

For information about creating accounts and troubleshooting sign-in issues, see
:ref:`learners:Register on edX` and :ref:`learners:Troubleshooting signin` in
the *edX Learner's Guide*.


.. _edX101_section:

*********************************
Learning About the edX Experience
*********************************

EdX provides the edX Demo course and Overview of Creating an edX Course to help
familiarize you with the experience of taking, and creating, edX courses.

* The `edX Demo course`_ allows learners who are new to online education, or to
  edX, to explore different types of content and learn how to take a course.
  EdX recommends that you become familiar with the way learners experience an
  edX course before you begin building your first course.

  .. note::
    You can include information about the edX Demo course in your course
    materials, and recommend that new learners take the edX Demo course before
    proceeding with your course.

* `Overview of Creating an edX Course`_ is an example of an edX course that was
  built with Studio. It is a self-paced walk-through of planning, building, and
  running your own online course.

.. include:: ../../../links/links.rst