When playing Thunderstruck at the end of module 6, I notice the E string occasionally slaps against the fret wire on the highest fret. The sound doesn’t really come through the amp but it’s distracting and I wonder if this is normal or indicative of a technique issue. I think I’m pulling across not up, but curious if others notice this.
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From my personal experience, there’s a lot of things that you’ll hear and feel from the guitar itself but not through the amp. The bright side is: you’re the only one that will ever hear those.
As a double check, try recording yourself (if you don’t have an audio interface or DI, a lot of amps have a direct out as well and you might even be able to record into your phone with that). You’ll be surprised what doesn’t come through and, for that matter, what does. If you go and listen to the isolated bass from songs, you’ll hear all kinds of rattles and squeaks and that sound when you slide your finger on a wound string and such.
As a triple check, and this helped me the most, grab your amp and find a wide open outside space where you won’t get someone angry at you for making noise. Plug in and place the amp behind you and make sure you and your guitar are facing nothing (no walls, nothing where it can reflect). Then play away. I think you’ll find that even you won’t hear those things any more.
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HIGHEST fret? As in closest to the pickups?
Slapping against the fret you say?
Slapping…? Against the fret?
SLAPPING?!?
Hrmm… this sounds familiar. 
In seriousness. It sounds like you’re just playing hard. Striking downward through the string. This yields a slightly percussive slap or clack to the tone. It’s sort of the light version of playing Slap (as I was alluding to). It’s a technique I (and many others) use regularly to get a sharper and more percussive attack. It’s actually a good thing to practice to be able to control and use selectively.
You are more likely to see this on the E than other strings, because of hand angle. If you want to make it go away, raise your wrist up higher and be sure to pull straight across. To get the same attack on higher strings, I curl my fingers over so I can hammer down on the strings.
The only thing that seems weird is that you’re only doing this on the open E, and not when playing the E more generally. Could just be more enthusiasm.
one of the issues when playing alone in a room at home is you hear every single little thing…that doesn’t matter. this you will have to get used to all around.
that said, if your action is too low, then this might be an indication.