Well, M257 is underway and seems to be going okay at the moment (although to be honest the first 5 modules didn't have a lot of new content when compared to the course I have just completed (M255)). The results for the first TMA were good, and I have completed (although not submitted) the second one - which should give me a nice leisurely run up to Christmas.
I have signed up for M256 which begins in Feb, and is the last of the Level 2 courses I need to complete - reading between the lines it seems to be more discursive than both M257 and M255 so I might have to put a slightly different slant on things whilst I am studying.
I toyed with the idea of running a Level 3 course simultaneously in Feb, but ultimately decided against it. I think it probably would have been manageable if I hadn't had M257 running too - but 80 points would put too much of a strain on things I think. The current setup with the course means that I won't be able to follow my one in Feb, one in Oct model for the Level 3 courses as all of them only run once a year and begin in Feb. Seems a bit strange 60 points all in one go, and then nothing for a couple of months and I need to read the comments and reviews and talk to the course convenors to work out the best combinations. I still think it is important to keep the 60 points a year model - otherwise I won't be graduating until 2012!
Off out for dinner this evening - the first of a long list of festive bashes. Deep breath everyone......
Friday, 7 December 2007
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
The M255 exam
Well, despite the best efforts of Cambridgeshire conspiring against me I managed to both attend and complete my M255 exam - the second of the OU exams I have sat since starting my degree in Computing (B29) in October 2005.
I have to say that it was a stretch. The material covered was diverse, and was not quite as straightforward as similar questions from the previous years. I am confident that I will have passed, but not confident of the grade. We will have to see - I have no control over it now.
The OU forums are ablaze with people who really thought the exam unfair in its content and didn't have enough time to complete the questions. My personal thoughts are that this is largely down to exam technique - rather than a lack of knowledge - and teaching this technique is probably an area where the OU could do more to help its students.
I have to say that it was a stretch. The material covered was diverse, and was not quite as straightforward as similar questions from the previous years. I am confident that I will have passed, but not confident of the grade. We will have to see - I have no control over it now.
The OU forums are ablaze with people who really thought the exam unfair in its content and didn't have enough time to complete the questions. My personal thoughts are that this is largely down to exam technique - rather than a lack of knowledge - and teaching this technique is probably an area where the OU could do more to help its students.
Thursday, 30 August 2007
Mangled Brain!
Well I have just come back from my holiday - on the Queen Mary II - and it was wonderful - and to commemorate there is a new photo - which actually includes me - on the blog.
I will get round to a proper update in the near future, M255 is going well and the final assignment is being checked for as we speak. However, all the learning I have had to do coupled with the break has pushed all useful information out of my brain. This morning when I got to work I had forgotten my pass code to get in and had to be let in by the receptionist.....ah well.
I will get round to a proper update in the near future, M255 is going well and the final assignment is being checked for as we speak. However, all the learning I have had to do coupled with the break has pushed all useful information out of my brain. This morning when I got to work I had forgotten my pass code to get in and had to be let in by the receptionist.....ah well.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
The Open University Boost I needed
Having been jaded with the whole OU experience recently (mainly because of the M253 horror) I have been given the boost to get back on with things that I needed.
Two course results have been returned - and by heck they were good ones.
MST121 - my second mathematics course - was returned and I had OCAS and OES scores of 98%. Unsurprisingly I really enjoyed this course, but was still pleasantly surprised by how well I performed on the last two assignments.
But, the big surprise was M263 - Distinction (WOO HOO!). I am so happy (although the question I performed most badly on was not actually the question that I thought I had stuffed up - strange but true). It was a very valuable experience in exam technique and I am relieved to have got off to this flying start as far as graded examinable components for my degree are concerned. It has given me the boost to get stuck back into M255 to see if I can reproduce this feat. :)
Two course results have been returned - and by heck they were good ones.
MST121 - my second mathematics course - was returned and I had OCAS and OES scores of 98%. Unsurprisingly I really enjoyed this course, but was still pleasantly surprised by how well I performed on the last two assignments.
But, the big surprise was M263 - Distinction (WOO HOO!). I am so happy (although the question I performed most badly on was not actually the question that I thought I had stuffed up - strange but true). It was a very valuable experience in exam technique and I am relieved to have got off to this flying start as far as graded examinable components for my degree are concerned. It has given me the boost to get stuck back into M255 to see if I can reproduce this feat. :)
Monday, 23 July 2007
M255 - recapturing the enthusiasm
So after the misery that was M253, and the intensity leading up to the M263 exam, M255 got lost in the quagmire and I found myself with little enthusiasm for the course. However, with TMA 03 I made a conscious effort to get my arse back into gear and get on with it. What do you know - it paid off. I managed a 99% - which I am very proud of. Hopefully I can carry the momentum forward into the final TMA and onwards to the exam in October.
Having looked at the specimen paper it looks challenging - but I can only do my best, and there is my holiday between now and then to enervate me even more!
Having looked at the specimen paper it looks challenging - but I can only do my best, and there is my holiday between now and then to enervate me even more!
M253 Feedback
So I passed M253 - not wonderfully - but I passed it.
What is confusing is that I received some feedback on the examinable component - i.e. the last assignment - and I am not sure if it makes any sense. I don't know whether too much time has elapsed between getting the results or what but the comments didn't really help..............
Ah well - onwards and upwards.
What is confusing is that I received some feedback on the examinable component - i.e. the last assignment - and I am not sure if it makes any sense. I don't know whether too much time has elapsed between getting the results or what but the comments didn't really help..............
Ah well - onwards and upwards.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
A death in the family....
Alas one of the turbo snails has shuffled off the mortal coil.
(S)/he had been falling off things a lot lately so I imagine that the end was nigh but unfortunately last Friday I found an upturned shell and no sign of an inhabitant.
Who will eat my algae now?
(S)/he had been falling off things a lot lately so I imagine that the end was nigh but unfortunately last Friday I found an upturned shell and no sign of an inhabitant.
Who will eat my algae now?
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