OU - MT262

Well, just signed up for MT262 starting in January. My reason for doing this, apart from the fact that it sound quite interesting an involves a fair bit of C++, is that I need to complete my D50 Diploma (the Computing Diploma) before December 2008 otherwise I won't be able to count my M206 pass against it - and that will mean that I'll have to find another 60 points from somewhere.

And because M359 finishes in early October, I need to find something to do between then and January - so I might sign up for S197 Astronomy as a 12 week 10 point course. Just because it will be interesting - no other reason.

OU - Study Techniques

Having another play around with "Mind Mapping" tools. Something that I looked at last year but did not really take up. So today I downloaded a free Mind Mapping tool called "FreeMind" (I guess they thought long and hard before arriving at that name!). But you know what? I think it might be useful as a note taking tool. I tried an (admittedly non-scientific) experiment today - I read a few pages from the current M359 Block and, instead of scribbling loads of notes in my book, I just added a few nodes to the mind-map, and a few annotations - I managed to record the info that I wanted quite quickly. But the longer term question is "Will it help my learning and revision?". Well, there's only one way to find out!

Freemind can be found at http://freemind.sourceforge.net/

M359 - What I have learned

I was sitting down cogitating the other evening, and thinking about M359. The biggest thing that I think that I have learned during this course - is to make sure that I don't do any more courses on their first presentation. I have been amazed at the number of corrections that have had to be made to the course texts - and to the solutions to the exercises. It did not occur to me that a new course (or even a replacement course, such as M359) would have so many issues but, thinking about it now, I can see that it must be inevitable.

The OU seem to be over-hauling their Computing courses at the moment - several courses have completed their cycle and, for some of them, there is not yet a replacement. Clearly, it is a good thing that these courses are updated/replaced, but it does mean that there are several courses just about to have their first presentation - and I am going to avoid those like the plague - and that limits my choice. However, I think that I am sorted for the next 12 to 18 months...by which time I hope these courses will be on their second presentation!

OU - Study Techniques

Well, two months to go on my current course so time to revisit my thoughts on studying techniques. I stated, in an earlier post, that I was using MS Word to write all my notes but that I found that I wrote too much - and spent too much time doing it. Now, several months later, I can confirm that what I said then still holds true today. To give you an idea, my current word document has 120 pages, and something like 15,000 words. And I think to my self, "whats the point"!

The other disadvantage of using software for note taking is that it can only be done sitting in front of the bloody computer (much as I like them!). And you can only read the notes away from the computer if you print the stuff out and carry it around.

So, I can either upgrade my brain to Brain V2.0.23.1, as a replacement for my aging birth brain, or - as seems more likely - I can revert to pen and A4 book. At least with the book I can draw diagrams quickly, make notes in the margins (so that I can find things easily) and draw arrows and addendums quickly and accurately.

And I also have to say that I find the A4 size better to use than the A5 size. A5 is too small for diagrams, networks, spider charts, and the like - although it is easier to carry around. But I think it will be A4 for the future!