NOT a reference to the Syd Barrett penned Pink Floyd song – the first track from their first album, but to the fact that I have just signed up for S194 – “Introducing Astronomy”. I am making tentative steps back to studying and thought a short 10-pointer would be a good way to start. Having been out of the studying zone for so long I find that I have managed to fill all the time that I once spent studying with other activities.
However, time passes, and the 60-point M206 that I did back in ‘05 will cease to be countable towards a degree by 2013, so if I don’t get my arse in gear now then it will be too late and a shame to lose those points.
My two year hiatus from studying has also given me time to think about the direction that my studies take. I have been questioning whether a named degree “IT and Computing” is really what I want to achieve. The ‘problem’ is that my interests are far wider than just computing and the more I think about it, the more I find myself drawn to going for an ‘Open’ degree with a high computing content but also drawing in other strands such as some of the science modules. My current thinking is that a wider ranging degree will be more useful.
So S194 fulfills two functions – it acts a gentle re-introduction to study, and a door-way into the science modules.
But what comes next? Well, if S194 goes as well as I hope it might (time-wise) then I think that S104 will follow on. S104 is a 60-point deeper introduction to general science and ticks so many of the ‘interest’ boxes that I have. In fact, when I took my first steps towards a degree in 2003, the S104 predecessor (cunningly called S103) was an optional course for the IT and Computing degree and was on my list of ‘must-haves’. Alas, when S104 came along it was not included as an option, so by doing that course (and S194) I am already veering off in a different direction. Then it’s Level-3’s all the way.
Anyway, I have to say that I am really looking forwards to starting again. I have selected the November start-date for the Astronomy course – that should give me time to get my other activities in order.
And because this is going to be seperate from my main Computing modules I have decided to create a seperate blog for it, so if you are in the need of some astrocomical ramblings then...
To infinity and beyond….
4 comments:
6 long years and I graduated from the OU, I remember the 3 year mark, thinking that I have to do all that again, but it was worth it!!
Done s194 a while back and can say I thoroughly enjoyed it
I too am attracted towards an Open degree. Further going for a named degree would have taken me much longer to complete. I am hoping that by 2012 I would have obtained a BSc without honours.
Cheers
Pierre
Simon great to see you getting back into study after your gap. I hope everything is going well. Looks like an exciting bunch of courses lined up! I'd definitely like to pick up some other subjects of interest but the B29 program is quite restrictive. I'll be interested to see your take on them.
I know you were looking at processing and arduino before, take a look at processing.js which is a javascript implementation of the processing language. It will compile your processing code don to javascript so you can run your sketches straight in the browser without the need for an applet.
I'm hoping I can somehow fit processing into an M450 project, maybe if its M366 based I'll be able to get away with it!
Good luck with your studies. Keep the blogs regular I'm looking forward to reading them.
Cheers
Simon
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