DSE212 has started

This may be a bit of a long update as it may have been a while.

DSE212 has begun and I now totally understand why they suggest that you do it prior to ED209. DSE212 looks a doddle in comparison. SD226 starts in february and I have already been warned that it is more like a 60 point module rather than the advertised 30 points although to be fair with only 4 TMAs and no exam, it can't be more problematic than ED209.

ED209 exam actually went pretty well considering. I had revised 7 topics between Book 1 and 2 focusing on topics which had come up frequently in the past 4 years of exams. Luckily for me, Temperament came up and Gender Identity came up. Seen Question went pretty well although I was re-reading it up to the last minute but it did stick fairly well. Temperament did go out of my head a bit but some stuck enough to put to paper and Gender Identity became more of a ramble.

DSE212 - Have started TMA01 which is due November 9th and have made a fair stab at it. It is based around identity theories but not like in ED209 although some of the ideas are similar. Going to use next Wednesday to get it done. The Ethics part is pretty much okay, just need to break down what I have in to 3 answers.

Am looking for another job again and possibly looking at moving from car sales in to Recruitment Consultancy only because I want 9-5 Monday to Friday but has downside of no company car. Started looking properly today and have had calls about car sales job, one of which could be quite interesting.

Hmmmm

I've been away from here for a while now and it appears to be down to a rather hectic relationship. It's all going very well though and we are currently housesitting for his sister which is very nice.

I haven't done a lot with regards to OU stuff and am maybe under the title of slacker but all changes on 1st September when I have to concentrate on ED209. Exam date is October 18th and my mind is a total blank. I remember the 4 basic principals of Skinner, Vygotsky and Piaget and Bandura but that is about it. Revision feels a little like learning again. TMA06 is due on the 4th and i've hardly made a dent, coding is proving to be problematic.

Have decided to pretty much ignore OU till the 1st so that I have a plan in mind and can chill then cram. Gonna miss hanging with boyfriend and friends for 6 weeks but it doesn't happen often so I'm sure (maybe) that I'll cope. So many things that would make for interesting reading about the goings on over the last 2 months but really not possible and totally unrelated to OU.

Passed DD101. Got confirmation letter. Will do a reflections on DD101 page soon when I'm less hazy.

Night Y'all

Hello again

It's been a long while since my last update and this is total due to new boyfriend. It's been a month now and we are getting on very very well. Very similar people which works perfectly.

Today was a desolate Sunday at work but gave the time for a well needed ED209 catch up. TMA05 is due on Tuesday and it is coming along pretty well. Just need to spend tomorrow night writting the conclusion, editing and adding references which shouldn't take any longer than a few hours.

I got a sign from god (David Canter) today with regards to my seen question. I was going to do it on the culpability section but was honestly finding it hard to find all that many papers on it for the area I wanted. Today after doing what I needed to I picked up David Canter's Mapping Murder and there amongst the section on Jack The Ripper's diary was refernce to child witnesses in sex abuse cases. After a little research it appears that Canter himself has written a fair chunk on the area which means that I can use papers written by him within the Journal Of Investigative psychology within my seen question. Major plus side is that because it's from him, I am unlikely to forget it!!! Yey

Still no final result back from DD101 which is starting to grate a little. I can't write my reflection page until this comes back and it will feel like closing the book on it too.

DSE212 is my new course starting in October however and introductory page will open on August 2nd which is quite exciting and my books are being mailed on September 9th although I need to be focussed on ED209 Exam, TMA06 and Seen Question before I think about DSE212.

Got new Smartphone after loosing my last one on a rather drunken night out. It's not the most advanced phone out there by any means (LG T505) however I am finding it to be pretty user friendly and therefore it has been nicknamed the Dumbphone. Made for the technologically devoid.

Was totally shocked after seeing what OU are going to charge new students from 2012. Totally shocked.......... I love the way I learn with OU and it has proved better than any brick uni that I've been to but £15,000 for a degree............. £2,500 per 60 point module............ How in the name of education can they see fit to charge this. Yes, I know that brick uni's are going to be £21,000 (assuming they charge the max) but this is OU and I really can't see how £15,000 is the right amount to charge and how they actually can justify it. I suppose time will tell and I am so glad that I started when I did else there is no way that I would be paying that amount!!! I'm freaking out about paying £5,000 for my Masters without the costing of living expenses!!!!

Off out with other half tonight....... Has to be an improvement on last night when I got round, he started a film and I was asleep 30 minutes later. Doh

Reporting update

Ah hell........... TMA04 is proving to be awkward. It is kind of a report and essay in 1 and I think that it is going to take some time. I am so glad I have started it early enough.

Tonight I have managed to do the coding side of it which I am pretty sure is the 'easiest' part. Methods section might not be too bad, and maybe not even the results however the discussion, abstract and introduction are going to be tough ones. Also the title might prove a toughy.

Bring on TMA05............. you are going to be simple in comparison me thinks.

Also on a technology note. I have no idea how I am going to submit the apendices unless I have overlooked something really vital which may well be the case.

I have decided to only revise the top 8 topics for the exam that have come up in previous years ensuring 2 from each book plus a couple of back ups. Will start writing up my seen question soon to so that I can commit it to memory.

It's odd how the brain works but DSE212 starting on October 1st seems miles away but the ED209 exam on October 18th seems too soon.

Exam date released

It's there in black and white on my studenthome page. On October 18th @ 2.30pm I will be sat at a desk trying to recall important information for ED209 from a mind that will have gone blank. Now maybe it is time to start thinking about the revision. By tonight I plan to have finished Book 2 and so I have ideas about what chapters I have struggled with and may omit from study.

A nice man on my forum has given fequencies of questions and come up with the following:

Temperament - 6/7
Gender - 6/7
Cognitive Development - 5/7
Language - 7/7
Executive Function 5/7
Peer & Sibling Interaction - 4/7
Theory of Mind - 4/7

I think I may follow this and focus on these chapters however I will have a couple of buffers. These will include Book 1 - chapter 2 (TMA01), Book 2 Chapter 1 & 2 (TMA03) + book 3 chapter 3 & 4 (TMA05).

Have now ordered my Erika Cox books so should get them in a couple of days. Here goes............

Watched morning TV today and came across Horrid Henry........ to my own shame I found it quite fun....Doh

Premature Reading

Been looking at exam stuff whilst at work which has actually been pretty busy today, don't mind days like this. The options in book 4 for the seen question look interesting and I am choosing the chapter on Children and Legal Proceedings which obviously has strong links with the James Bulger case. The information is very thought provoking to say the least.

I have now Read and Highlighted up to Chapter 4 in book 2 so I am ahead in this respect but really need to push on with fOCUSII stuff and Media Kit which I am a little behind on - the odd bit is that it is probably the easiest bits!!

No further with TMA02 ED209 so really need to press on however I have 320 more words to put in to TMA06 DD101 so at least I have something that I feel is getting somewhere.

Boy toy has moved to a studio flat rental. It's small, no heating, mice (they are a little loud at night) but it does the job for now. Possibly looking at biting the bullet and moving in which him around September, we will have been together 9 months by then and I have realised that I am not quite as young as I once was so may aswell throw caution to the wind................................

OU vs JFK

I was expecting my results for DD101 TMA03 yesterday as I am certain that it was a 14 day turn around however they have not appeared and to be fair, I am not expecting a stonking grade but still want to know.

Today is another wind down day at work and apart from constantly checking for my TMA result, all I have done is investigate the conspiracy of the assasination of JFK which isn't really productive but it is saving me from boredom and I fancied a bit of a break from TMAs.

I've been looking at websites regarding the ED209 exam which I know is a long way away but it helps to know now what I really need to pay attention to!!

I have now more or less finished reading and highlighting ED209 Book 1 Chapter 3 so feeling a little more confident that I can get ahead fairly rapidly.

Can't believe DD101 TMA04 is due on Feb 8th, that seems to have come around rather fast. TMA04 is complete and has been submitted however I will check it over before the deadline in case changes need to be made. TMA05 is still being checked over for SPAG (Spelling, punctuation and grammar)then I'll submit (I just like pressing the button). TMA06 is still a work in progress. TMA07 has been thought about but put on the back burner awaiting arrival of DD101 second mailing which arrived Monday.