TMA05 Completed

So far today (at work) I have managed to complete TMA05 which I will now get someone else to read through so that they can make sense of it. I will hold fire to submit although there is the urge to just press that button! I hope you can use bullet points in the conclusion else that might prove an issue.

Have made more notes for TMA06. I have found the text book to be lacking in arguments against migration which has proved to be a problem to evaluate the claim the migrants pose a threat to the UK economy so have made notes away from the text for this one so that I can pose a better arguement however in all honesty the conclusion is about the same. I have about 2,500 words of notes to turn in to a 1,500 word essay. On to creating some sort of plan of action today. I see another quiet work day ahead so god bless have OU stuff to do to keep me busy.

I've now looked at the stuff for TMA07/EMA which is a little more intricate than previous assignments mostly because you are actually drawing information from all 3 chapters rather than the usual 1/2. I read other people's opinions that you should start TMA07/EMA as soon as you've submitted TMA06 and I think that everybody doing DD101 needs to take this on board plus it is worth a major chunk of your final grade.

After looking at DD101 group on Facebook last night I was amazed to see how many people are still working on TMA03 considering it was due January 11th (3 days ago), apparently they all got extensions. My tutor waits most of the 2 weeks before marking so will just have to read the posts on FB to see what people are getting.

Late night and TMA03 submitted

Well I am stuck on lates tonight till 7pm so though I may as well update this. Made final amendments to TMA03 today and pressed the submit button which felt really good. TMA04 is completed and off home with me tonight for check over, if good then I will submit that fairly soon.

Wealth/Health and Happiness - This is a really interesting topic and I think I have a great conclusion to the whole thoery. Will post once paper is submitted I think though.

Been playing with the SAFARI tutorial which is quite interesting. ED209 will be a case of finding out information away from the text books which I think is why they give you a bit more time on each assignment.

Home time now but back in tomorrow to do more notes for TMA05 and trying to work out how to layout my report and what headings to use.

Half way through

Well after a couple of rather pointless days at work I have managed to complete TMA03 (Badly) and TMA04 (Fairly well). TMA03 was difficult, there is only so much discourse of city vs country that you can make last 1000 words. TMA04 however was much more interesting and I struggled to stick to the 1500 limit. I am not using any material from outside the course but after looking at ED209 I think I may have to although I may actually get a start on learning SAFARI.

Tried to have a play with Neural Networks as it looked like a little fun, shame however that it won't work with Windows 7!!!!

TMA05 is on Wealth/Health and Happiness and requires a report to be written which will be interesting, will start on that one very soon. With only 3 more assignments to write, I think I might be okay for ED209 come February.

On to watching a video whcih appears to be on coal!!!!!

Holy cow - ED209 material has arrived!!!!

Just got home from work to discover that my first mailing for ED209 was on my bed. I really was not expecting it to be this soon. I haven't got a study calender or a TMA guide however it doesn't show these on the list so suspect it must be due later!!!.

Today at work I have written a body for TMA03 and TMA04 so just need to decide on what to leave in or take out and how to break it down. Quite enjoyed the reading for TMA04 and think I managed virtually 6 hours straight with only a few interruptions..... it is being done at work I suppose.

TMA03 I have decided I am just going to lay out the paragraphs as in the assignment guide and I have a fair idea how I want to breakdown the sections. For TMA04 I am going to look at Cohen and Huesmann et al. The reason for cohen is that most of the topic seems to focus around him and the reason for Huesmann et al is that at A-Level I studied Bandura and his bobo dolls which interested me and I understood. I clicked on the wrong 'alternative resource' bit earlier and spent 20 mins reading about pirates before realising I had clicked on the reading content for what I suspect is TMA07!!!!! Doh!!!!

Well off to poker now to enjoy what is left of my social life. Just realised how amazing the timing is for all this considering that my busiest months at work are February and March!!!!!

TMA02 Results

Been away from this blog a while due to my lack of interest in TMA03 and new job starting however need to get back on the horse as one might say as deadline is January 11th!!!

Got TMA02 results back and am happy with these ones, biggest error was my lack of secondary referencing which I understand now.

TMA03 is now driving my loopy, I just want to get it over and done with so that I can get on to the more interesting topic of Social Disorder and writing TMA04 on accounts of Social Disorder. Have written about 1500 words of notes ready to convert to a TMA!! I don't think this one will achieve a high mark so just need to get it done and submitted. Not long to go now before I can archive LC1/2 and The main text book all ready for the next pack to arrive early January.

New job going well, still very early days

...... a little later after a 'few beers'

I am now at the point of re-reading underlined parts and making notes relating to TMA03 based on what I am reading. FINALLY I am making sense of the whole thing and it is coming together. I am now thinking that identity may not be all that bad however I doubt it will become my favourite any time soon. I have made about 12 sides of notes on a chapter and a bit so less worried about what to put in as oppossed to what to omit.

Beer is actually very helpful for mind expasion and ramblings at times however I have heard of other mind expanding possibilities?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!!?

P.S.... Mind expanded enough right now so had enough, it can now wait till holiday.

WIP (Work In Progress)

1) STILL not TMA01 results and with TMA02 sitting there practically finished and not returning from holiday till 18th November and a TMA02 deadline of 30th November I am a little bugged!!!

2) Have to work months notice now as boss has be overuled by his boss. Really not best pleased so will be researching 'Gross Misconduct' tomorrow to see which is the best method to get fired!! Arghhhhhhhhhhhh

The plan in Lanzarote is to get the drafts for both TMA03 and TMA04 done ready to be written up when I return. ED209 starts 5th February and website opens 29th January so really need to be ahead especially as the second mailing isn't till 14th or so of January and up till then I only have the website copies which I struggle a bit with because I can't underline!!!

Study Method devised so far:

1) Read TMA question a few times

2) Read the 3 chapters required and underline as I go

3) Read Learning Companion for 3 chapters and underline

4) Print (maybe listen) to Audio stuff and underline as go.

5) Do online activities to see if anything vital (print if so)

6)Go back to TMA and re-read including Student Notes

7) Go back over everything only taking paper notes on stuff relevent to TMA

8) Essay Plan/Mind Maps/Scribbles

9) TMA (many versions)

10) Hey presto - something to submit

11) Feel proud

12) Submit

13) Aquire acne whilst stressing for result & drink

Based on this I am going to have bad skin and an alcohol problem by 2014.

Notice

I've now handed notice and to be fair boss took it very well.... in fact maybe a little too well!!! He has offered me job back if things don't pan out but also got offer for another company that I went for interview with 3 months ago (better late than never I suppose). Still sticking with original offer and rather excited. Last day at current job is 10th November and off to Lanzarote on 11th for a week. New job should now start 23rd November.

It has now been 3 days since deadline for TMA01 and I don't have a result. Others have theirs I see on FB.... am jealous. Am hoping that weekend should give tutor time to give me my very hopeful 80+.

Still haven't made any headway with TMA03, am just going to hold fire till holiday and put something rather uninspiring together as I am really not loving this topic of identities.

Offer Letter

Offer letter not on doorstep today so hopefully tomorrow. I am really not looking forward to handing in notice on Wednesday, had team meeting with boss this morning.... he is looking forward to new guy starting on Wednesday so that we are a team of 4 again, this is going to hurt like hell.

Off to Alton Towers tomorrow for adreneline week so only a few rides open but cheap and hopefully fairly quiet. Already dreading Oblivion which even after Orlando still hurts me in a way that nothing else can.

Currently waiting for mother to finish burning the flan in the oven then on to Dexter which aired last night.

On the OU front I have done nothing really today except check the forum, the only thing I found was a note from tutor regarding November 6th tutorial and what to expect. I can't go so hoping all info will appear on forum after. To be honest, I've already finished TMA02 so not too worried.

For TMA03 I have been looking through the appendix of Learning Companion 2 to see what is required. It appears that I only have to show an awareness of identity, discourse etc.... therefore i will do what I can without stressing my brain too much.

Identity vs Social Disorder

I have now totally decided that TMA03 is not going to be my favourite. I am bored with the reading for it but have typed 4 pages of random paragraphs to take to Lanzarote to make part 1 of 500 words which is okay because it is just talking about figures from 5 tables which are pretty much confined to education and employment. Part 2 for 1000 words is a little more tricky.

Started reading about social disorder during an extremely quiet day at work today. It's definietly more interesting than the identities of people in Blaenau Gwent!! (sorry to residents of Blaenau Gwent, I am not in anyway calling you boring, I'm just tired of looking at your census info). Maybe a trip to Blaenau Gwent is in order if I haven't just totally offended the residents.

Think I have got a little carried away because I have now pressed the button for DSE212 for October 2011. I really wish that this was the one that I was going to start in February rather than ED209 as after doing a little research, DSE212 gives good grounding for ED209.

Bought a USB stick for my college work and other stuff. Went for 4GB HP stick at £9.99 that goes on my keyring...........pray I don't loose it.

Didn't get to see Saw 3D the other night due to it being sold out, went to see RED instead which was totally cool. Iconic picture of Helen Mirren dressed a a white evening dress with what appears to be an Uzi........ very cool.

Hopefully my offer letter from new job should be with me on Monday so that I can go and enjoy Alton Towers on Tuesday and hand my notice in on Wednesday......... fron then it will be all va va voom

Update

Thought I would just make a general update to remind myself where I am in all this.

Went to see Paranormal Activity 2 last night, took mum, very glad she doesn't scare easy really, she ain't no spring chicken no more. It was okay and makes you jump but not as good as the first one however.... it is wise to see th efirst one before this as they link in!!!

Dummy TMA - 100% whoop whoop...... will enjoy this as I'm pretty certain that it will be the only one in 4 years unless I have turned in to some sort of genius!!

TMA01 - Submitted today....... found another nerd on the forum who had submitted to stop himself going loopy amending it constantly, so felt it was wise to do the same. This was a hard question as there is actually never a mention of inequalities in the material so you have to decide for yourself what are and what aren't. This TMA was made harder by the fact that it was the first. Will post my rules of essays v.soon in case it helps anyone.

TMA02 - Still very much in draft form. Found this a fair bit easier than the first although have written far too much and want to include the world. Will never look at Tescos the same way again and in fact my even boycott the place in favour of Waitrose..... Consumer society is a hard world

TMA03 - In note form. Have read the 3 chapters, the audio stuff and played with the online activities. Decided that all the stuff for this is in Chapter 4 in the big book, the audio bit on identities and the Companion. Part 1 is pretty straight foward and doesn't really need a lot of reading, it is a lot more quantitative so as long as you can compare percentages then it isn't brain science as you don't need to explain, just discuss. Part 2 however is a different ball game. In the beginning I was a little lost to say the least, I have now cottoned on to it a little and know what it wants me to do but it is going to take a lot of note taking and reading.

TMA04 - I see the question and am looking forward to the study to be honest. It is Psychology based it appears

TMA01 Complete

I can no longer work on TMA01, I have now in my mind finished it and don't want to look at it again till my grade comes back. My references are in alaphabetical order, I've put may name, PI no, DD101 and TMA01 on it, pages are numbered, there is a word count and finally I am within it. I must now think to myself that it is only worth 5% of a course which doesn't actually count towards my final degree but somehow I still want to do well in it. Will hand it in on Monday 1st November I think, doubt it is any advantage to hand it in earlier.

Onto TMA02 which actually appears to be a little more straight forward especially as one of the online activities is pretty much the essay plan for it. I have done all the reading and know what I want to put in but am well above word count so will need trimming.

Started all the reading for TMA03, the first part of which shouldn't be too tough and may start on that fairly soon as it's quantitative but part 2 will require stuff from the redaing of chapter 4,5 & 6.

Booking to go away 11th-18th November to the Canaries for a little last minute sunshine OU stuff will be travelling with me I suspect.

Early TMA01

Just got back from Poker and came 7th out of 35 so pretty proud of that in a way.

Work is getting duller by the moment and although I sold 2 cars today, I really don't have the heart to be there.

Started TMA01 really early, there is however a downside..... it is never done until you submit so keep tinkering with it and it is sending me a little loopy. Firstly my family didn't like a paragraph so ditched the nonsensical part and created another which is too short really. I am now looking at the introduction thinking that the signposting isn't great. I really want TMA01 over and done with. I am starting the prep work for TMA03 (meaning chapters 4,5 & 6) on Sunday (about 8 weeks early) but feel wrong as I only want to run 2 TMAs together and TMA01 is still a lame work of art!!!!! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I am getting to the point at which I know vaguely what grade I'll end up with by comparing it to appendix 2 of LC2 but soooooooo want more from a flippin 5% TMA. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

OMG!!!

Another rather dull day at work has led to a vast amount of OU Forum reading. I would never have guessed that it would be so much fun.

There has been a lot of debating about the initials 'OMG' and whether they can be seen as offensive!! It has kinda spiraled out of control but makes for interesting reading on an otherwise dull day at work.

1st Tutorial is on Saturday and now have a 'buddy' who needs picking up and dropping off which is pretty cool.

Realised that I haven't actually done any DD101 work this week so must press on and finish TMA02 and a little reading. I will start on TMA03 workload next week I think, I don't actually mean TMA03, just the reading and stuff leading up to it.

Still in quandry over ED209, I might actually do the reading and TMA03 before deciding because I think we are gradually getting closer to an idea of work load that way.