Timetable Update

*blows the dust off in here*

Still here, still studying! Have just completed TMA03 of DD101 and my W100 module books have turned up. Well, the first half of them have. They don't want to terrify us too much so stagger the reading material ;)

I am really enjoying DD101, although the Xmas break showed how horrendous my time management and self discipline is when confronted with cake and christmas telly. It was a struggle to get TMA03 completed in time and it was only sent 2 days before cut-off. Far too close to comfort for me so I'm working on time management a bit more.

The W100 materials look a bit intense compared to DD101, there is a difference in the layout of the books and information that makes them feel more intimidating but I'm sure I'll be fine. I worked my way through the introduction last night, and think I'll be ok.

I can't post a blog without some kind of recommendation and today it goes to

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.gabrielittner.timetable

An Android timetable app that helps you organise your time, put in reminders, tasks, and due dates for coursework. It's in it's early days, but google sync will also be used so I'll be able to hook it up with my existing calendars too.

Loving it so far. I'm a sucker for colour coded timetables.

I joined the Dark Side...

...they had cookies.

I was bought a copy of Microsoft Office University for my birthday in December. As much as I hate large dorporations and try and use open source and small company products instead, I have to say that I'm really enjoying the software package.

I'm an ex-user of Office through previous employment and it's a pleasure using Outlook again. I love having access to sticky notes, calendar and mail all within one program without having to organise addons, themes and randomness.

Word 2010 is really quite fantastic, love the referencing ability and the new ribbon makes the whole word processing activity a lot more intuitive than before.

I still think Open Office is absolutely fantastic for free, and does all you really need. Microsoft provide some bells and whistles that I really do like though.

Organising and Evernote

I am disorganised by nature, I flit between one thing and another and often forget what I'm supposed to be doing in the process.

I've been using this program to try and help me remember the stuff that I used to scribble down and forget forever.

https://evernote.com/download/

So far, so good. It syncs across devices so I can send myself audio clips, I can copy paste bits of notes, I can clip web sites and lots of other bits and bobs between my computer and phone.

It's main use to me is being able to leave myself a note for what I'm doing as I switch topics or if the sproglets suddenly need my attention and I want to bookmark what my brain is in the middle of processing.

Dropbox

I love cloud storage. It's free, it's a great way to backup important files and it makes sharing large files incredibly easy.

I have a dropbox account anyway, and recently noticed that they are offering students a free size upgrade if you register with your university email address (or add a uni address to an existing account) Currently the free upgrade stands at 8GB which is pretty good.

https://www.dropbox.com/spacerace?r=NTM3Njg5MDU1OQ

I use it to back up my uni work between my home PC and my android phone, it means I can access my files from wherever I am and keep them synced.

If you don't know where to find your Open University email address, log into StudentHome and look down the left menu, there is an option for Google Apps email, just click through and it will go through the set up for you.


If you sign up through my link we also get another 500MB free each. Tada. I love free stuff.

Online Tutorials

I am loving the online tutorials that are provided by the OU. The Elluminate software is a fantastic bit of kit and it has been really helpful being able to converse with fellow students and to have access to the tutors for an hour or so a week too.


The ability to attend a tutorial in my pyjamas, whilst having to make minimal childcare provisions is absolutely priceless to me and means I have access to tutor support that I would otherwise have to go without as there is no way I can attend the face to face tutorials.

Things I have learnt about Elluminate to make things easier;-

1. Always perform an audio check before or just as you enter your online tutorial. A working mic is useful but working speakers are necessary. If you can't hear or speak, let people know via the text window as soon as possible or people will be talking at you and wondering why you're not responding ;)

2. Don't be nervous about chatting over the mic, everyone else feels just as awkward about it as you do. I hate talking over mic, and detest talking to a group/public speaking but I figure it's something I really have to get used to and now is as good a time as any. Plus I imagine that everyone else is also sat in their homes wearing pyjamas, and that makes me feel a bit better ;)

3. You can save the whiteboards as a .pdf for offline viewing which is a great way to keep them for notes towards the TMA. Also, you can save the chat conversation as a .txt file so you can read through at your own leisure and pick up bits that you found interesting the first time through. I keep my pdfs and txt files saved on my dropbox account (more on that in another post) so I can share them easily with other students who were unable to make the session.

First deadline, Meep.

The first TMA is due in today. I was lucky enough to get my submission in a week ago as I'd had some good study time put aside and could crack on with it. I've amended it a couple of times since, as I'd forgotten to put my PI number on the front page, and then again to alphabetise my references at the end. Still not sure it's completely right, but it's not supposed to be is it? It's all a learning process and I should be able to look back and laugh at how hard I found such a relatively easy assignment.

So now it's in, and done and I just have to wait for the feedback. I've heard from a few people that it takes a little while to get used to the critical way that tutors give feedback so I'm bracing myself for an email full of red pen and a big fat F all over it.

Meep.

Note Taking

During my first Elluminate tutorial, my tutor mentioned the Cornell note taking system. I had a google about and it seems like something that will really help me focus my notes. My handwriting is atrocious due to lack of use and a lazy scrawl so anything that helps me condense them into something readable and usable is good.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornell_Notes


https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B4GQ7jvuSfivaktWQ0hFQWF3cmc