S104 update
Have now just finished chapter 1-5 of Book 2, Earth and Space, so roughly about a week ahead at the moment.. Finding this book a lot more interesting then Book 1, especially finding out how rocks are formed. The activity on analysing the rocks that came in the kit was quite good as well.
Had an elluminate tutorial on the 31st October, which went over significant figures and scientific notation. Needed to revise one question on TMA01 and change the layout of the equations as a result of the tutorial, next one is a face to face 'day school' on November 17th in Southampton which I am looking forward to.
I have stuck to the SQ3R study technique and found it a very good way to study so will probably stick to it from now on.
Exam, have found out this year that the scores from the TMA's/iCMA's will not go towards the final score. The exam determines the final score, which in my opinion is a little harsh. Only thing they enable you to do is get entrance into the exam, if you get over 40% average. I can understand why the OU have done this - with all the 'cheating' that goes on. However if you are having one bad day that is it ... I personally will try my best on the TMA's/iCMA's anyway as I think S104 is a very good course, and it deserves 'attention'.
Course changes
For those of us doing geology type subjects this will not be good, from October 14 there will be a new course - S209 which will include S276, S279 and SGX288. So all those 'old' courses will be merged into one course. My current plans were to take S276 with S283 next year, then S279 afterwards. But this new couse has confused things a lot as it contains S276 and S279, so if you have already completed S276 can you take the new course, probably not... I have contacted the OU to book myself onto W200 (2nd level law course from Feb 13 to run alongside the last 5 months of S104 - madness I know)- however if the science courses continue how they are, then the possiblity of finishing a degree with the OU seems remote as they keep on changing courses around, without letting the current influx of TA students finish their degree first. On the Earth Sciences route anyway, although other routes e.g. chemistry seem to be changing courses as well. So will make another decision in the direction I want to go in after or during W200 - law or science......
Mind mapping update
I have recently changed the type of software I use for mind mapping - a product called Xmind, which is downloadable free from the net (courtesy of Stefan who interested me to it).. I do find it a lot faster and easier to use then iMindmap, although iMindmap produces a lot more colorful mind maps compared to Xmind, it takes ages to create a mind map on it........ so for now Xmind is my mind mapping software of choice -
Have now created mind maps for chapters from book 2 and placed them in the S104 Book 2 page - located up to the top right side of this page.
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