I have just had a 30 min study break whilst working through some of my M263 course materials this evening and decided to take a look at the courses I would like to study next year. I noticed that under computing there is a new level 2 course called "MT264 Designing applications with Visual Basic" which is due for its first presentation in September 2008.

The over view of the course suggests users will be programming using VB.Net and building applications from a basic foundation through to database linked levels. I can't help but wonder if the OU, by dipping its toe in a technology used widely across industry (referring to the dot net framework), is beginning to change direction from very much a Java focused syllabus to a more Microsoft oriented syllabus going forward.

I am going to phone the OU up tomorrow and see what qualifications this course will count towards because the description is not very clear, and it may just swing my decision of what to study in 2008/2009.

I'll let you know how it goes.

UPDATE 29/01/2008 - I received an answerphone message on Monday 28th from a member of the IT Faculty down in Milton Keyenes, my message appears to have got slightly lost in translation. I was told that this course can be studied as any other course can (my query related to B29 computing degree specifically, which has a relatively strict study path). I will have to return the call this week and see if I can squeeze some more specific information out, otherwise it will be a case of wait and see.

Simon

Excuse the corny title to this blog post, however I have just been reading the OUSA Sesame mailing that seems to come around every so often and to my amazement the OUSA have managed to secure a great deal for OU students. Effective immediately OU students can register for the NUS Extra Card for £10!

This card gives you masses of benefits and also includes the ISIC card which retails at £9 on its own and up util now was the only worthwhile benefits card available to OU students. Those of you who read the blog will know what the ISIC card consists of, for more information or to register for an NUS Extra Card you need to check www.nusextra.co.uk The registration can be done online (i have just completed it!) all you require is a photo to be either uploaded or taken via your webcam in real time and your PI (Personal Identifier) number, this is the number the OU knows you by and can be found on most pieces of correspondence you receive or in the OU student home online.

Check the website for more info on the discounts available, the card is valid until september 2008 so the earlier you sign up the longer the benefits last.

I thought I would drop by as I haven't wrote an entry since my courses finished for the summer.

The good news is I received my end of course assessment back for M150 and scored 89% which I'm very pleased with. This hopefully will secure a pass for the course however I still have to await the return of the final CMA.

I have also received my registration agreements through for M263 (£355), MU120(£315) and M255(£355). After applying for financial support I managed to secure a partial grant which will cover all of MU120's costs and some of M263's. I approached my employer today regarding the remaining balance for my courses and they were more than happy to pay, which leaves me in a very fortunate position of not having to pay any fees this year.

I'm off around Europe in a few days time and will be spending 5 weeks on the continent which I am really looking forward too. It will be good to recharge the batteries before returning in August ready for a September start and another year with the OU.

I have been keeping up to date with other OU students blogs and I have been pleased to receive comments on both the ISIC card and and my blog in general so thank you to all those who have stopped by!

I hope you all have a great summer and a well deserved rest (and that the weather takes a turn for the better too!)

Bye for now.

Good afternoon

As I am coming around to the end of my first year with the OU I have decided to write about where I am heading and what I intend to study.
For the first year of my degree I studied two 30 credit level 1 courses. These were T175 Networked Living: Exploring Information and Communication and M150 Data, Computing and Information.

I have found both of these courses thoroughly engaging and enjoyable and they have provided a really good broad base for my future studies in computing. I have found M150 more challenging and rewarding than T175 however this is mainly because I am from a programming background and it is the route I want to persure. T175 is a newer course and the materials are probably presented in a nicer way.

My Degree (B29 BSc(Hons) Computing) should in accordance with OU recommendations, be studied over 6 years at 60 credits per year. I have followed this path for the first year however I am going to step my study up to 90 credits next year with the aim of completing my degree two years early.

The 90 credits I am going to study over the next 12 months are the level 1 course MU120 Open Mathematics, the level 2 courses M263 Building Blocks of Software and M255 Object Orientated Programming with Java.

I found my first year very manageable and hopefully 90 credits should not but overly stretching myself. At the moment though I am looking forward to having the summer off when I will be travelling around Europe for 5 weeks. I look forward to properly blogging these courses as I study them and offering any ideas and suggestions as I go.

Simon