max Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 I didn't go the OU route but I should imagine that if I'd have had a look at the exam/assignment questions at the beginning of my degree course I would have been convinced that I would never be able to do them. Wait until the required course work has been completed before looking at the assignments. In other words, stop scaring yourself. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Overall Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 I didn't go the OU route but I should imagine that if I'd have had a look at the exam/assignment questions at the beginning of my degree course I would have been convinced that I would never be able to do them. Wait until the required course work has been completed before looking at the assignments. In other words, stop scaring yourself. Good luck. Thanks for that max, i am easily put off, as you get older your confidence goes a bit... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boston Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Can i just say the support you recieve in the foundation courses is excellent, if you are returning to study after a long break. Although it can be difficult at times especially when holding down a full time job, and family commitments etc, for me it has been one of the most rewarding undertaking in my life, and has changed my life/employment prospects since graduation 11 years ago. I left school at 16 with few prospects and menial jobs, and decided to take the OU route at 30, like you i was so apprehensive and non confident in attending tutorials etc, but this soon faded, and if they still hold the summer schools in August, a full week of uninterupted tutorials, which i feel was the catalyst for further study. Good Luck and i hope you find the experience rewarding. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spacecat Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Hiya, im 63 and at home everyday due to having Athritis, ive loads of spare time on my hands but like a lot of folks my age i havent any qualifications...would you say it would be a bit too ambitious starting an OU course... Go for it DD ....you're never too old . I've been studying Modern Languages ( French...two 30 pointers ) with the OU for the last couple of years.... ECA's (written and oral ) completed in September . It's an online course with a mixture of online tutorials and face to face tutorials (optional) in Leeds . You submit your Tma's electronically so you don't even have to leave the house to walk to the pillar box . My tutors have been so patient and there is always a forum for your chosen course where you can meet up and chat with fellow students to swap ideas, iron out any problem you come across....and in any of the language courses you have the opportunity to practice your spoken attempts (quite hilarious in my case sometimes ...lol). Oh .... just to add, received my letter yesterday .. PASS !!!!!! YAYYYY !!! Cert French (Open ) ...... not bad to say I left school over 40 years ago and couldn't even count to ten in French . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiSiSi Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 I thought the Ou course materials were as good if not better than any other course I've taken (there have been a few). For me the most difficult part was trying to work out what a TMA was actually asking me to do, but then again this is also true of other course assignments. I found my tutor exremely helpful, he didn't mind me bombarding him with phone calls (at least he said he didn't!) and even gave me an extra unscheduled tutorial. Hats off to you for taking a part-time course, not easy when you are working full-time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulma Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Thankyou the course code is DD101, and I'm doing this to hopefully progress to get my honours in Criminology and Social Policy. I left sixth form in 2007 so have had a few years away from studying and now I've read the first assignment question and am thinking 'I'm not smart enough for this' As others say, you get lots of help - ask your tutor (or one of them) if you have serious problems but give it a go first. My wife did the science foundation course years after her first degrees - not science ones - it was a big challenge but she got through. Not OU but I changed course and did a new degree in my forties. There are advantages to being a "bit older" when you do degrees - you're more settled, have seen more of the real world so can see a use for your education, you can settle down and motivate yourself. Your first problem is to overcome the 'I'm not smart enough ....' thing. You are smart enough, most people are if they want to be! Just look through the assignment calmly; work it through bit by bit; if you have serious problems - ask! Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smithster Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Thankyou the course code is DD101, and I'm doing this to hopefully progress to get my honours in Criminology and Social Policy. I left sixth form in 2007 so have had a few years away from studying and now I've read the first assignment question and am thinking 'I'm not smart enough for this' But that's the point of doing the course. You don't have the knowledge to finish the assignment YET, but once you have gone through the course materials you will have, and you will look back and wonder why you were scared of it. I am currently doing Y161 - Introducing Environment, and when I first looked at the first assignment I saw lots of words I didn't understand and wasn't sure how I was going to approach it. But the activities that are in the study book, which you have to complete as you are reading, make sure that you are taking in the relevant information in each section. Overall I am happy with the course so far and I'm glad I took it on. The one thing you have to realise about any training course that you undertake is this: if it isn't difficult and doesn't challenge you, it's not worth doing. Stick with it - I hope it pays off for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted December 11, 2010 Share Posted December 11, 2010 Thankyou the course code is DD101, and I'm doing this to hopefully progress to get my honours in Criminology and Social Policy. I left sixth form in 2007 so have had a few years away from studying and now I've read the first assignment question and am thinking 'I'm not smart enough for this' Of course you are not smart enough - yet. You wouldnt be doing the course if you knew it already would you now? Don't look at the TMA questions and think you can't do it. Get stuck into the course and it all will look a lot easier and less daunting. If you meet the criteria for entry to the course you will be able to do it - the OU pitches stuff at exactly the right level in my experience. Talk to your tutors, go to the tutorials and use Firstclass (if your course has it) and it'll get a lot easier looking it really will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Blonde Posted December 11, 2010 Author Share Posted December 11, 2010 Thanks everyone for your lovely words or wisdom and encouragement. I am determined to stick at it and will keep reading the course materials until the start of the course. Its good to know i'm not the only one who panicked when first seeing the TMA questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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