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Open University

Milton Keynes

S104 Exploring Science - October 2011

Nitebot

I've had enough of those Digital Lifers having all the fun in this forum! :biggrin:

Us science folk are doing the serious stuff. Let's chat!! :smile:

I have to say there's a lot to read and far more experiments to do than I expected (yes I know: poor research). I'm also doing S155: Scientific Investigations, in parallel, which means even more flippin' experiments to do! :biggrin:

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Reply 1

one3two6

Hey Nitebot. Im a "digital lifer" but am hoping to start a Nat Sci degree and use the points from TU100 as the free choice element. Might do a ten pointer in Feb and start S104 in Oct. Will be watching this thread with intrest.

Open University

Milton Keynes

Reply 2

Nitebot

Hi there. I pondered doing TU100 as a free choice as well because it looked so interesting but thought I'd best start with the compulsory science modules. I already have two level 2 IT modules as well. There's only one other person who's identified themselves on here as a S104 student for October.

Reply 3

MichelleAmanda

Original post by Nitebot

I've had enough of those Digital Lifers having all the fun in this forum! :biggrin:

Us science folk are doing the serious stuff. Let's chat!! :smile:

I'm doing S155 this October! :smile:

Do you have your pretty mugmat?

Reply 4

Nitebot

Original post by MichelleAmanda

I'm doing S155 this October! :smile:

Do you have your pretty mugmat?

Yes I have that funny shaped thing! :biggrin:

Most of the people in my region who are doing S155 did S104 last year. I can see the sense in that as I'm doing way too many experiments this year!!

Reply 5

MichelleAmanda

Original post by Nitebot

Yes I have that funny shaped thing! :biggrin:

Most of the people in my region who are doing S155 did S104 last year. I can see the sense in that as I'm doing way too many experiments this year!!

Yeah I can imagine! I'm glad S104 is out of the way for me. I'm looking forward to S155 but also apprehensive. I've not really done a great deal of practical work without the aid of textbooks etc. So for it to be a mostly online course with six experiments is quite a new thing for me. I didn't have a choice though - I couldn't do SXR103 this year and I am already down for 120 credits plus a level 2 residential next year!

Reply 6

Hexe72

Hey guys & gals... hows this course going for you so far?

I'm signed up for starting in January but have been a bit sneaky and picked up the books etc on eBay. I've already got my head round Book 1 and am well into Book 2 right now. So far it's all sinking in but not sure just how much of it will be retained for when I actually need it.

Will be doing S155 afterwards as i can't manage to take on too much timewise at once.

Reply 7

Nitebot

Course is fine so far. Had a tutorial and met some fellow students. Was good.Most are working through Book 1 and doing the assignments. Some are on to Book 2. Our tutor said that the difficulty racks up with Book 4 Chemistry. In fact that one and Book 5 on life look very hefty to cover in 4 weeks each. It's clearly an achievement to get through this course even though it's a level 1.

Reply 8

Hexe72

I've heard the same thing!
The guy I collected the books from said it's 4 and 5 you need to watch out for and whatever you do "don't fall behind"... sounds like an ominous quote from a dodgy scary movie lol

How do these tutorial things work? When, where, how etc? I'm a little concerned about having to go to these things with kids at home to consider and such although I'm more than willing :wink:

Do you have any kind of science background? If you don't mind me asking :colondollar:

Reply 9

Nitebot

I'm a planner and don't have a science background but know some maths and physics. I've always had a strong interest and read popular science books. Wasn't overly keen to learn science when at school. Catching up!

Looks like we're having a tutorial a month. In my tutor group there's a load of us from Derby and others from nearby so the tutorial was in Derby. But I've had one in Nottingham before for another course. Not everyone bothers with them but the tutor's can post notes in the tutor group forum for those who didn't attend. There's also this new online tutorial system called Elluminate. My other course S155 only uses these.

Reply 10

Hexe72

Sounds cool... I want to get as involved as my life will allow :rolleyes:

I studied sciences at A-level 20 years ago but any hopes of Uni were dashed by serious illness. After that finally got itself sorted out, it was just not a viable option to pick up where I'd left off.

I considered the OU a few years ago after I separated from my hubby, when the kids were very young (pre-school), but the commitment at the time seemed way too much under the circumstances and I hate starting something I don't think I can give 100% to :wink:

I'm now back on my own (for good this time) and the kids are that bit older, so I want to try and make up for lost time. Maybe my old science knowledge is helping me a fair amount more than I realise, as like I said earlier it's making sense and sinking in quite easily. I'm just more concerned about recalling it when I need it... and of course the other 6 and a half books to come yet lol :colondollar:

Reply 11

Nitebot

I think it does help if you know some science and maths as you can skip through some stuff. At least there's no exams for this course and a pass will do. :smile:

There are at least 3 retired people in my tutor group all doing the course to keep their brains active.

Reply 12

Hexe72

Wow! That's one heck of a way to keep their brain active :eek:

What other courses/modules are you doing? What are your aims in the long run?

Is there anybody else alive in here? :tongue:

Reply 13

moertel

Original post by Hexe72

Is there anybody else alive in here? :tongue:

I'm going to start S104 in January as well. :wink:

Btw, I found this blog entry very helpful; some pretty great summaries on the S104 books, assignments and workload in general: http://myopenuniversitylife.co.uk/2011/06/05/the-story-of-s104-exploring-science/

Reply 14

Nitebot

Original post by Hex E72

Wow! That's one heck of a way to keep their brain active :eek:

What other courses/modules are you doing? What are your aims in the long run?

Is there anybody else alive in here? :tongue:

I'm doing S104 and S155 now. Will probably need to do MST121 the best level 1 maths for science course in order to do the physics/astronomy modules. But I may go the Chemistry or Biology route. I have no scientific career aims so it's all for fun and the pursuit of knowledge. Will stop if the money runs out though!! :smile:

Reply 15

Hexe72

Wow that's fantastic moertel... fankies muchly :biggrin:

What background are you coming from? Any science knowledge or experience previously? What other courses/modules are you considering/doing/have done?

Reply 16

Nitebot

Original post by moertel

I'm going to start S104 in January as well. :wink:

Thank you for that. Some course reviews here as well. http://www3.open.ac.uk/coursereviews/course.aspx?course=s104

Reply 17

moertel

Original post by Hexe72

What background are you coming from? Any science knowledge or experience previously? What other courses/modules are you considering/doing/have done?

Got a BSc in Computer Science (also did some Astronomy courses) here in Hamburg at a 'brick uni', and started studying Physics a year after that. I'm working full-time (data mining stuff), so when I found out about the OU, I dropped out of the brick uni immediately, and I signed up for S104. Much more convenient than attending lectures and learning groups. :tongue:

S104 is my first OU course... According to the summary on the blog and the module reviews on the OU website, it's going to get really tough! As long as there's enough maths (I'm really not good at remembering 'unmathematical' stuff), I'm going to survive and should be sufficiently prepared, I think. If all goes well, and if I pass, and if the fees don't increase too badly for me poor non-UK student, I want to continue with S207. :biggrin:

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 18

Hexe72

Original post by Nitebot

Sweet! How are you finding S155? I obviously need to get that one done at some point but haven't given much thought as to when :rolleyes:

What do you think of S151 Maths for Science? Is it something I should be doing to make sure I can cover the necessary basics with a view to eventually moving onto S282 Astronomy? Or is it not enough and I need to look at something a bit more intense?
Just for reference I'm not looking to take the Astronomy side of things to Level 3 but more as a passing interest :wink:

Reply 19

Hexe72

Original post by moertel