April 11, 2005
The Open University and diversity
The Open University is a distance learning institute, the largest university in England, with around 220,000 registered students at any one time. It is rated in the top ten British universities. It also has no entrance requirements for its undergraduate students. Prime Minister Harold Wilson laid the foundations for its existence, and the university was granted its Royal Charter in 1969. One of the interesting things about the OU is that although small groups of undergraduate students will meet for tutorial sessions two or three times per month, there's no equivalent of a campus. So the nearest that most OU students get to this is the residential summer school. Each summer throughout the United Kingdom, thousands of people of all ages from all walks of life descend upon the campuses of Bath and Nottingham, Norwich and Edinburgh, among others, to learn a little bit about what undergraduate life can be like. This means teamwork, social activities and having a one week away from home where you can focus totally on your studies - a blessing for many OU students. The thing that struck me most about my summer school in 1990 was how different we all were. I was a junior programmer in a bank. Ethel was a 45 year old Naval commander. Bob was a North sea diver working on oil rigs (and carried a little silver hipflask that he would take a swig from now and again during lectures, always being kind enough to pass it around - never did figure out what was in it). Dennis was a fireman. Tony was a dentist. Susan was a housewife. And so on. It was as if you'd taken a random group of people and put them together. I suppose, given the vast numbers of people who study with the OU, that's basically what we were. We all got on well. Some did better than others. Towards the end, there were arguments and fallings out - hardly surprising when you've just spent virtually every waking moment for seven days in each other's company. But the overwhelming impression I had was one of fun - fun in studying, and fun in socialising. I was so sorry the week had to end. I haven't seen or heard from them since. I wonder what they're doing these days?
Posted by daen at 11:50 PM
October 09, 2003
S809 - Done and dusted
Done. Finished. History. Done.
The assignment has been dispatched and the course is over. Frankly, I'm pleased to see the back of S809 - Imaging in Medicine. I haven't enjoyed this year as much as last year when I studied the partner course, S807 - Molecules in Medicine (about medicinal chemistry). I just don't seem to be able to get that interested in ultrasound scanners and X-ray machines. Ho hum.
I'm taking a break from the OU next year. I'll probably return to the studies in 2005, but for now I have enough on my plate with being the system administrator for Nuevolution.
Posted by daen at 11:17 PM
October 05, 2003
Fear, Uncertainty, Doubt and 2,000 words before bedtime
I'm a procrastinating fool.
No news there.
I have this end-of-course assignment thingy to write, must be at the Open University in England by 10th October, had three months to write it (about 6,000 words), and what happens? Here I am banging random blog entries out with 2,000 words of the assignment left to write.
This happened last year. I pulled an all-nighter to finish that one, I posted it Express which cost a bloody fortune, because it only had two days to get there. This time I'm determined to post it tomorrow ... or Tuesday at the latest. That gives a comfortable four or five days to get to England from Denmark.
Anyway, I've wasted enough time & typing on this entry. It was just an explanation of why there have been/will be no (few?) new blog entries for the last couple/next couple of days. Oh, except for a small OpenGFS one, coming up after the break ...
Posted by daen at 03:06 PM
August 28, 2003
If you can't go to MIT ...
MIT are making several hundred of their previous courses available online for free - complete with assignments, course notes and examination papers. It's still shaping up for going live in September, but it looks good.
For example, under "physics" ...
8.02 Electricity and Magnetism: TEAL:Studio Physics Project Fall 2002
8.05 Quantum Physics II Fall 2002
8.06 Quantum Physics III Spring 2003
8.08 Statistical Physics II Spring 2003
8.231 Physics of Solids I Fall 2002
8.251 String Theory for Undergraduates Spring 2003
8.324 Quantum Field Theory II Fall 2002
8.351J Classical Mechanics: A Computational Approach Fall 2002
8.513 Many-Body Theory for Condensed Matter Systems Fall 2002
I'm not doing any Open University courses next year, so I might keep my hand in with some of these ...
Posted by daen at 10:13 PM
May 03, 2003
General Anatomy
Posted by daen at 12:53 PM
April 28, 2003
Ultrasound scans
Posted by daen at 04:26 PM
April 20, 2003
My current course with the Open University
This is the course I'm studying this year towards a MSc with the Open University (OU). Last year I studied the companion course, S807 (molecules in medicine) and next year I plan to finish with S810 (the project module).
"The Open University admitted its first students in 1971. It is the UK's largest university, with over 200,000 students and customers. The OU represents 22% of all part-time higher education students in the UK.
The university is ranked amongst the top UK universities for the quality of its teaching. Of the 23 subjects assessed by the Quality Assurance Agency, 17 have been placed in the top 'Excellent' category.
Courses are available throughout Europe and, usually by means of partnership agreements with other institutions, in many other parts of the world. About 26,000 learners are studying OU courses outside the UK. "
(from the OU website)
Posted by daen at 11:22 PM
March 22, 2003
Get your eyes checked ...
If you'd said to me some time ago I'd be referring to US DoD MIL-STD-150A on this blog, I'd have thought you'd gone stark staring bonkers.
Posted by daen at 10:30 PM
March 05, 2003
Rock & Roll!
Bob's Rock Shop: Crystallography and Mineral Crystal Systems
No, I don't really know what this is doing here, either. I started writing my first essay for my Open University course S809 : one of the questions was about radionuclide imaging and gamma cameras. Well, gamma cameras have thallium-doped sodium iodide crystals in them, and they have {100} cleavage form. Which lead me to this site. Mike & Darcy Howard have really taken some time to put this together, with "crystal clear" (ha ha) explanations and lots of graphics ... I think it's time for bed - my concentration has gone completely. :-(
Posted by daen at 12:11 AM