A222 Exploring Philosophy - Signed Up

That was a quick £700, but I have now paid for the next course, and even bought the course text book which looks pretty impenetrable.

The course starts 1st October, and I hope it is a slow starter as DD101 doesn't finish until 3rd October and a small break would be good......

Right...... back to worrying about DD101 & TMA06.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - Week 22

The suggested time table for Week 22

      ‘Introduction’ to the ‘Connected lives’ strand of Exploring Social Lives (45 minutes) . 
      Chapter 4 of Exploring Social Lives (7 hours) . 
      ‘Thinking about migration’ (Audio CD 2) (45 minutes) . 
      Online Activities 37 and 38 (2 hours) . 
      Online Quiz: Exploring Social Lives, Chapter 4 (10–15 minutes) .
      ‘Reflection: Working with different forms of assessment – being a flexible learner’ (30 minutes)

To be completed by 15th July.

To be honest life is sort of catching up with me a bit, too busy at work, trying to lose weight and learn a new language which takes more time out of the day, while also planning a wedding and honeymoon somewhere between TMA06 and TMA 07.

So as I've decided on Option B - Chapter 6, I'll be skim reading his and the next chapter in case there is anything relevant - not ideal as I would prefer to study all chapters properly - but there is simply not the time and as these chapters are not necessary for the TMA I will study for the test rather than the knowledge.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - TMA05 Marked and Returned

Best mark yet, which I am very pleased about, but to be fair this TMA played to my existing strengths as I am used to writing reports and am frequently involved in risk assessments.

Anyway, on to TMA 06, although I have read on the Facebook group that some people are skipping TMA06 as their scores are high enough to allow them to do this. I think this is a mistake, partly because there may be something relevant to TMA07 (the final and externally marked TMA) in the work for TMA06 so you will have to read the chapters anyway, and also because both TMA 06 &07 are based on the question "evaluate the claim", so TMA 06 is a great trial run at answering this type of question.

TMA06
A. Evaluate the claim that Britishness is a matter of ‘shared values, ideas or ways of life’.
 or
 B. Evaluate the claim that conflict is a catalyst for identity change.


TMA 07
A. Critically assess the claim that states are necessary evils.

or

B. ‘Jill’s story tells you all you need to know about the state.’ Explain and evaluate this claim.

TMA06 is due the middle of August, so 3 weeks to sort it out.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - July Day School Tutorial

4 hour day school / tutorial today and unlike the last one this one was both fun and interesting, and if nothing else I now know that my initial ideas about the content for TMA06 were well off mark.

I think Chapter 5 or 6, which I haven't read yet, covers 'conflict' and identity, or rather conflict of identity, in a completely different way than I was going to tackle it. The tutor gave us some good pointers on theorists to use within the essay, so at least I have a good starting point for this work.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - Week 21

The suggested time table for Week 21

     ‘Conclusion’ to the ‘Material lives’ strand of Exploring Social Lives (30 minutes) . 

     Online Reflective Quiz: Exploring Social Lives, ‘Material lives’ (10–15 minutes) . 

     ‘Reflections on “Material lives’’’ (Audio CD 2) (30 minutes) 

     Most of your time this week will be spent on completing Assignment 05.

To be completed by 8th July.

I read the 3 page conclusion and there wasn't really much in it that hadn't been covered already - that's why it was the conclusion I guess....  t

The reflective quiz at the end of the chapters are a bit lost on me, I'm not really in to this type of formal self reflection. I think the only real measure is the TMA marks, if your happy with them then your putting in the right amount of effort - if your not happy with them then more effort required.

The audio was a struggle to concentrate on, too much else going on, so in the end I read the transcript.

At least this week is crossed off the chart.....I'm going to have to think about coming back to Week 20 - Living in a Common World - as I have too much to do to read up and past what is required for this weekends tutorial.

The next TMA is a choice of question and it is either,

Option A:
Evaluate the claim that Britishness is a matter of ‘shared values, ideas or ways of life’.
 

OR
 

Option B:
Evaluate the claim that conflict is a catalyst for identity change.

I'm thinking about Option B, as I have worked in conflict zones and seen how it effects people first hand, but I guess I had better read the chapters and see what arguments and theories are put forward.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - TMA 05 Submitted - Done & Dusted

I've been fiddling with this TMA, every time I re-read it I make a minor change, so I've decided to submit it before I make another change.

The main points are covered. It is in a report format. The contents page is correct. The introduction sets out what I'm going to do. The first section defines expert knowledge and questions both Epidemiological studies and experts. Lay knowledge is then defined. The second section talks about dealing with risk, 4 real examples with lots of referencing and using case studies and quantitative data. Lastly the conclusion supports all other sections and the referencing is correct.


I don't think I can make this any better, so it is fingers crossed for another good mark.


Now with a tutorial this weekend I've got a lot of reading to do as I'm well behind on the course timetable..........

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - TMA 05 Submitted - Well V1 anyway

This is an odd TMA. It doesn't really stretch you academically or intellectually, so there is a real danger of under-estimating what is required or failing to answer the question asked.

I am involved in a lot of fairly serious risk assessments and I write reports, so this should be an easy TMA, but the word count is a problem, as is ensuring all the necessary terms and definitions are covered.

I have submitted the TMA as it stands now, as there is a real 'risk' that more important things get in the way and I forget to submit it in time. The deadline has really crept up on me, so at least at this point there is something tat I'm 95% happy with to actually mark.

I'm waiting on the tutor replying to some questions, but I think I've sorted these answers out for myself.

Need to get a bit more motivated for the next last two sections of the course.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - TMA 05

"Write a report that examines how people use expert and lay knowledge about risks in order to live with them."

So this TMA is basically about writing a report, not an essay.

Title Page

Contents

Introduction 

Section on Definitions

Section on Living with Risks

Conclusion

References

Keep the sections succinct, adjust the language and style of writing to a report, add headings and  numbered sections and try and answer the question in 1250 words, well 1375 words once the 10% is added - its not a lot of words.

I seem to have just over the 10% word count for the Intro and Conclusion, but defining Expert Knowledge and Lay Knowledge is taking a lot of words, which means what should be the bulk of the report is a bit thin.... but with only 1375 words, I'm not sure what to cut.

I have about a week to go until I have to submit it, so I'll leave it for a bit and re-read it, besides I am a bit behind on reading Chapter 3.

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences - Week 20

The suggested time table for Week 20

     Chapter 3 of Exploring Social Lives (7 hours)
     ‘Making connections: economics and geography’ (Making connections Audio CD) (45 minutes)        Online Activities 35 and 36 (2 hours) .
     Online Quiz: Exploring Social Lives, Chapter 3 (10–15 minutes)

To be completed by 1st July.