DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : TMA04 submitted

At last, the TMA has been submitted.

It has been one hell of a week, the water tank on my boat blocked, then there was a problem with the calorifier, the shower mixer leaked and need changed, the toilet blocked (oh joy), the dog fell off the jetty, my car broke down miles from home, the cooker oven element packed in and my main laptop is  displaying some odd behaviours.

I don't remember shooting an albatross, but I must have done something wrong.

So, I'm not over confident with this TMA, I had some good ideas but not enough linking back to course material.

We shall see when it is marked, hope it comes back a lot sooner this time.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 20

23 Feb

• Module Part 5: Making Policy, Shaping Lives
• Study Guide Week 20 URL
  
• Activity: Discussion Audio E, 'Introduction to Part 5'; Book 5: Introduction; Chapter 1, 'How is policy made?'; Chapter 2, ‘Challenging centre–periphery relations in health policy’..

  er.... hang on a minute. After a busy half-term holiday and a car breakdown, with my car still  stranded at a garage 80 miles away, I have until tomorrow to finish TMA04, so Module Part 5 will have to wait for now.
  

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 19

16 Feb

TMA week

• Study Guide Week 19 URL
• Assessment Guidance Repeat
• TMA 04 Repeat

Events

• Assignment: TMA 04 (cut-off date 21 Feb)

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Chatted to my tutor - things clearer now.

My tutor offered to chat through some things over the phone as I was unable to attend the recent tutorial.

It is strange, but even the act of preparing for the phone call by writing certain things down that had seemed confused, these things then seemed to come clearer.

It was also very interesting to talk to somebody who has apparent absolute clarity of thought on this subject, they were able to draw meaning from my ideas and represent what I had said to them back to me in a far clearer why that I had been able to.

The TMA now seems so much less daunting, and I am much happier with the "theory as a toolbox, ideology as the workbench" metaphor - just need to add in the craftsman, materials, design and output and that metaphor pretty much sorts itself out.

Also, we discussed the relationship and interchangeability of theory and ideology across class, time and meaning.

So this phone call was probably more use than the tutorial that I missed, so now to get on and write the TMA.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Chapter 1 & 5

Chapter 1: Political Legitimacy

Normative, prudencial, constructivist. Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, Hulme, Bentham, Marx & Engels, Foucault.


Chapter 5: Using Theory

Blah Blah Blah Blah Blah

This is not going well !

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 18

9 Feb

• Study Guide Week 18 URL
• Activity: Book 4: Chapter 4, 'Searching for justice'; Chapter 5, 'Using theory'
  
  So, finish this sections reading this week and then on to the TMA during the school half-term - not great timing, may have to ask for an extension and use it this time.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : TMA03 Marked and Returned

Woke up to find TMA04 has finally been returned. It has been a long wait for this one but the tutor didn't get ill on purpose, so I guess you just have to accept these things happen.

Another good mark and I am very pleased, but there were not a lot of comments and I wonder if this is because they were running late with all their students TMAs.

Anyway time to get on with next book -no excuses now.

DD203 - Power, Dissent, Equality : Week 17

2 Feb

• Study Guide Week 17 URL
• Activity: Book 4: Chapter 3, 'Dissent and the re-invention of politics'; Audio Feature 7, 'Political ideology'
  
  Late post this week..... so much for relying on technology..... but sort of reflects what is going on with the course.
  
  The TMA is late being returned (nearly 3 weeks since it was submitted) and I'm late with the reading. Still get on with Chapter 2 tonight and will keep checking to see if my mark comes back. Ho Hum.