DD209 Running The Economy : Where has the motivation gone........

I've really hit the study-buffers, and I just can't get motivated to open the books for the last section and considering what a rush it was in the end to get TMA04 submitted you'd think I'd know better.

My tutor has promised that the TMA will be back by, or on, Wednesday, so I'm hoping that receiving the mark and feedback will re-ignite my study mojo.

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 24

• Data week
• Week 24: Exploring relationships to guide policy

DD209 Running The Economy : iCMA43 Returned

Looks like the iCMA takes 8 days to mark and check as the mark has just arrived on the Assessment page today.

Really happy with my score, and it would have been even better apart from my not knowing my left from my right, but then multiple choice, open book tests done over three weeks should really get pretty good scores.

Anyway, another positive mark to push my overall score to where I want it......

So one more TMA, one more iCMA and the exam and that's it for DD209.

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 23

Week 23: Inequality and redistribution

Update: Monday 24th March 12:00

I have not had a chance to even look at Section 5......

Sunday was a marathon TMA writing day, in-between the usual Sunday past times and I am now thoroughly fed up and bored of competition models.

I have just over the maximum word count and I think 5 diagrams so I am now pretty much finished. I will give it one more read through tonight and try and edit about 30 words out of the text to get below the word count, and examine it against the student notes of what is required but to be honest I have neither the time nor the inclination to do nay major re-writes if I have got this all wrong.

At least I have the Easter study gap week to catch up with stuff on before the last TMA is due. So, I need to get this submitted and get motivated to start the reading again......

The study is getting a bit relentless now....... I have to remember that I am supposed to be doing this for fun.

DD209 Running The Economy : iCMA43

I have to complete this iCMA today, and in the four courses I have done/am doing with the OU this is the one section for assessment that I have done the least work for. It has just been too difficult being abroad with work, then on holiday (well...sort of holiday) and then having work and family commitments to really engage with these chapters.

Having the extension for the TMA is one thing, I probably have time to get stuck in to the nitty gritty of the TMA question from tomorrow, but as there is no extension to the iCMA I really need to finish this tonight. So far most of the questions I have completed have pretty much been answered by finding the correct section in the book or online tutorials and substituting the question variables into the book or online example and turning the computation handle.

This has pretty much confirmed to me that the iCMAs lack any sort of academic rigour, and you should get a pretty good mark just by scouring the books and website without having to understand or engage with the material. So juts a few more questions to answer and I can put the iCMA to bed and get on with the far more onerous task of writing the TMA04.

New Level 3 Politics - DD313 International relations: continuity and change in global politics

When I started out on this course, probably late in 2010 I had thought about doing the Politics Level 3 course A world of whose making? (DU301) , well it was cancelled and I never really fancied the alternative Living political ideas (DD306) so it is a relief that this course looks pretty good.

I think I'm pretty committed to the Level 3 economics course at this stage, and depending on how I get on with that result will decide which course I take as the final course in the PPE degree. If I need a good mark to get the final grade I wish I will go with  International relations: continuity and change in global politics (DD313) , otherwise if the course is mainly for my interest and enjoyment, I will probably go with Key questions in philosophy (A333).

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 22

15 Mar

• 
• Week 22: Trade and inequality Website content
• Assignment: iCMA 44 (open date 15 March)

Events

• Assignment: TMA 04
  
• Assignment: iCMA 43 (cut-off date 18 Mar at 23:59)

DD101 Introducing the Social Sciences to be replaced by DD102 Introducing the Social Sciences

The replacement for DD101, DD102 looks very similar to DD101, so I guess the general themes are being refreshed as DD101 has been going for some time.  The benefit for those about to take the course should be a lack of Lloyd Robson showing you down City Road, I'd be interested to know what differences there are. There seems to be 5 TMAS, an iCMA and end of course assessment, so that is one change

https://msds.open.ac.uk/students/study/undergraduate/course/dd102.htm

As you need 60 points at level 1 for PPE, the new DD102 is effectively a mandatory course, as at present there are not the smaller courses available to make up 60 points.

https://msds.open.ac.uk/students/study/undergraduate/qualification/B45.htm#courses

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 21

8th March

TMA week

• Week 21: TMA week Website content
• iCMA43 Repeat
• TMA 04

  I've completed the reading but before I do anything else I need to start reading these four chapters again, as I think the early chapters will now make more sense knowing where the whole thing is heading. 

  
  

  I'm not expecting to get much done over the next week as I'm off on holiday, so it will be a pretty busy week when I get back getting the TMA done, although I do have a weeks extension which is really welcome.

  
  

  This set of 4 chapters started simply enough but there is a lot to remember and it is important to nail these graphs, so i think this is going to be a pretty critical part of the course.

DD209 Running The Economy : TMA04 as a Wordle Word Cloud

Availble via wordle.net

Open University - Degrees and courses for international students

The Open University has a new international website for students outside of the UK and Ireland, and this can be found here: Open University - Degrees and courses for international students

The web address if you can't get the link to work is:

http://www.openuniversity.edu/

The Open University are trying to make it as easy as possible for international students to find the courses and support tat they need.

DD209 Running The Economy : Week 20

Week 20: Industrial structure, competition and regulation

I've been working away from home for the last week or so in less than ideal study conditions so I have negotiated a week's extension on TMA04, which will be needed as I am still two weeks behind.

Chapter 11 : Week 17 : Made in China seemed to make sense and didn't come across as completely alien concepts. However, the online tutorials went on.... and on... and on.... seemingly forever.

Chapter 12 : Week 18 : Market Forces although I'm not all the way through the chapter or started the online tutorials, it also seems to make sense.

So week 19 and Week 20's reading to do still need to get the iCMA in on time and somehow find the motivation and drive to sort the TMA out.

It is surprising how quickly things can get out of hand and you feel ridiculously and uncontrollably behind the work schedule, and with me the knowledge of being behind the study curve  hampers motivation rather than enhances it.

I need to get a grip!!!