DD309 : Doing economics: people, markets and policy - Week 1

	Week 1 – Industrial capitalism, markets and economics Part Task 1.1 Explore the DD309 study materials Read online welcome letter 1.2 Using forums in DD309 Read forum information 1.3 Industrial capitalism, markets and economics Read DEPMP, Book 1, Part I, Chapter 1 1.4 Rethinking market economics View a short film 1.5 Online tutorials: Game theory Complete Game theory I and Game theory II 1.6 [Optional] Tutorial 3: Modelling demand DD202 CD-ROM tutorial (revision material)
	Even before you get to 1.3 and opened the book for the first time (were you to do everything in the order suggested)  there was quite a bit of reading in 1.1 and 1.2. The main message I took from these sections was that Level 3 courses will be a bit of a step up from Level 2, a far bigger step than that from Level 1 to Level 2
	The TMAs on their own are around 50% bigger in terms of word count and require a far better standard of answer than I have been used to for the last three years.( Writing at Level 3 ) From the DD309 Course Webpage the TMAs are made up of the following sections. TMA/EMA Cut-off date Word limit Weighting 01 18 Nov. 2014 Part A: 800 Part B: 1800 20% (substitutable) 02 6 Jan. 2015 Part A: 700 Part B: 700 Part C: 1400 20% (substitutable) 03 10 Feb. 2015     Part A: 800 Part B: 1500 20% (substitutable) 04 10 Mar 2015 Part A: 800 Part B: 1500 15% (substitutable) 05 21 April 2015 Part A: 1200 Part B: 800 15% (substitutable) 06 12 May 2015 1200 10% (non-substitutable) EMA 5 June 2015 5000
	So, if nothing else this demonstrates the need to keep up to schedule, I'm not going to be able to wing a 2600 TMA in a day or so........ At least Chapter 1 was fairly straight forward and I still remember and understand the game theory sections from DD209, so not too much of a study shock from Week 1. GRETL and the accompanying data sets for Part 1 are downloaded and installed, but as yet I've not attempted to do anything with them. TUTORIALS Mid-week last week the tutorial dates came through, and then went away again.....and then came back. Initially I was very disappointed at there only being three face to face tutorials and the rest, five I think, are online. I like the chance to meet other students face to face and this has been severely reduced now. The DD309 that is running now had tutorials in London and they seemed to meet up before/after for drinks/discussions which seems a good idea, but now I will be driving that is less likely especially if there is only three tutorials as it doesn't really afford the opportunity to develop relationips. On the plus side it will cut down on traveling and getting up really early, and as long as the 'technicals' are up to speed, it may be a fairly efficient way to do tutorials...... we will see.
	It would appear that the tutorials are a real lottery. Those in London, Tonbridge and Cardiff have 6 face to face tutorials, while those in Ireland have only two face to face tutorials, so there doesn't seem to be any set standards for the learning experience.