![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Aberystwyth Update: Tuesday
The beds at the Llanbadarn Campus are so much better than they were at Pantyceln. I actually slept well! The showers are a little unusual though - just a room with a shower in it. No cubicle or anything, just lock the door and away you go. Very odd, but still better than the cubicles with just curtains at the other campus. There is one for every 4 or 5 rooms though, and the shower itself is quite good, so it isn't too bad overall.
The campus itself is really nice as well, and my room isn't too far from the refectory and library, which is handy. Campus in the morning:
The view from just outside my hall:
Principles of Information Retrieval: Introduction to Module
This class was a nightmare, and just about the worst possible start to the week. ML's voice is very quiet, and somewhat 'drony' and he is certainly not a natural teacher. He is retiring soon though, so maybe next year's students won't have to suffer through his classes.
Although this was supposed to be an introduction to the module, there weren't enough details about the module, there was, however, a lot of pointless questioning about theory we havne't had a chance to understand yet.
The worst thing is that I was really looking forward to this module, as it is the most closely related to what I want to do, but I left this class dreading it, and the rest of the classes.
Principles of Information Retrival: Records Workshop
More of the same. Poorly planned, overrunning, and just didn't seem to have any thought behind it at all. The session was supposed to help prepare us for assignment 1 (which has 4 pages of explanation!), but I still don't have any understanding of what I am supposed to do, and I don't think I am alone in this. It is also very worrying that ML doesn't understand why we don't 'get' assignment 1, if you have to write 4 pages of explanation, perhaps it is because you are not explaining it very well. I also hope that the writing style displayed in the assignment instructions does not carry on into the module, as it is *dire*. I am not holding my breath though.
Principles of Information Retrieval: Cataloguing Practical
This class was a little better, as you could at least hear what AW had to say, and he did seem to display some enthusiasm for his subject, atlhough the information he gave us did not match what I get from work, and seemed very outdated. For a cataloguing practical ther was very little 'practical' - and what we did do was wrong (I can already create better records than the ones he was showing us). Also he did not endear himself to the cataloguers in the room by commenting that their employers were wasting money be employing them! Getting Cutter's cataloguing principles was useful though.
Personal Tutorial
My meeting with Tanya went really well, she was very pleased with my progress (despite the abysmal Studies in Management mark), and she was not surprised that everything came to a grinding halt after the New Year. We have altered the order in which I am going to do the modules, so I am carring straight on with PIR, and going back to Information Sources and Services later (which will be out in a new version in July). We had talked about me taking things more slowly, and doing the new Research module and coming to the September 2007 Research School, but I am now thinking that I don't really want to do that. I really want the incentive of having to have 90 credits completed in time for the April study school (so February really). I shall have another look at the batch dates and email Tanya my revised ideas.
Tanya also mentioned that there was the possibility of a masters level cataloguing module being released in the next couple of years, something which I didn't think would be happening.
Introduction to Option Modules and Tutors
I am still undecided about which option modules to do, especially as I have only 20 credits to spend. I would like to do the Electronic Publishing module, but that would take all of the 20 credits, so I will see if I can get any training on that at work and expand my options that way. Systems Management and Project Analysis sounds like it would be useful, but I don't think I could bear to do that, either as a module, or in my job. So at the moment I am looking at doing Focus on the Child and Knowledge Management. I don't know which of these I would be willing to drop if the cataloguing module does become available.
The info session about the modules was quite useful, as the enthusiasm of some of the tutors really shone through - and the mini-lecture on Knowledge Management was very interesting, even if it did make us late for dinner.
Welsh for the Week
As Tanya mentioned that the Principles of Information Retrieval and the Internet module was being withdrawn, I made the snap decision to to sign up for 'Welsh for the Week', as several people had said the tutor was really good. I am so glad I went - he was fantastic, very, very funny and a truely gifted teacher. I don't know how much of the Welsh I will remember, but I will do my best.
I said I wasn't going to the pub - 3 glasses of wine (£2 for a large glass - I love student prices) later I finally amble back to my room. I am glad I went though, as I do know I need to be more social.
The campus itself is really nice as well, and my room isn't too far from the refectory and library, which is handy. Campus in the morning:
The view from just outside my hall:
Principles of Information Retrieval: Introduction to Module
This class was a nightmare, and just about the worst possible start to the week. ML's voice is very quiet, and somewhat 'drony' and he is certainly not a natural teacher. He is retiring soon though, so maybe next year's students won't have to suffer through his classes.
Although this was supposed to be an introduction to the module, there weren't enough details about the module, there was, however, a lot of pointless questioning about theory we havne't had a chance to understand yet.
The worst thing is that I was really looking forward to this module, as it is the most closely related to what I want to do, but I left this class dreading it, and the rest of the classes.
Principles of Information Retrival: Records Workshop
More of the same. Poorly planned, overrunning, and just didn't seem to have any thought behind it at all. The session was supposed to help prepare us for assignment 1 (which has 4 pages of explanation!), but I still don't have any understanding of what I am supposed to do, and I don't think I am alone in this. It is also very worrying that ML doesn't understand why we don't 'get' assignment 1, if you have to write 4 pages of explanation, perhaps it is because you are not explaining it very well. I also hope that the writing style displayed in the assignment instructions does not carry on into the module, as it is *dire*. I am not holding my breath though.
Principles of Information Retrieval: Cataloguing Practical
This class was a little better, as you could at least hear what AW had to say, and he did seem to display some enthusiasm for his subject, atlhough the information he gave us did not match what I get from work, and seemed very outdated. For a cataloguing practical ther was very little 'practical' - and what we did do was wrong (I can already create better records than the ones he was showing us). Also he did not endear himself to the cataloguers in the room by commenting that their employers were wasting money be employing them! Getting Cutter's cataloguing principles was useful though.
Personal Tutorial
My meeting with Tanya went really well, she was very pleased with my progress (despite the abysmal Studies in Management mark), and she was not surprised that everything came to a grinding halt after the New Year. We have altered the order in which I am going to do the modules, so I am carring straight on with PIR, and going back to Information Sources and Services later (which will be out in a new version in July). We had talked about me taking things more slowly, and doing the new Research module and coming to the September 2007 Research School, but I am now thinking that I don't really want to do that. I really want the incentive of having to have 90 credits completed in time for the April study school (so February really). I shall have another look at the batch dates and email Tanya my revised ideas.
Tanya also mentioned that there was the possibility of a masters level cataloguing module being released in the next couple of years, something which I didn't think would be happening.
Introduction to Option Modules and Tutors
I am still undecided about which option modules to do, especially as I have only 20 credits to spend. I would like to do the Electronic Publishing module, but that would take all of the 20 credits, so I will see if I can get any training on that at work and expand my options that way. Systems Management and Project Analysis sounds like it would be useful, but I don't think I could bear to do that, either as a module, or in my job. So at the moment I am looking at doing Focus on the Child and Knowledge Management. I don't know which of these I would be willing to drop if the cataloguing module does become available.
The info session about the modules was quite useful, as the enthusiasm of some of the tutors really shone through - and the mini-lecture on Knowledge Management was very interesting, even if it did make us late for dinner.
Welsh for the Week
As Tanya mentioned that the Principles of Information Retrieval and the Internet module was being withdrawn, I made the snap decision to to sign up for 'Welsh for the Week', as several people had said the tutor was really good. I am so glad I went - he was fantastic, very, very funny and a truely gifted teacher. I don't know how much of the Welsh I will remember, but I will do my best.
I said I wasn't going to the pub - 3 glasses of wine (£2 for a large glass - I love student prices) later I finally amble back to my room. I am glad I went though, as I do know I need to be more social.