OU - Exploring Psychology DSE 212 let's chat and worry over assignments!

[muppetgirl]

I?ll start off with an introduction.

I?m Muppet and I?m 32 and have 2 children ( 4.6 and 10 months) I used to be a teacher, early years trained but taught in yr3/4/5. I loved teaching but when I worked in a difficult school I knew I?d found my vocation so would really love to become an Educational Psychologist.

I started this course in Feb. 07 and completed 2 assignments but became pregnant with ds 2 and developed a serious case of baby brain so stopped with a view to re enrolling when I could.

Very excited to start!

IHH - sorry to hear that . Do you feel there is really no alternative? Are you 'interrupting' your study, or do you not want to return to it at all?

It does sound like you have a lot on your plate at the moment, so I hope that this decision makes things easier for you. Must have been very hard to do.

Have you spoken to your tutor? It sounds like you are a bit put off studying/writing TMA's - maybe they could offer some advice so that when you can face going back to the books, you feel a bit happier about it?

Best of luck with everything going on, and thanks for your helpful posts and discussions so far

Cocodrillo - I have just realised I missed your post about your new DS! Many congratulations, and I hope you are feeling ok. How is everything going?

IHH, sorry to hear that, it does sound like you've got an awful lot on your plate and I really hope things get better soon. Do pop back and see us!

Called the OU today to do the deed. I now have a £183 credit towards another course, as long as I start within 18months of DSE212's start date. I will have to see how things go. I feel as if I've let the side down a bit, but I am rooting for you all and will try not to feel too jealous when you all successfully finish .

ihhb - I take it you have no yearning to finish DSE212 then? Do you have another course in mind for when life calms down a bit?

I know someone from my tutorial group has also left the course - fitting it in and the content being the reasons. I must admit, I have been a bit disappointed that I haven't found it more interesting. I do hope to finish, but I don't feel it was what I expected somehow.

Best of luck, and hope the other stuff is resolved soon. Is the potential move abroad a good thing or not?

I'm, not sure about whether to go back to DSE212. It's hard to have any perspective right now, as all the building stress has kind of taken over - things have deteriorated even more with the neighbour, and DH and I now feel like we were totally naive and unprepared for everything, and probably could have handled things better. Anyway, I'd better not get on to the subject, or I might not stop!

I was a bit disappointed with the course, but that was only part of the reason for stopping. Possible move abroad was unsolicited, and we don't really want the upheaval (have lived abroad before, and it was a lot of work) but it would be a good opportunity for DH, so mixed feelings really.

Just seen some interesting stats on the DSE212 forum. Apparently only 58% of people who start the course get as far as the exam, and then 14% of those then fail. I estimate that is a pass rate of about 50%. Wish I had known that before I started

So, who is around?
Docket?
Cocodrillo?
Leda?
Muppetgirl?

Anyone? Or will I be talking to myself about Assan's attachment issues

Ihhb - hope things are improving for you, and the future is looking clearer

Hi all,

Started DSE212 in Oct and am finding it really hard going, relationship with tutor has broken down and I now only send tutor TMA's and read tutors advice after they are marked.

Due to work/family etc I have not made it to any tutorials.

Am averaging b to b- in TMA's

Would love to throw in the towel, talked to student services and they told me I was on course for a pass and to stick with it, I didn wanna push the tutor issue, so I agreed to continue.

Am currently reading chapter 8 in research methods, but can not find much reference to attachment either in section 3 of chapter 1 or the commentary? from the challenging psychological issues book.

Anyone else struggling with this?

Have not had any contact with others studying dse212, and am not getting tutor support, any comments will be welcome.

thanks

duhhh was looking at the wrong book - loads about attachment in the correct book!!!

I'm here. Didn't realise that this was here! I work full-time, single parent etc so struggle with trying to get everything done. Wasn't very happy with TMA03 so I'm hoping this project will be more interesting. My tutor has promised it will suit me better. Have only just handed in 04 (got a week's extension).

I've gone to the tutorials and day course although that has been hard to fit in. I had hoped to do the revision course but haven't got access to childcare for a whole weekend unfortunately.

Hi everyone.

I'm still here! Working through this qualitative stuff and finding it annoyingly woolly so far.

I don't think this course has met my expectations. I've enjoyed some of it but find that all this jumping around between themes/perspectives etc quite annoying. I suppose it's meant to give us a broad, shallow taster for the subject...

Thegreenchair and MollieO, welcome!

What happened with your tutor thegreenchair? Mine is a total arse, so full of himself it's quite revolting!

docket

My view of this course is that it is compulsory to get out of the way before I can get on with the stuff I'm really interested in. I have been impressed with the level of detail and the knowledge of my tutor, even if his dress sense is more akin to The History Man c1970s!

Has anyone got the Erika Cox revision notes and if so what do they think of them. I was hoping to go to the Oxford revision weekend but don't think it is fair to have my mum babysit for the entire time and everyone else is away because its Easter.

I'm hoping the qualitative project will be more my thing as the stats one clearly wasn't!

Hello!

Still here too

just passed tma 04 and off to read how you're all doing, be back later

Hi all, my tutor seems okay but all the tutorials seem to be is him telling us what he wants us to write in the next tma...I thought they were to talk about what we're learning/ask questions ect but apprently not.

I am loving the subject but find the tma's fall just when the school hoildays are (I had to have an extension with tma 03 due to snow and then half term, ds 1 was off for just over 2 weeks and with ds 2 -16 monhts being off nursery due to snow it was just impossible to get it done.) I agree with whoever said about tma 05, ds is off for the next 3 weeks, just when I need to write it!

AM bricking myself about the exam, I am crap at exams and always have been. I worry and quietly fall apart so needing some advice. The ladies on my thread have come up with some good revision/exam techniques so I'll post them if anyone's interested.

I'm certainly interested in revision/exam techniques! I work full time so I'm less affected by the school holidays. I seem to have had a week's extension for all of the TMAs so far although I'm hoping to try and get TMA 05 done on time just to show my tutor that I can!

Our tutorials seem to focus on the next TMA too. I just wish I managed to look at the next TMA before the tutorial so I have some clue what the tutor is talking about.

Hi again,
Have recieved TMA4 back, all negative comments and a poor grade again.
I spent weeks studying and am bitterly disappointed. Have lost the will to study and have not opened a book since last week.
I know I will have to shake myself and read about Assan and his attachment issues, but I know no matter how hard I try it wont please tutor and its just another one of my efforts that he can rip to pieces :-(

Sorry for the moaning - but I have no one else !!!

Tutor is soooo full of himself its more than revolting - he is a young guy and has that self satisfied "I know more than you" attitude, he is no help at all, the few times I contacted him he was practically laughing at my ignorance of what ever it was I was seeking help with. Needless to say I stopped contacting him, it helped my phone bill if nothing else!

Tutor last year was a gem....I think I got spoiled !!!

thegreenchair - your situation sounds cr*p. It sounds like you have grounds to request a change of tutor - he is obviously not able to give the suppport that you need which is impacting on your ability to do the course. Have you investigated if you can ask for a different tutor?
I like my tutor. The tutorials are not just about the TMA's and she is pretty approachable. It is just the DSE212 material I don't like much!
I've still not heard back on my TMA04 result. My tutor did allude that it was a new essay title and as such it might mean that tutors neeed to look at all the essays that came back to see what students had made of them before she could grade them. Either that or it is taking her forever to write all the comments on it lol!
Welcome back btw to Muppetgirl and hello to MollieO.
Onwards and upwards to TMA05 and Assan's feelings about his father...

Green Eggs - don't want to hijack the thread, but didn't want to ignore your message (mar 22) either. Thanks for thinking of me (things still ropey with nighbour, but work issues are more resolved, thanks). I haven't forgotten you all - keeping me fingers crossed that you all make it. I might even get around to reading the rest of the text books, even though I'm off the course (am I mad?).

May I gatecrash with a recommendation? I did DSE212 as my first OU course 4 years ago and went on to do the rest of the psych courses. I would heartily recommend the Erika Cox revision stuff. I used it in the last month to get all the studies and terminology remembered. Used them for all the courses she provides them for. Good luck!

Hi everyone

Thanks TFM for the recommendation. I have just purchased the revision pack. Feel good that it will give me someone to start with it all IYSWIM. What other courses did you/didn't you enjoy? I'm planning on doing them all, I really hope I get through it.

thegreenchair, it really does sound as though a different tutor would be the way forward. What a nightmare for you. Chin up

So - has anyone started TMA05 yet? It feels so unwieldy at the moment. I have started to really dislike Assan for some irrational reason. Probably hatred of this TMA!

Oooh, it's quiet in here!

How is everyone getting on with TMA05?!!

Hi all

Docket - yes, I was busy with TMA05, more so with the school hols. I got the TMA in on time though and was pleased to see the back of it.

The exam feels fighteningly close now, and the feeling I have that I really don't know the material at ALL well is quite erm, pronounced! Aargh!

Cocodrillo - how are you doing?

Iheart - how is life with you?

Muppetgirl, MollieO, thegreenchair (enigmatic name btw!) - how did you find TMA05, and how is it going in general?

I got an extension for TMA05 as I completely lost Easter weekend to ds being poorly. Due in this Wednesday instead which means lots of work this weekend!

Did anyone attend the Oxford revision weekend? I wanted to go but couldn't get childcare organised.

Hope your DS is better now MollieO. It is scary how just one thing can throw all the studying plans out of the window. I hope your work on TMA05 goes well, I was glad to see the back of Assan!

I looked at the revision weekend, but decided against it (children/cost/distance/faff). I shall just have to muddle through. My current thought is that if each exam essay has got to be done in less than 45 mins, they can't be expecting that much, can they? hopeful

hi, am back online after 6 weeks without any internet access. Posted TMA 05 off on Tuesday (got a few days extension). Am finding it a struggle fitting the work in around the new DS plus the other two kids, but feel heartened by my grade for TMA 04 - scraped my first A.

ihearthuckabees - sorry to hear you've decided to drop out.

Erika Cox revision pack? What is this?