3rd Year!

3rd Year, 1st post!

After knowing for most of the summer that I'd have to choose a project, and knowing too that "big" things were on the cards such as our next-generation-intranet, big wired and wireless network deployment and, (amongst other things,) sorting out our media services, something still niggles me that none of these are suitable.

Wednesday of last week, the situation was the same: It is quite hard to find a contained project which is SMART, suitable, beneficial and not just jumping through hoops.

Thursday of last week, our Librarian, Alison, was in the IT Dept office discussing scanning resolution, colour depth and compression settings to best store photos from the School archives. We've recently bought an archiving database, and it has fallen to Alison to process all of the School archive content into this database. Combine this with a brief discussion of how the Old Leysians (OLs) will access the content, probably online with help from "Sea Dragons" and the Genesis of a project was born: Deliver a means of presenting the Archives online to those with slow internet connections in a secure environment.

I spoke with my boss, Damian, about this, firmed up some ideas of School-job-time versus jolly-project-time, and took the idea back to Alison. She and I talked for about 1/2 hour, and we agreed on some loose deadlines. Hopefully, all of this will fall out into well presented material for my assignment...

Only one niggle seems to remain: We own the database data, we need to query it directly to push links to photos already, and we currently only have a Java based administration front end. Should we purchase the .asp (not .aspx, or .php) add on, or should we write it in house?

This project, therefore, covers:

• Learning new technology (Silverlight, Deepzoom, dz automation to process the images)
• Reading from the DB, and probably adding custom views to the DB to reduce application level logic
• Determining an authentication mechanism (which is part of the bigger picture of getting the OLs' contact details online)
• Handling the data-storage requirements, file systems and file naming conventions
• Delivering it in conjunction with phase two of our new website, with "external" deadlines - Alison has an agenda for getting content into the DB, John (the OL Secretary/contact) needs to be involved, other work projects and day-to-day tasks need to be considered.

This will need to be discussed further, but I suspect it meets all of the SMART ideals and will be suitable!

IQER, Assessment, Judith

So after not writing on this blog for 8 months, what has caused me to pick up my keyboard and write this? Two words: 3rd Year. After taking part in Bedford College's IQER session, which looked at how BC marks and assesses student work, I had coffee with the legendary Judith. I was told a few secrets about the course, and one of these was that keeping this blog up to date, now, will significantly help me when I start on my 3rd year project: I think there is a requirement for group work (again!) and for maintaining a journal of my progress.

Some random observations re. the 2nd year of the course, so far: Programming is easy. As an introduction, it should really have been in the 1st year. It is certainly the easiest module so far (except, perhaps, for the intro to computer hardware during the Summer), and that's even taking into account that I'm a developer... The main issue is that we've covered objects, classes and OOP last year, so a gentle intro to objects, classes and (hopefully, but doubtful at this level) inheritance, polymorphism, etc. feels similar to learing binary after we've been subnetting for years!

Steve's Sem3 Cisco stuff, OTOH, is much harder. It's only switching! How hard can it be? This, of course, is where my "experience" as a N/W manager is making me complacent. I'm slipping too: So far, I've had only 1 100%, the rest, at least, were over 85%... Behind too: Haven't started this assignment, and still have the chapter 5, 6 and now 7 exams to do.

So what am I doing? Wasting time installing dropbox, VS2010 (with .net 4.0, yay!) and writing this... I'll start counting my 10 green bottles soon...

Where am I?

Part of the deliverable for this module for the FD is the URL of this site, which when you print it out isn't shown! So here it is: http://fdlb.blogspot.com/

A.

5th post

The final entry for this set of blog postings is expected to be a summary of my academic development since joining Bedford. Unfortunately, this is going to be somewhat limited, but here goes:

DB/ERM: "Truly excellent piece of work." for my Entity Relationship Diagram. No feedback or score for my database yet, though...

Cisco 1: 93% for the weekly tests, including the end of unit exam. No feedback for my network assignment yet, but I obtained a "C" grade... Slightly disappointed, but my excuse is that I'm still getting used to submitting examination quality work, not documents for my job.

PPAD: "B+" for the groupwork and presentation. Not submitted this blog(!) for assessment yet, or submitted the individual evaluation for the presentation.

This is the "hard" view of the academic results. I've certainly learned a lot more than this, and so far have particularly enjoyed the work with Pat. The Cisco stuff is going to get a lot harder (I've been reading about OSPF!) and I hope my previous experience and training don't make me too complacent on the path forward!

The future: Clearly I hope to finish this foundation degree as quickly as possible, and I've not dropped any units yet: Still early days. Raising the degree to a full BSc is desirable, and I hope to do this, and complete the not-included-in-the-fee exams for the CCNA and A+ too. This puts me up to around ~4 years (minimum) away.

The big future: I want to teach. I love the little bit of teaching I do at work. With a PGCE (or other QTS), this degree, the CCNA (etc.) and potentially furthering my Masters level courses, I hope that withing 10 years, I'm either directing an IT department, a Head of ICT; well, at least finding time to sleep.

TTFN,

A.

4th post

The PPAD presentation has now happened. Some observations later. We are now about to start UML with Pat, which should be something new and meaty to get into.

The criteria for this Learning Blog includes an account of what I've learned between blog entries, what has gone well, and what could be improved, as well, for each blog entry(!) to include how I can improve my performance as a learner.

Due to unavoidable illness, the 2nd session of the 2nd Cisco set has been delayed until this week. This frankly means that I've learned little in the traditional sense, but in a softer skill set have absorbed much. The biggest of these things is diplomacy (or complacency?) about when it is easiest to let sleeping dogs lie, and when it is slightly too much effort for not enough gain. For example, I've prepared all of the printed material for the presentation because my (fully attending) colleague and I carved it up that way (he taking on the role of the third of the three components for the presentation, subsequently not used.) The grade given for this aspect was a "B+", which, donkey and carrot style, was given back to me to boost to an "A". I've chosen to not find the time to do this: Work pressures, reluctance because I know the effort won't be reciprocated, and desire to have some "down time" mean that the group will need to be satisfied with this grade for this component.

The presentation went fine. The slides, content (as you'll see in the notes for the slides) and delivery were as expected, and each of my points and slides was presented as expected. Curiously, the emphasis on focusing on less text to reinforce the images was "lost" during the delivery: I didn't read the text from the slides out loud, and I didn't refer to the images I'd used. My two colleagues had clearly put time, energy and thought into their components too, and hopefully this has paid off with a realistic mark.

As far as the team work element goes, I think I've worked out why I've felt so awkward about the whole exercise: Obviously this task is in an educational environment, but the challenge of identifying key "roles" between ourselves is one that is simply not sensible, and nor does it apply in the real world... How often are you forced to work within a prescribed team without your roles being identified from the start? What about when money isn't a factor, but time is (we're not getting paid/making money doing this work, so "real" pressures are a factor)? Equally, and depending upon what level one examines the exercise, those who are unable to donate the required time, energy and application to this task let down the other members; the others (including me) are then forced to make decisions regarding external, uncontrolled/uncontrollable aspects. Being asked to "find" (nominate?) a team leader, and other "workers" etc. is awkward on a level playing field, and as a group, we failed to do this. Had we thought outside the box, the carving of roles (and not discrete areas of "work") would have been better. This still would not have compensated for the poor attendance and dialogue between the team members who were not present. In the real world, the team leader would have been nominated, voted or self appointed, and they would have had the power to fire non-performers. This simply is/was not an option on a degree level course!

As a learner, this has reinforced my opinion that I work best when my responsibilities are clear. If I am expected to make decisions, let me get on and make them. If I am invited to offer opinion, accept my opinion. If I am drafted in to do leg work, let me do it. BUT make sure that the people paid to co-ordinate these activities are aware of all of the factors involved.

As noted in my 2nd entry, I feel that I'm jumping through hoops with this module. Certainly the content covered (being able to present, write and consider) are all important, and I feel that this stuff does need inclusion. We have all passed the group work. Hopefully, these entries and my other coursework/material will support a satisfactory grade for this module.

Perhaps what I'm disappointed with, really, is that the content covered in the presentation task is relevent to our course, and yet we've not really studied it because we've focused on the the form rather than the content too much.

Again, I'm leaving the reader on a low; and my excuse is having spent all of the time concurrently during this module working on a whole new network infrastructure for my day job. Unlike the normal excuse of "communication", I'm blaming this one on time and motivation - the lack of both...

3rd post

The 3rd post.

Outside of PPAD, we're now back into the swing of things for the 2nd of the four networking modules. Some updates of where both units (PPAD, NW) are:

PPAD: After another disappointing attendance in which only two of the four of us turned up (and with no apologies) my classmate and I carved up the whole of the remaining presentation elements between us. I'm certain that this will not have "gone down a treat" at all, and will have fireworks this evening.

I've completed the deliverables required: I've got enough slides, they are edited, the flyer can be flown, and the leaflet leafed. I'm happy with the output for all three: There are running themes for the design, image linkage and language choices, and nothing has been left out.

This evening is the penultimate PPAD session, and the presentation is in two weeks time, after half term/study week. I feel that we'll be fine for the presentation, but that the group attendance and dynamic could have been slightly smoother.

NW: Straight back into the networking, and because, for a change, I'd looked at the Cisco module online before the seminar, I had a better-than-ususal view of the work we'd be covering. It is curious, but the first workshop felt like a gentle introduction to setting up a scenario to explore routing; contrast this with the in-at-the-deep-end later chapters of the first module, and the yesterday's practical was a walk in the proverbial park. I'm certain to have missed something(s!) but it was completed swiftly, and, I presume, accurately when comparing to the reports in the workbook.

I'm looking forward to more advanced routing: I'm now getting out of my comfort level with my day-job networking experiences, and I'm excited about learning new concepts and getting hands-on practice.

I've not had either of my marks back yet, for ERM or NW. This is slightly disappointing; no news is not good news: It is always better to know something. I'm hoping that I'll get these marks before PPAD finishes, and we go into the next module (which I think is UML and business logic).

As a learner, things are getting more creative again, and I'm back focussed on the NW side of things. The PPAD presentation, and the documents required will be completed, of course, but this module feels more "compulsory" than the others, and although is getting the same attention, feels a little underwhelming compared to the more technically advanced NW and ERM/DB/UML sides of the course.

TTFN, A.

2nd entry

The second entry.

I wanted to write this a few weeks ago, but like the promise of keeping a diary after Christmas and the New Year, it seems to be the last thing on my mind.

This journal is supposed to reflect what I am learning now on the Foundation Degree, but this is tricky to reflect upon; the Cisco Introduction to Networks has finished, the assignment for this, and for the databases/ERM module has been complete, and the only work now going on is preparation for the PowerPoint show on the legal aspects of computing.

I passed the Cisco "exam" easily, and I hope my assignments for both modules reflect my (hopeful) understanding of the material in the course, and its application. I'm looking forward to starting the 2nd Cisco module, and looking more closely at the business practices for UML.

As far as the group project goes, I and we are in an awkward position: There are only four people taking this module. Out of those four, only I have turned up for all of the sessions. A fellow student has attended all but one, and the others have been more sporadic because of personal circumstances.

Of all the things I'm learning on the course, the most important two, currently, are that of tolerance, and of not overestimating what people can do. I've missed a mid-session deadline. I've also failed to write up the minutes for last weeks' "meeting" (with just two of us) so far. But I have produced slides, had them very critically evaluated (twice) and have taken this newly found weakness to heart: Without excellent examples, it is very hard to receive criticism without responding.

I am finding this module the hardest so far, which is why it has taken me 2 1/2 weeks to write this 2nd blog: The lack of attendance from "equal" group members is awkward. We are forced to juxtapose best business practice with fellow students, who are all part time, with family committments, full time jobs and other coursework, and be expected to conduct ourselves as if we are ruthless and autonomous. This is dangerous ground; where does compassion stop, and selfishness begin?

At the end of the day, I am undertaking this foundation degree so that I can gain the experiences and certification necessary to improve my chances of a better job. I am not undertaking it to drag fellow students into working (that is their own perogative at "degree level"), nor am I here to beat myself up about the compassion/attendance arguement (that is why it is a tutored and group lead set of sessions).

I suspect that the "group" will perform adequately, and will "pass" the module, but it will not and does not hold the satisfaction of "learning" something concrete. Ultimately, this is not a course in interpersonal skills and project management, but one of Information Technology and Networking.

That's it from a slightly cynical me.