Only a couple of days to go before the exam

There's only two days to go before the S283 exam, and although I think I will probably do enough to pass, I know that I won't do particularly well. I haven't enjoyed this module at all. The tutorials, with one or two exceptions, were next to useless, the textbooks, which is also used as teaching guides, are too packed with details, and the badly worded assessments more of a lottery than a test of knowledge and understanding. It was definitely very heavy going for a 30 credit level 2 module. Every year a number of people not only pass but also get a good grade, so it might be that this subject just might not be for me. If I muff it, and there's always the chance I will do that, I'll think I'll wait for the first presentation of S287 Planetary Science rather than attempt the resit. It will undoubtedly contain similar material but the assessment regime might be better. And there's always the possibility that it might have a lighter workload. I suspect most of the tutors will still be as bad though.

Although I have largely been concerned with S283 revision over the last few days, I have still had MST124 tutorials, and the one on Monday was a real hoot. The tutor opened up the Adobe Connect room, uploaded the slide deck and then disappeared, still being absent 15 minutes after the scheduled start time. One of the students alerted her to this orally and the excuse from the tutor was 'I was daydreaming' and 'I was writing my shopping list'. Although they were very apologetic and sincere, some students were not impressed, especially as a late start meant that the session overran by quite a bit as a consequence. The tutor is lovely, so I have have no issues personally, but if they had been less than endearing in the past, I would have made a formal complaint.

The Wednesday tutorial was different but not necessarily better. The tutor, who is a very good speaker, spent most of the tutorial explaining in great detail the theory behind the subject but rushed through the practice of using the mathematical tools needed to solve the problems and answer the questions. It was all very interesting stuff, but totally useless. Overrunning by half an hour didn't help either.

There's 101 days to go before the MST124 exam.