Vote for Students

Whether you are a student or not, this campaign is important. We are already paying over £3000 of university fees per year, and increasing that amount is going to marginalise the poor. It is sadly ironic that when the Government makes cuts, it tends to target the poorest of the poor.

Some politicians don’t want to talk about their views on university fees at this election.
We think that’s what elections are for.

In a matter of weeks the British public will be going to the polls, and every vote will make the difference.
Students represent nearly 15% of the voting population, and in some constituencies students will determine who wins and who loses.

But who has your interests at heart? Which candidate will protect and preserve education?

NUS is calling on all students, parents and concerned members of the public to pledge to use your vote.

Vote for a candidate that will fight for a fairer education system.

Vote for a candidate that will oppose an increase in top up fees.

http://www.voteforstudents.co.uk/about/

Expression Blend & Silverlight

I am currently doing some work on digital animation at university, and the module prescribes the use of Microsoft Silverlight instead of the well known Adobe Flash. The module is based on a new syllabus designed by Philip Stirpe under instruction from Microsoft. I wonder if Microsoft is paying institutions to run their courses, to promote their software and finally make headway in beating Adobe?

More on Silverlight to come as I make my way through it ... :)

Spanish with Michel Thomas

Yesterday I found myself enrolling for a foundation Spanish module. Thus, I spent some time in the library looking for books and CDs on introductory/foundation Spanish. I came across many CDs and managed to bring two CD's home. The one I am currently trying (I am taking a break from it) is 'Spanish with Michel Thomas: 2-hour introductory course':



At the beginning of the course he sets his rules: one must not pressurise oneself to memorise or even write, one must focus, and interact with him. All seems so well said, but does it really work, that's what I am wondering? I have done four lessons but I am just so tempted to write it down and memorise it, because that is the method I have used in the past to learn languages. So I think it may be a difficult for me to get used to this but I have already learnt quite a few sentences. But the key question is, will I actually remember them tomorrow?

Michel Thomas was a polyglot linguist, language teacher who developed a language-teaching system known as the Michel Thomas Method. With Thomas's method, the teacher cautions students to avoid making notes and to refrain from making conscious attempts to memorise, promising that the teacher will "be taking full responsibility" for their learning. Thomas stated that keeping the students relaxed, focused and stretched with a feeling of mounting successful achievement, is at the heart of the method. The removal of the stress and anxiety 'of being put on the spot' of conventional language learning, especially school language learning, is a key goal of the method.

There are many it seems that have seen and experienced his method of learning and see it as a source of success. Have you had any experience with this method of learning or are there any other methodologies that you would recommend for learning languages?

Dissertation

I am currently trying to work on my dissertation. I promised myself that I would spend the Christmas Holiday solely working full time on this project. But some how that just hasn't happened, and to be honest its not entirely my own fault. However, the good news is I wrote over a 1000 words (8000 max words) today. I've now got to get on with the 'literature review' section. But as this project is novel, and I am still creating the program, it really could go either way, so I don't want to write too much and then realise I have to now take a totally different strategy, and all the write up and exhaustive referencing (and reading at least 20 journal articles) has gone to waste. So I need to be patient until my supervisor has decided which strategy to take, but patience doesn't seem to be in my vocabulary at the present. I want things done and just want to get on with it. But that is the problem with doing a joint project - in my experience sometimes it keeps one back, especially when the other person isn't as enthusiastic as you are. Have you had any experiences of joint academic projects, and how did they go?