The websites for both M250 and TM254 open on Tuesday, so I’ll have another post later this week, maybe on the weekend, after having a bit of a nose around. But M250 books arrived a couple of days ago. My study area had … deteriorated its study-conducive environment … since I finished (or really started) revision this summer, so I decided to tidy it up nice and proper before unboxing my new materials. Here they are:
The contents are:
- Getting started with objects
- Units 1-5
- Inheritance and how to program
- Units 6-8
- Collections and file I/O
- Units 9-12
- Exam Handbook
- Contents Checklist
In addition to the books, there’s also a module guide and a software guide, which are only available online. I’m happy to look/read through these books before reading the guides, but I’m not likely to start studying properly until after I at least get the software guide. I want to know I’m using the correct version of BlueJ (the module’s preferred/required programming IDE) and plugins/software modules.
The Exam Handbook only allows for highlighting for use in the exam, and must be the OU-printed version of the handbook. So I’ve put that back in the box, slipped it under my monitor tray, and won’t get it out again until the exam.
That’s in contrast to the other books, which are now back in the box under my monitor tray, where I’ll leave them until after the entire module’s over, at which point I’ll toss them in recycling. I wish the OU would give me a choice of whether or not I want to receive hard-copy materials. I still have my useless SenseBoard on my desk, not sure if I can ever find any proper use for it.
There’s one book due to be shipped for TM254, but I suspect they missed the shipping date, which is standard procedure for first-run modules: Make certain that everything is behind schedule. The book being shipped is Project Management for IT-related projects (2nd edn), edited by Bob Hughes. There’s also an ebook being made available to us (likely on a limited time loan, I’m guessing) for ITIL Lifecycle Essentials by Claire Agutter. I’ve snooped through this as it’s available to all students through the OU library. It seems well written, and is thoughtfully laid out, so I don’t think I’ll have any issues with it.