My Foundation Degree So Far.................

Hi, I thought that I would write about what has happened on my degree so far, hopefully it will be useful to some people, maybe if you are thinking about doing a Foundation Degree (FD)

Well I am attending with my Deputy and good friend so this really helps in some way, but not others as we talk about it all the time. but it is easier to get changes in place!!

We started at the beginning of October and the first term was learning about learning styles, how children learn, theorists. We have completed 3 essays of around 1500 words, with references etc and one power point presentation (scary! )

we attended every week one day a week to our uni, but it is slightly different as we are an off shoot of winchester university based in a lovely old building in basingstoke town centre! so not far to travel for us at all.

We are now starting the 2nd semester and doing a massive 2 term projext on our professional workplace practise, all about what we do at work, profiles and observations on 4 childrens learning styles, directed tasks on all the curriculum areas, management bits as well. this is work based and we have a mentor and assesor that visit us to guide us through it

along side this we are also attending uni for 5 days in the 2 terms to undertake child development. which will look at agres and stages, we will visit different settings and observe lots of things. Again there is 2 essays and a presentation to do!!

I am really enjoying the degree and have met lots of different people, there is 12 on our course over a wide range of ages, stages and professions

The uni has been really supportive and we have been able to apply for grants etc for our fees, ict needs and books!

I hope that this has been useful, please ask questions as this is really brief

[cabin]

Hiya, this was interesting to read -
I started mine last Sept, and it seems to differ quite a lot from yours!

Like you we are based (relatively) local - but linked to a major London uni, I attend two days per week-3.30 - 9.00pm for the whole year, although the hours have now been rearranged so in fact we do 4.30- 8.30 (cut down on break times!) and some days we only need to attend for 2 hours.
How long is your FD for?......ours is 2years.
So far we've handed in 2 assignments last Dec, and have 2 due end of March, 1 mid-April. The workbased learning is continious, with two vistis from assor/mentor per term, starting from this Jan.
I'm the only one from my setting doing it and as you say it can be a bit frustrating when trying the instigate change!!!!!
xxx

ours is 4 years long, then converted into a few bits by adding years after that

it is amazing to think how different it is over the country. i could do mine quicker if i did more units per year but it would still be 3 years then

[Ruthierhyme]

This is a wonderful idea Sarah .. very much look forward to the next instalment !

Have you changed any working practice yet because of it ?

[cabin]

Hi Sarah,
we do seem to have quite a 'heavy' workload - but doing it in two years, I kinda expected that. I'm lucky in that last year I was made redundant, at the time I worked full time, in full daycare (2-5s) as manager, I now work as deputy in a sessional pre-school, so I don't feel overloaded -although I must admit I had planned to do it while still working full time-not so sure how I would coped with that!!!

[Narnia]

I'm waiting to hear if I'm being selected for the course, due to start in September, so hope I can pick your brains guys, if i'm 'lucky' enough to get in!

of course you can

have finished my first year this week!!!1

got a very good in my professional worplace practise one file (2 term thing) so am very pleased

[Narnia]

well done!! I'm rather scared about it all, it took me a while to get through my NVQ, for various reasons, so I'm just concerned my poor old brain might not be up to it!

our uni teachers are really helpful, and they do give lots of advice
i was worried about the essays, been a long time since school!!! but after the first couple they do get easier as you get to know exactely what they are after, if you see what i mean

are they having an open day where you can go and ask questions? ours does and that was really useful

[Air]

Having read various ppls experiences of the FdA on the other forum (wont mention its name as I dont want to give it any free advertisement ):jump:
The course content appears to be amazingly different throughout the country,
I have just finished doing the FdA and will graduate in September, I attended Uni once a week-4-8pm...thou' we rarely stayed later than 7.30. It has been tough going at times, but I am glad that I did this...would recommend it as a very valuable learning journey...and as there is heaps of Government funding to pay the fees now is the ideal time to step up and take the plunge!!
Air
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