Some general Arts questions, Maynooth

Ellen O123

Hi, I'm thinking of going to Maynooth next year,I would really love if pple could answer some of my questions to help make up my mind.

Firstly, when it comes to moodle, do all of the lecturers put their notes up on it?

Secondly, are past exam papers made available online or by other means for the students to access and prepare for exams? (for example in UCD you can get them on "blackboard")

Thirdly, when I was at the open day I was told that for some lectures in first year, there could be 500 students in a lecture, like in Sociology or anthropology for example, I just wanted to know would there ever be lots of students talking and messing during the lectures and are the lecturers able to deal with misbehaving students? Because when i was in UCD I couldn't hear half of what my lecturers were on about 'coz students were talking, messing, imitating the lecturers and throwing stuff around nothing was ever done about it, the students were never dealt with appropriately. Just wondering, would this sort of thing happen in lectures of 500 pple?

Also, do any of you have huge gaps in your timetables between lectures? In UCD you could have gaps of 4 or 5 hours! its sooo boring. what are the longest gaps you could have?

Thanks very much in advance for any help you guys can give.:)

Ellen O123

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Firstly, when it comes to moodle, do all of the lecturers put their notes up on it?

No, it depends on the lecturer. Some would put up the entire lecture, others only bits of them and some nothing at all.

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Secondly, are past exam papers made available online or by other means for the students to access and prepare for exams? (for example in UCD you can get them on "blackboard")

Most are available on the library website and I think you can get hard copies from the department.

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Thirdly, when I was at the open day I was told that for some lectures in first year, there could be 500 students in a lecture, like in Sociology or anthropology for example, I just wanted to know would there ever be lots of students talking and messing during the lectures and are the lecturers able to deal with misbehaving students? Because when i was in UCD I couldn't hear half of what my lecturers were on about 'coz students were talking, messing, imitating the lecturers and throwing stuff around nothing was ever done about it, the students were never dealt with appropriately. Just wondering, would this sort of thing happen in lectures of 500 pple?

Again this is really dependant on the class, though I've never come across anything that bad. And generally classes tend to thin out as the year goes on.

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Also, do any of you have huge gaps in your timetables between lectures? In UCD you could have gaps of 4 or 5 hours! its sooo boring. what are the longest gaps you could have?

Well in my third year my Monday is a 9 am lecture followed by one at 4 pm and nothing in between.

Daemos

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Firstly, when it comes to moodle, do all of the lecturers put their notes up on it?

As King Bob said it depends on the lecturer, but the SU are encouraging all departments to use Moodle for notes so it could improve. Hell, I do 3 subjects and the least online active one has notes and slides from every lecture. For others Moodle is almost more integral to the course than the lectures themselves.

Thirdly, when I was at the open day I was told that for some lectures in first year, there could be 500 students in a lecture, like in Sociology or anthropology for example, I just wanted to know would there ever be lots of students talking and messing during the lectures and are the lecturers able to deal with misbehaving students? Because when i was in UCD I couldn't hear half of what my lecturers were on about 'coz students were talking, messing, imitating the lecturers and throwing stuff around nothing was ever done about it, the students were never dealt with appropriately. Just wondering, would this sort of thing happen in lectures of 500 pple?

I've never seen anything even remotely like that. Yes you'll occasionally have someone whispering a bit too loudly but the lecturers are well capable of putting a stop to it.

mickstupp

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Secondly, are past exam papers made available online or by other means for the students to access and prepare for exams? (for example in UCD you can get them on "blackboard")

http://library.nuim.ie/expert

Ellen O123 wrote: »

... I just wanted to know would there ever be lots of students talking and messing during the lectures and are the lecturers able to deal with misbehaving students? ... Just wondering, would this sort of thing happen in lectures of 500 pple?

Happened in a fair few of the larger classes I was in during first year, that was a subject with 400-ish I think. Happens sometimes in smaller classes too, though very rarely in my experience. Depends on the group of people I suppose. Some lecturers are very good at dealing with it, some don't even bother trying. Simple solution: sit up the front so you can hear he/she is saying. If you still don't get it, use their office hours to ask about whatever you missed. There's no point whatsoever asking ignorant people to be quiet. Chances are they just won't understand the words you're using, end up looking at you like you've three heads.

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Also, do any of you have huge gaps in your timetables between lectures? In UCD you could have gaps of 4 or 5 hours! its sooo boring. what are the longest gaps you could have?

Yes, a few large gaps. The longest I have this semester is five hours before three classes in a row. Perfect time to study, get up to date with readings, do essays and other assignments. Whether the gap is boring or not is entirely up to you.

Jimmy Iovine

Ellen O123 wrote: »

Firstly, when it comes to moodle, do all of the lecturers put their notes up on it?

Thirdly, when I was at the open day I was told that for some lectures in first year, there could be 500 students in a lecture, like in Sociology or anthropology for example, I just wanted to know would there ever be lots of students talking and messing during the lectures and are the lecturers able to deal with misbehaving students? Because when i was in UCD I couldn't hear half of what my lecturers were on about 'coz students were talking, messing, imitating the lecturers and throwing stuff around nothing was ever done about it, the students were never dealt with appropriately. Just wondering, would this sort of thing happen in lectures of 500 pple?

Also, do any of you have huge gaps in your timetables between lectures? In UCD you could have gaps of 4 or 5 hours! its sooo boring. what are the longest gaps you could have?

1. It differs between lecturers. I have had lecturers that have had all relevant links up from before the semester even started. At the moment, in third year, I have a lecturer that doesn't put up any notes at all. He might put up a long quotation that he used in the lecture, that's it. Once you go to his lectures you realise he doesn't use any slides as such and just speaks to the class from the stage walking around. It's nearly better that way because what he does say is entirely relevant. On the other hand I have a lecturer who puts up 65 slides for one lecture. It's full of wishy washy stuff.

2. If you do English, Geography, Sociology etc. then you will be in with 450 other students. You will be in JH1. The noise travels straight from the back to the front. Best place to sit I think is not up in the front section with the matures but in the first fw rows of the main part. Another good place is over to the side of the very front section. That way you are partly blocked off from the noise coming down. Be aware though the heating is tempermental in their so you could easily find yourself sitting beside a heater that you can't see in the middle of April.

3. As for the gaps in the timetables. Last year I had on lecture on a Monday at 9 and I wasn't in till the Tuesday at 11. This semester I am finished at 5 on a Tuesday and not in again until Thursday at 12. Sure it can be boring at times, but only if you let it become so. Having all day off of a Wednesday is great. I'd recommend it

Thwip!

with regards to the timetables, in my first year my wednesday had a 9am and a 5pm...that was it

depends on the subjects though

Ellen O123

thanks very much for your replies guys, i apprecriate it.

With regard to 4/5/6 hour gaps, do you guys find it hard to kill time? I would be commuting, so i wouldn't be able to go home during these gaps, so thats why id be abit concerned about them. Those of you who have or have had a lecture at 9 for example and then nothing until 4pm or 5pm, would you find it long hanging around all day, or would you simply skip the last lecture as LOADSA pple would do in UCD?!!

I just thought of another question actually, not exatly related to arts, but anyway, was just wondering, is it hard to get lockers in maynooth to store your stuff in? And do you have to pay a fee to use it for the year? I can't remember seeing any when i was at the openday...

thanks again

Aurongroove

Skipping lectures is a personal choice and its not about wither "everybody does it" or not.
Some people do well only by attending lectures, and others can study hard, but attend only so many lectures and still do OK.
I personally did no studying, literally, but I did almost failed my degree at one stage, I did however attend every lecture I possibly could and depending of the lecturer I find them much much better for learning then studying (personally).

If you're asking wither or not your attendance is policed then, no, but it is your degree, so don't go crying to your lecturers if you've failed miserably because you decided waiting for a lecture was to boring and "everybody skips it anyways".


Besides, 80% of your degree is earned between lectures. Maynooth has reading rooms, computer rooms, the library and all sorts of nooks and crannies for you to study, finish assignments and chat to classmates; and all of this happens between lectures.

also, I've seen "school locker" type lockers in the arts block but i'm not sure what their purpose are.
I'd be surprise if they weren't for students to use.

Aurongroove

I remember in one semester two years ago, I ended up having a 9:00 lecture and a 5:00 lecture. on a Monday I believe.

they don't go out of their way to **** you over, but some semesters are good and others iffy (this semester all my lectures fell on Monday, Score!)

others weren't too great. I remember in first year I used to go home for weekends (HOME home; in Mayo) I could've went home Thursday morning each weekend of a certain semester (my last lecture was Wednesday 5:00) but I had one measly lecture at 2:00 on Friday which basically kept me on campus for 48 more hours.

it was also the lecture I enjoyed going to the least (I've since forgotten which subject).

Thwip!

theres always ways to kill time, theres always a friend who's free at the same time. arrange to meet up, get food, hang out...never a dull moment

Seren_

Ellen O123 wrote: »

thanks very much for your replies guys, i apprecriate it.

With regard to 4/5/6 hour gaps, do you guys find it hard to kill time? I would be commuting, so i wouldn't be able to go home during these gaps, so thats why id be abit concerned about them. Those of you who have or have had a lecture at 9 for example and then nothing until 4pm or 5pm, would you find it long hanging around all day, or would you simply skip the last lecture as LOADSA pple would do in UCD?!!

You could do some study or whatever in the library. Some clubs & socs have classes on during the day. Then there's the gym or the pool, you can hang around in the arts block/common room... There's loads that you can do

Ellen O123 wrote: »

I just thought of another question actually, not exatly related to arts, but anyway, was just wondering, is it hard to get lockers in maynooth to store your stuff in? And do you have to pay a fee to use it for the year? I can't remember seeing any when i was at the openday...

thanks again

Lockers cost €10 to rent for the year - you'll get an email before the semester begins about how to sign up for one. There's a few threads on here about it too iirc. There's lockers in the arts block & Callan building on north campus, and some on south campus too.

squishykins

I commute too, there's really no problem killing time, in Arts you meet all sorts of people with different timetables so there's always someone about, and even if there isn't, I just take my laptop to the common room and either mess about on boards/facebook or get some work done, it's grand!