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Methods for keeping up to date when you miss some lectures?

  • 02-10-2011 08:24PM
    #1
    _NoName_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13 ✭


    Firstly, please don't just assume that I am being lazy when I say that I am planning on not attending some of my lectures. In fact I would happily attend every single one of my lectures if I felt that they are worth the while.
    But the reality is that I do not live in Dublin, and it takes me almost two hours of a train journey each way to commute to college everyday, somedays just for the sake of a single one-hour lecture. By the time I get home again after another two-hour return journey I am already so tired that I find it difficult to focus on a book and do some reading.
    I end up wondering why I wasted all this time when I could have learnt so much more if I stayed at home and used this time more efficiently.

    So I was just wondering what online methods are there to keep up to date with what was announced in lectures? (When I say keep up to date, I do not mean the actual learning part, but rather I mean homework for tutorials, important dates etc., and also the amount of progess that was made in each particular lecture, so that I may keep up to the pace)

    I know that there is the student portal information system, WebCT, myzone e-mail and also specific software such as MyMathLab and MyEconLab, but I am still slightly confused as to the exact uses of each one i.e., where each of the different information can be found?

    Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!


Comments

  • #2
    Jammyc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,979 ✭✭✭Jammyc


    It depends on the course and the module involved. I suppose your best bet would be to ask a friend in the course what you missed each day. Most lecturers have notes up online before a lecture, so you could look at them then.

    Notes online can vary between being on webct, the departments website or the lecturer's own webpage itself, that's something you're either going to have to ask the lecturer or a friend who has been at the lecture. Another thing could be to get the book that the lecturer recommends and go through that in conjunction with their notes.

    Also bear in mind that some lecturers just don't have notes and you're expected to take your own. Its a little unfair to expect to be able to just get them off someone else repeatedly, so I wouldn't miss lectures that don't have notes for them. You'll also miss little things that were said in the lecture, like certain points that could be relevant to the exam or things that are only there for clarity and aren't really necessary (but could take you hours to work through to figure out when its not necessary).

    Just my two cents.


  • #3
    _NoName_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13 ✭_NoName_


    Jammyc wrote: »
    It depends on the course and the module involved. I suppose your best bet would be to ask a friend in the course what you missed each day. Most lecturers have notes up online before a lecture, so you could look at them then.

    Notes online can vary between being on webct, the departments website or the lecturer's own webpage itself, that's something you're either going to have to ask the lecturer or a friend who has been at the lecture. Another thing could be to get the book that the lecturer recommends and go through that in conjunction with their notes.

    Also bear in mind that some lecturers just don't have notes and you're expected to take your own. Its a little unfair to expect to be able to just get them off someone else repeatedly, so I wouldn't miss lectures that don't have notes for them. You'll also miss little things that were said in the lecture, like certain points that could be relevant to the exam or things that are only there for clarity and aren't really necessary (but could take you hours to work through to figure out when its not necessary).

    Just my two cents.

    Thanks for replying! :)

    Well the course I'm taking is BESS, and the modules are Business, Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Mathematics and Intro to Law.

    When you say the book that the lecturer recommends do you mean the actual textbook? Because I've already bought the BESS pack with the four core textbooks?

    Another awkward fact is that I actually haven't gotten to know anybody in my course yet. I have friends in other courses but none in my own. That's probably another disadvantage with commuting. Everyday I arrive just in time for my lecture, plonk myself down in any random seat that I see, and then leave straight after to get the next train home. The last train leaves at about 10pm or so, so going on nights out is not an option. Indeed I might get to have a slight chat with the person that happens to sit beside me in a lecture, but when your in a theatre with 400+ students, it'll probably be a few odd weeks before you come across that person again, if ever...
    So when you say ask a friend in the course, there's actually no-one that I can actually ask... :(

    So do you know where important information such as homework and assignments can usually be found online? For instance in a Maths lecture last week I got a page with a few homework questions that we have to do for our tutorial next week, where would I be able to get that page to print off had I not been there for that lecture?

    Thanks again for helping! :)


  • #4
    Jammyc
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,979 ✭✭✭Jammyc


    _NoName_ wrote: »
    Thanks for replying! :)

    Well the course I'm taking is BESS, and the modules are Business, Economics, Sociology, Political Science, Mathematics and Intro to Law.

    When you say the book that the lecturer recommends do you mean the actual textbook? Because I've already bought the BESS pack with the four core textbooks?

    Another awkward fact is that I actually haven't gotten to know anybody in my course yet. I have friends in other courses but none in my own. That's probably another disadvantage with commuting. Everyday I arrive just in time for my lecture, plonk myself down in any random seat that I see, and then leave straight after to get the next train home. The last train leaves at about 10pm or so, so going on nights out is not an option. Indeed I might get to have a slight chat with the person that happens to sit beside me in a lecture, but when your in a theatre with 400+ students, it'll probably be a few odd weeks before you come across that person again, if ever...
    So when you say ask a friend in the course, there's actually no-one that I can actually ask... :(

    So do you know where important information such as homework and assignments can usually be found online? For instance in a Maths lecture last week I got a page with a few homework questions that we have to do for our tutorial next week, where would I be able to get that page to print off had I not been there for that lecture?

    Thanks again for helping! :)
    No problemo.

    I have no idea about BESS tbh, so I can't say anything about particular modules. With regard to not knowing people, use it as an ice-breaker, maybe ask if you could borrow their notes? You'd be sure to see them again soon after that.


  • #5
    bscm
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,101 ✭✭✭bscm


    You could always email the lecturer if you miss the odd day. Most would be able to forward stuff to you or alert you to future topics to be covered. If you will continuously be missing a certain day/lecture then casually ask if the lecturer will be posting stuff online, or if they could email notes to the entire class, for the sake of the group of course :) Most of mine gave us their web info and told us what will be available to us online during the first week.

    For each lecturer, go onto the department's/school's site, then find "Staff"/"People" and you'll be able to find the specific lecturer's page, with hopefully all available notes and assignments. I know both my Maths lecturers post everything on their pages.


  • #6
    Richieee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 59 ✭✭Richieee


    _NoName_ wrote: »
    So do you know where important information such as homework and assignments can usually be found online? For instance in a Maths lecture last week I got a page with a few homework questions that we have to do for our tutorial next week, where would I be able to get that page to print off had I not been there for that lecture?
    It'll be on WebCT.


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  • #7
    naasface
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 210 ✭✭naasface


    Hey op this is my opinion hope it's what you're looking for.

    Go to Law if u can - mainly because there is so much in it and the lecturer will mention cases. Some cases can be hard to find, and you need them when answering questions.

    The law notes (if its the same lecturer as last yr- eimear brown) gives the name of cases but dont say what theyre about, the backround and outcome etc. you will need to find that out yourself. If u are not great at economics go to that too.

    Especially because the main concepts in economics I find need to be explained rather than learned off a page. It would be difficult to do this alone or without grinds even as I think u need to understand economics not just learn the notes (does this make sense?)

    Sociology and political science should b grand to skip, as long as u read the chapter in the main textbook.
    ( I did these four modules last year..)

    Business I can't comment on because I never did it.

    P.s maths- go to maths!
    Maths, I'm assuming should be on webct.
    Same goes for political sci, sociology.

    Oh one more tip. In the next week r so u should get an email letting you know who the class rep is. You can email that person that about these issues and find out about class nights etc so u can meet people.


  • #8
    _NoName_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13 ✭_NoName_


    naasface wrote: »
    Hey op this is my opinion hope it's what you're looking for.

    Go to Law if u can - mainly because there is so much in it and the lecturer will mention cases. Some cases can be hard to find, and you need them when answering questions.

    The law notes (if its the same lecturer as last yr- eimear brown) gives the name of cases but dont say what theyre about, the backround and outcome etc. you will need to find that out yourself. If u are not great at economics go to that too.

    Especially because the main concepts in economics I find need to be explained rather than learned off a page. It would be difficult to do this alone or without grinds even as I think u need to understand economics not just learn the notes (does this make sense?)

    Sociology and political science should b grand to skip, as long as u read the chapter in the main textbook.
    ( I did these four modules last year..)

    Business I can't comment on because I never did it.

    P.s maths- go to maths!
    Maths, I'm assuming should be on webct.
    Same goes for political sci, sociology.

    Oh one more tip. In the next week r so u should get an email letting you know who the class rep is. You can email that person that about these issues and find out about class nights etc so u can meet people.

    Thanks so much, that really helped a lot!

    It's good to hear that Political Science is one that I can afford to miss, because my lectures for it are at really awkward times that clashes with my train timetable...

    Also with regard to textbooks , do you know if there are textbooks for Political Science and Intro to Law?
    Because I've already bought the BESS pack and it had a textbook for each of Business, Economics, Sociology and Maths in it, but none for Law and Political Science, and I couldn't find anything mentioned in the module information sheets regarding textbooks required?

    Thanks again, it's really helpful hearing direct advice from someone who has actually done the modules themselves!


  • #9
    deconduo
    Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 4,282 Mod ✭✭✭✭deconduo


    Another thing you could do is find a friend that lives in Dublin and just crash at their place once or twice a week before the awkward lectures. I had a friend in a similar situation 2 years ago and he stayed on my couch most monday nights for a term.


  • #10
    naasface
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 210 ✭✭naasface


    Hey no problem!

    I didn't buy a book for law I just used an introductory text from the library I can't remember what it was called principles of Irish law or something. I would only buy a book if u will be taking something in that subject later on.

    For e.g I have friends in second year that bought a statistics book and can't get rid of them because jfs buy them new and the cycle goes round an round

    In sayin that, I bought the politics, sociology and maths (course requires you to buy it - total pain in the arse/waste of money) books.
    The politics one is called....
    'Politics' ha.
    Its by Andrew Heywood. Either buy it If u like politics and think u would look at it even if your didn't have to. Or rent it from library often as u will hear Heywood being referenced every week.
    Anything else? ;)


  • #11
    _NoName_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 13 ✭_NoName_


    naasface wrote: »
    I bought the politics, sociology and maths (course requires you to buy it - total pain in the arse/waste of money) books.
    The politics one is called....
    'Politics' ha.
    Its by Andrew Heywood. Either buy it If u like politics and think u would look at it even if you didn't have to. Or rent it from library often as u will hear Heywood being referenced every week.

    Do you know if most of the stuff done in lectures covered in that Politics book?
    If so I think I will buy it then seeing as I'll be planning on missing some of my lectures for Politics as it's on at really awkward times that doesn't suit my train. I was looking at the Economics and Sociology books that I bought and they seem to cover everything that was done in lectures, in fact even more detailed than the lectures, so I was wondering if the Politics book is the same? For Sociology and Economics I honestly felt that I learnt so much more from 20mins of reading than sitting in a lecture for two hours.

    I guess I'm the type of person that really prefers studying from books by myself rather than listening to someone else talk...like for the Leaving Cert I didn't go into school for most of the last two months because I felt some of my teachers were a being a joke, so I stayed at home and studied by myself, and sure enough it worked for me, so I guess everyone's method of learning is different really. :pac:

    naasface wrote: »
    Anything else? ;)


    Yeah another thing that I am slightly confused about is all the different online systems, I'm still not quite clear as to where each of the information is sent to.
    They said that everything will be up on WebCT, but it turned out that the Economics homework is actually sent to MyEconLab, not WebCT.
    Also I received some homework on a handout during a Math lecture last week, and I don't see that homework on WebCT either. So where would I be able to get that homework if I was not at that lecture?


    Thanks so much for all the info! Really helpful! :D


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  • #12
    Hande hoche!
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,950 ✭✭✭Hande hoche!


    _NoName_ wrote: »
    Do you know if most of the stuff done in lectures covered in that Politics book?
    If so I think I will buy it then seeing as I'll be planning on missing some of my lectures for Politics as it's on at really awkward times that doesn't suit my train. I was looking at the Economics and Sociology books that I bought and they seem to cover everything that was done in lectures, in fact even more detailed than the lectures, so I was wondering if the Politics book is the same? For Sociology and Economics I honestly felt that I learnt so much more from 20mins of reading than sitting in a lecture for two hours.

    I guess I'm the type of person that really prefers studying from books by myself rather than listening to someone else talk...like for the Leaving Cert I didn't go into school for most of the last two months because I felt some of my teachers were a being a joke, so I stayed at home and studied by myself, and sure enough it worked for me, so I guess everyone's method of learning is different really. :pac:





    Yeah another thing that I am slightly confused about is all the different online systems, I'm still not quite clear as to where each of the information is sent to.
    They said that everything will be up on WebCT, but it turned out that the Economics homework is actually sent to MyEconLab, not WebCT.
    Also I received some homework on a handout during a Math lecture last week, and I don't see that homework on WebCT either. So where would I be able to get that homework if I was not at that lecture?


    Thanks so much for all the info! Really helpful! :D

    With regards homework in WebCT it should be in each topic i.e. the first homework would be in the Linear functions folder.


  • #13
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,485 ✭✭✭Denerick


    The best thing to do after missing a lecture is to forget all about it and crack open the buckfast. I reckon whatever time Jeremy Kyle comes on the tv is a good time to start drinking.

    Ah... alcoholism... how i miss you so.

    Fúck the lectures. You'll learn all you need to in the library. Unless you have a particularly inspiring lecturer I wouldn't worry about it. I say this with the luxury of being an arts graduate.


  • #14
    brownacid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 484 ✭✭brownacid


    If you are commuting for 2 hours each way you must be coming from dundalk/wexford/athlone or some of those far off places, anywya, point being that the amount you spend on your train fare for the week would probably get you a place in town. Then you could go to your lectures, get your own notes and go out and get pissed with your class


  • #15
    StrawberryJazz
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 194 ✭✭StrawberryJazz


    brownacid wrote: »
    If you are commuting for 2 hours each way you must be coming from dundalk/wexford/athlone or some of those far off places, anywya, point being that the amount you spend on your train fare for the week would probably get you a place in town. Then you could go to your lectures, get your own notes and go out and get pissed with your class

    Unfortunately this is not the case. I live quite outside Dublin and were it not for specific trains, it would easily take me two hours to get in/out of college by public transport. A monthly train ticket costs me about 120 euro....can't imagine anywhere that cheap in town.

    OP I know its frustrating going in for just the hour, but I try and get the most out of my journey by making sure I spend some extra time getting books, working in the library etc

    Best of luck with your travels. Try make as many lectures as you can. I'm in forth year and am actually one of the most punctual members of my course with very few absentees. It is possible to do what you are trying to do but again, do come in as much as possible when the weather is on your side. Believe me come the inevitable snow...its just not worth killing yourself getting in for it and you'll be glad youve clocked up the hours :)


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