While looking at PhDs, I stumbled across several interesting MOOCs on Futurelearn.
and
I have completed week one of each, now just waiting for week two to open up.
First reflection
We would like you, in your Reflective Journal, to begin to form a clear career path.
Consider carefully whether doing a PhD will help you to fully achieve this, and if so how?
Online Lectures and Fire Drills
They don't mix.
With a few online sessions this morning I decided to be clever and book one of the small rooms in the library as I have done before.
Tablet and keyboard were both fully charged, wireless earbuds chartered, wired ones packed along with chargers just in case. And the room has a PC. I was all set.
First meeting, couldn't get the tablet to connect to uni WiFi or Eduroam, so it's down to the PC. All good except the uni PCs don't have cameras or mics, I didn't have either with me, there is only so much a girl can pack just in case. Struggled through the first meeting using the chat function, but it wasn't ideal.
For the second training, I started off on the PC but then managed to connect the tablet, all good, all set. The tutor had just begun, and I was set, earbuds in, sound and mic working, and camera filming.
Then an awful loud high-pitched noise, were my earbuds playing up? no, it was the fire alarm. I was next to the fire exit so no huge rush to get out, I hoped it was just a test. But then others started gathering their belongings. So I picked up the essentials, tablet, notepad, diary (my life is in there) and my phone (my train ticket is on there), and off I go out the fire exit. It's all good I still have internet. So there I was standing outside the library trying to find a shady spot so I could still see the screen. All was good till we had to cross the bridge, internet was a little wobbly but soon reconnected. Ten minutes later we were allowed back in, and I was settled back into the library for the training session.
These things happen and they are no one's fault, and it's reassuring to see how quickly the fire marshals cleared the building. So I'm not complaining, and to be fair in 4 years at the university, this is only the 3rd time I have dropped on with an alarm and evacuation.
A long day today reading and making notes on Research Integrity, before finally completing the end-of-course exam.
Thankfully I passed the first time.
Actually, it was a really useful course and got me thinking about areas I hadn't considered.
Now to add notes to my research plan from what I have learned today.
A day with lots of online sessions, inductions and a training course.
Starting with an interesting induction for some volunteer sports leading I am doing.
Then a training session on looking after your mate for students supporting other students with Mental Health issues, was very interesting, though did raise some uncomfortable things, especially surrounding suicide. But well worth doing.
And finally, the online talk was with an advisor about PostGrad study and it was really useful and answered lots of my questions and made me feel more confident about my first meeting with my supervisor.
