Deep Vs Surface learning

From the handout given to me I believe I use a deep approach to learning, I prefer to learn all I can about a specific subject rather than just what I need to know to complete an assigment for example. Even though I believe I am a deep learner i can still improve on my method by incresing the amount of background research conducted into a specific subject.

Research/Design methodology

Research methodology for my research paper:

The research for this report was sourced mainly from internet sources; these were in terms of internet articles, online encyclopaedias, mobile phone company’s websites and reports. The main focus of this research will be to determine how the manufacture and disposal of mobile phones is affecting the pollution of the environment, this will include pollution from extracting the raw materials necessary to make the phones, through to how they are correctly disposed of in landfill/recycling plants and how different companies are trying to improve their brand of phone to have less of an environmental impact.

Design methodology for my research paper:

The design methodology of this paper will be in a mainly a quantitative theme but will have a qualitative aspects to it when producing descriptions and comparison of the numerical data shown, this will be in mainly graphical forms with pie and bar charts, the reason for choosing this method is it will allow crucial facts such as amount of materials used in mobile phones to be shown easily and clearly.

VARK Results

From the VARK questionnaire results i am a mild read/write learning prefrence
the results were as follows:

Your scores were:
Visual: 4
Aural: 3
Read/Write: 7
Kinesthetic: 2

If you have a strong preference for learning by Reading and Writing (R & W) learning you should use some or all of the following:

INTAKE To take in the information:

lists
headings
dictionaries
glossaries
definitions
handouts
textbooks
readings - library
notes (often verbatim)
teachers who use words well and have lots of information in sentences and notes
essays
manuals (computing and laboratory)

SWOT - Study without tearsTo make a learnable package:

Convert your "notes" into a learnable package by reducing them (3:1)
Write out the words again and again.
Read your notes (silently) again and again.
Rewrite the ideas and principles into other words.
Organize any diagrams, graphs ... into statements, e.g. "The trend is..."
Turn reactions, actions, diagrams, charts and flows into words.
Imagine your lists arranged in multiplechoice questions and distinguish each from each.

OUTPUT To perform well in any test, assignment or examination:

Write exam answers.
Practice with multiple choice questions.
Write paragraphs, beginnings and endings.
Write your lists (a,b,c,d,1,2,3,4).
Arrange your words into hierarchies and points.

Presentation review

I thought my powerpoint presentation on the subject "Engineeing designs and computers" went well and was delievered in a clear informative manner, the information given was mainly on the CAD side of manufacture, If i was to change anything for next time it would be to add CAM information and to also be more prepared for any questions at the end of the presentation, but over all im happy with the 60/100 score i rececived.

Literature review.

MOA – Mobile Operators Association (http://www.mobilemastinfo.com) have produced figures showing that between the years 1987 to 2009 the number of mobile phone subscriptions per year has raised from 1 million in 1987 to over 65 million in just 22 years. Vodafone’s website (http://www.vodafone.com ) has expressed that there is still pollution from mobile phone manufactures in terms of the materials used and how they are extracted, Mark Kinver from the BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/) did an investigation into mobile phones and there environmental affects and came to the same conclusion as Vodafone in that hazardous materials are still being produced to make these phones and the manufacture of these materials is causing environmental harm Green Mobile (http://www.greenmobile.co.uk) produced figures on their website stating around 100,000 mobile phones are bought in Europe each year with only around 15% of this number being recycled, Mark Kniver then goes on to describe how new directives are being produced and followed to lower these pollution problems. The website Moldava (Moldava.org) produced an article on their website explaining how the mobile phone manufactures Nokia and Motorola are aiming to reduce their overall production emissions, reduce the amount of hazardous materials used in their phones and provide better recycling schemes for old handsets. Even though large companies such as Nokia and Motorola are expressing their concerns about the pollution they cause the website ARP – Aussie Recycling Programme (http://www.arp.net.au/envcha.php) which is based in Australia produced an article describing how these old mobile phones will be need to be recycled properly as many of the hazardous components used as explained on Vodafone’s website and the BBC report have to be handled with care, ARP describe concern over matters such as correct disposal of phones batteries than can be dangerous if not handled correctly. The website (http://www.mobiles.co.uk/weee.html) stated that WEEE regulations in Europe have also been enforced to require electronic good’s companies to set up recycling schemes for their old products. An example of this is Mobile Muster based in Australia (http://www.mobilemuster.com.au/quick_facts) who has a number of collection points around the country to take peoples old handsets.

Level 1 Study skills exercise - Completed.

I have completed the study skills level 1 exercise and im feel pretty confident in all of the areas after i ticked the "Yes" box on all sections.

Mind map for academic paper on "Mobile phones and their effects on society"

The attached picture is of my mind map showing a range of different aspects that need to be considered when determining the effects of mobile phones on society

This is the chosen subject for my paper.

SWOT Analysis

Attahed is a copy of my SWOT analysis showing my learning strengths, weaknesses, opportunities that the HE course offers and the threats of the course.

Learning line and personal reflection.

Learning line:



My learning line from when i was at primary school, up until this present HNC course.

Personal reflection:

I joined South View Community primary school (which is based in Crowland) in 1995 when I was 5; I stayed at this school right the way through my primary education before leaving it and progressing onto secondary school.

Joining St Guthlac’s (secondary) school in 2001, this school (which is also based in Crowland), was where I took my Year 9 SAT exams to determine which GCSE "set's" I would be placed it, my exams results were good enough to allow me to get into the top sets for all the subjects I was taking at GCSE level.

I progressed through years 10 and 11 onto GCSE's which I didn’t find too interesting but managed to pass all of them, and gain 8 GCSE "C" grades, these GCSE's let me then apply for the PEO course in electro-mechanical engineering at Peterborough Regional College in years 2006-2007.

Once the PEO was complete the course progressed onto the BTEC First Diploma in Engineering where I gained an overall merit, a level 3 course came next in the form of the BTEC National Diploma in Elec/Comp Eng which spanned of 2007-2009. This course proved to be a good challenge for me as it was level 3 and I was pleased to gain an overall DMM grade.

I’m now on the HNC Engineering course which I hope to complete in May 2010.

HNC HE Skills & Development

My blog for HNC HE skills and development work.