OU Does Microsoft....

[garethedmondson]

This maybe of use to people here - the Open University now offer Microsoft Academy courses. The link is here:

TM128 - Microsoft server technologies - Open University Course

The good news is that this is classed as a Level 1 OU course and so can be paid for by Tesco Clubcard vouchers. The value of these is £4 for every £1 clubcard voucher. Very handy indeed.

Regards

Gareth

[elsiegee40]

Good spot @garethedmondson;

[garethedmondson]

Thanks to whoever moved this to the correct forum.

GJE

[arthur231283]

I have signed up to this course. The study materials are being posted out soon and the course starts in October

[GrumbleDook]

I was signed up but had to pull out due to the LA pay review threatening some of my future salary. I also don't have enough clubcard points ... only got £3.00 on there as we dipped into it last month!

[wagnerk]

I actually know that person who is earmarked to teach the course, good bloke

-Ken

[Little-Miss]

Do you guys think its worth doing?
I was considering going back to night classes to get my MCSE...which would be better?

[FN-GM]

Do you guys think its worth doing?
I was considering going back to night classes to get my MCSE...which would be better?

I know someone who got an MCSE in a week with these guys - Firebrand Training | Accelerated IT Training

Work paid for it as well....

[jsnetman]

If you work with Windows 7 and server 08 on a daily basis you should not need a course like the OU or a fastrack. Get the MS press books do the practice tests and see where you need to learn as it will diagnose areas you should study. But also the OU course would be helpful if you are not exposed to a win 7 environment. I'm currently on the MS cert path and it's working out at about £120 per cert. Of course I recognise the differing learning styles and some people are not motivated by self study and are more comfortable on a structured course.

The 70-680 configuring windows 7 will get you MCTS and with a little brushing up on some of the key points of win 7 and 08 is pretty easy.

I have also found they heavily test you on the new technologies introduced by these OS's like BranchCache, IPv6 and Direct Access. Never used them myself but found I had to learn the operation of them for the exam.

Would love to have MCSE or A but cannot justify the time effort and money for what will become an outdated cert perhaps in 5 years time

[GrumbleDook]

The problem with saying that if you work with Windows 7 and 2008 daily you do not need to do the course is that a) depending on how it was set up you might pick up some bad habits (a common issue with other server/desktop systems actually, whether it is MAC OS X or earlier versons of MS systems) and not have a full understanding on how things could be set up better, b) you may not have a dev system to try things on (if you are not sure of what you are doing you *don't* mess around with a live system and not everyone has enough machines / licences for a dev / training build) and c) the biggest problem with self-study is not the motivation, but the lack of mentor and peer review... I know that CertForums can help with some of this (as can chatting with folk on here) but it is a recognised issue with independent learning in schools too ... even just having a mentor whilst self-studying makes a massive difference.

[wagnerk]

Added to what GrumbleDook already said, different people have different learning styles - what may suit one person, may not suit another.

I'm very pro self-studying, then again I'm very pro tutor lead also studying. What I am against are braindumps/cheaters/training organisations that promote cheating.

Anyway, back to the OU module... It does not includes the Microsoft exam(s) and like any method of studying (regardless of self-study or class based) there is no gurantee that you'll pass the Microsoft exam(s) after the course either.

Depending on what you have, how much you want to spend and overall goal. It may be more economical to study another OU module, do the individual Microsoft modules/exams (or use your existing ones, provided they're on the OU accepted list) and then do a credit transfer for modules MT127 and TM227. Or it may be more economical the other way - again this very much depends on you.

-Ken

[Modey]

I have signed up to this course. The study materials are being posted out soon and the course starts in October

Well depending on what is your nearest regional centre, then I may well be seeing you in early October as I'm going to be tutoring this course (for the East Midlands region). If there is a lot of demand for it nationwide then there may well be multiple tutors assigned to the course.

[GrumbleDook]

Out of interest, is the course ready to roll on Moodle or are you using other things instead?

[Modey]

Out of interest, is the course ready to roll on Moodle or are you using other things instead?

As far as I am aware mate, it's delivered primarly via MS elearning materials. I'm still new to the OU as I was only appointed last week, so I'll know more about the course very soon.

[arthur231283]

Well depending on what is your nearest regional centre, then I may well be seeing you in early October as I'm going to be tutoring this course (for the East Midlands region). If there is a lot of demand for it nationwide then there may well be multiple tutors assigned to the course.

I am in Dartford which is North Kent. I would assume my nearest regional centre will be in London somewhere but I'm not sure