Open Univerisity Course TM128 Microsoft Server Technologies

[kaphc]

As an alumni of the OU, I still get sent their information and have come across this course. The full description is at: TM128 course description.

 

I'm seriously thinking of registering for this course as my degree with them (in IT and Computing courses) was very theoretical and mainly involved programming and understanding technologies. I trained as a Netware / Groupwise Administrator and I still feel that I have a lot of gaps in my knowledge about Microsoft networking and this course looks like it would fit the bill in sorting some of them out, perhaps quicker than trying to teach myself and looking things up left right and centre. It is also relevant to my job as an IT Technician in a Primary School.

 

What I'm wondering, and therefore wondering if anyone who's Microsoft certified knows the answer is:

- £415 seems quite steep for a level 1 30 point course, does it seem like good value for money?

- the blurb mentions preparing for an MCTS exam, is this recognised in the IT industry and how much do these exams cost?

- is there a comparable course available in the private sector and if so, can you provide any links so I can check out costs etc?

 

Many thanks

Edited May 7, 2010 by kaphc
I have a degree and still can't spell university - but can't change the title now - aaargh!

[Kitkatninja]

... - £415 seems quite steep for a level 1 30 point course, does it seem like good value for money?

 

It depends how you look at it. If it's from a module for another degree, then, it's ok (costs a little bit when compared to my local college). If it's from a purely MCTS qualification point of view, then it's expensive.

 

... - the blurb mentions preparing for an MCTS exam, is this recognised in the IT industry and how much do these exams cost?

 

Yes, it is recognised in the IT industry/sector. The MCTS track is the new track for MS new technology, replacing the MCP track. The exams are £88.

 

... - is there a comparable course available in the private sector and if so, can you provide any links so I can check out costs etc?

 

If you're purely talking about the MCTS

 

Well depending on what MCTS the OU is talking about and what your experience level is with that tech, you could just top your knowledge up with a £20-£50 book and then book the exam yourself. Or check your local colleges (ours is a MS academy and offers MS courses at a fraction of the price. There's also NeOS IT, then just book and pay for the exam yourself. You can also ring up aiedo, they are so far the cheapest online training company that I've come across.

 

If you're talking about Uni credit, as well as a MS qualification

 

I don't know of many, I think WGU does something similar. Again your local Uni, may do something too.

 

-Ken

[kaphc]

Thanks for your informative replies .... gives me plenty of food for thought. I'm looking at doing the course purely as a one-off - I did my degree with the OU a few years ago, so don't need the course to count towards anything else.

 

£415 for the course plus £88 to take an exam at the end is adding up to quite a lot! But I do have quite a lot of knowledge gaps so might be better with something "taught" rather than "self-learned" ... something to mull over though. Cheers for the info.

[steve]

Depending on which courses you've done to date, you could do this the other way around - study your MS certs then get credit for them.

 

That way you don't have to pay the OU prices

 

Have a look at MT127 and TM227

[Kitkatninja]

However it does look like if you do it that way, you have to complete certain OU courses first before you can gain OU credit for MS/Cisco qualifications, see here and here. However I've e-mailed for clarification...

 

-Ken

[GrumbleDook]

I'm looking at doing this one next year. I'm cashing in some points to get a Certificate in ICT this year (to make use of a dead course falling out of eligibility after this year) so pretty open as to what I cover next year. I'm doing PRINCE2 at the beginning of the summer hols, will have finished my FITS courses ... so it will make an interesting weekend filling.

[kaphc]

Which one GrumbleDook - TM128?

 

MT127 and TM227 do look like you have to have completed one or more OU courses as well. It's interesting because when I did my IT and Computing degree with them in 1997 - 2001, one of the main criticisms was the theoretical nature of the courses and the fact that they did not successfully equip students for jobs in the IT industry. It looks as if MT127 and TM227 are in response to this, as is TM128.

 

(As an aside, I'm sad to see that M206 is now discontinued ... no more frogs, toads and hoverfrogs!).

[GrumbleDook]

TM128 ... I did try M206 but still have nightmares ... I hate coding. The javascript in M150 is horrid enough for me.

 

I am interested in chatting with OU to see whether FITS Practitioner and Manager accreditation can be tied in with MT127 and TM227. Something I might do this week and then take it back to The FITS Federation at our next meeting. I'm pretty sure that would interest a few folk.

[mjs_mjs]

hummm - sounds interesting - if it were me and i had the £500 i would probably go on it (if i were in your shoes). I'm working on my MCTS atm and going the self taught route, got the MS book and the pocket consultant for less than £50 and then the exam for £80 cos i get a discount with the book, so all in all 130 for an MCTS with a lot of reading and playing in VM's. i was looking at the A+ but it's 2 exams at £114 each (last time i checked) and it's not currently relevent for me. i may do it if the work place pay for me to but for me it's not worth it. but back to the point, the OU isn't alot different than going the self taught route, you have rescources which u can buy like i have and contacts with tutors - which IMO arn't as good as some of us here on edugeek - we're in the feild and some will alreddy have the quals you're going for. you could always try the self taught route first then if it fails go to the OU.

 

you could always ask your school if they would like to help with the costs.

[kaphc]

M206 gave a lot of people nightmares lol! I did the course in its first year of presentation ... never a good idea. I did get accepted to be a tutor on M150 but they never had enough students to give me a course, and have now forgotten all my JavaScript!

 

Hmmm ... there is a big price difference between the two routes, but the thing is, having studied with the OU before, I am fairly confident they will deliver good course materials. Added to that, the fact that there are assessments during the course to complete and hand in will make me keep on track, whereas I suspect that if I try and self-study I will get sidetracked or fed up.

 

I'd never heard of FITS - just googled it and that sounds interesting too. Will see what the training budget is like at school, but lol I am pretty sure it will be non-existent!

[jtotheb]

What I'm wondering, and therefore wondering if anyone who's Microsoft certified knows the answer is:

- £415 seems quite steep for a level 1 30 point course, does it seem like good value for money?

- the blurb mentions preparing for an MCTS exam, is this recognised in the IT industry and how much do these exams cost?

- is there a comparable course available in the private sector and if so, can you provide any links so I can check out costs etc?

 

They do a similar thing with the CCNA (60 points @ Level 2). You study Cisco's material but do OU set assignments.

 

You'll be doing the work for two of the Server 2008 MCTS exams 70-640 and 70-642. Considering how much Microsoft charge for their e-learning courses it's an absolute bargain. Whether or not Microsoft's e-learning courses are good value to begin with is an entirely different matter. The 70-640 e-learning course is £326 and 70-642 is £232 direct from Microsoft.

 

I did T216 with the OU and think it's a great way of going about things. If you're after industry certification and degree points at the same time they're a good way of going about it.

[GrumbleDook]

Just had a chat with the OU about credit transfers and they are not on their list at the moment so I need to check back later in the year, but they can't see any reason why not. I'll have a chat with the folk at The FITS Foundation about this too. How it gets used on each course will vary. For me, I get up to 60 points which I can can use as free credits for my course, but that will vary for others.

[Kitkatninja]

Well had a response from the OU:

 

Dear Mr Wagner

 

Thank you for your email.

 

There is no credit transfer awarded in respect of any Microsoft or CCNA qualifications as these are not University taught qualifications.

 

 

Yours sincerely,

 

Considering that I actually sent links with the 2 above modules, I'm not sure if their advisors know what they offer or if their website is out of date... This doesn't fill me with confidence...

 

-Ken

[jtotheb]

Well had a response from the OU:

 

 

 

Considering that I actually sent links with the 2 above modules, I'm not sure if their advisors know what they offer or if their website is out of date... This doesn't fill me with confidence...

 

-Ken

 

Maybe they misunderstood the context. The accreditation of certified practitioners isn't a credit transfer. For one thing you have to pay a fee to get them to verifiy your certification. With a credit transfer you send in the transcript from your old university and ask them to carry the points forward which is (or certainly was) free.

 

You also can't take the accreditation straight away. You have to have done a qualifying OU module first, with the one you take depending on the certification you want accredited.