Development Diary

I have learnt a great variety of skills since I joined this course at Bedford College. When I come here I didn’t really know anything about computers apart from how to use them. Now, I can create windows applications, design websites and many more.

Networking

This is one of the subjects that I didn’t really have a clue about. I have made good progress though and have learnt many things, this can range from configuring IP addresses, analysing IP addresses to find out default subnet masks how to insert a video card into a PC etc. I have learnt very well in this lesson, the teacher is very nice and easy to get on with and we do plenty of practical’s as well as theory as this helps me because I am more of a practical person. What I could do to improve on this subject is to listen more when it comes to theory and ask questions when I don’t understand something.

Programming

This would be another one of the lessons of which I didn’t really have a clue about as well. I have found this lesson very enjoyable and have learnt how to create simple windows applications that range from a pub quiz, kids questionnaire right up to what type of weather it is. This subject again, I am learning greatly, it has been virtually all practical work which suits me and the teacher is very good and understanding when you have problems. What I could do to improve is troubleshoot more myself instead of immediately asking the teacher after a minute or so of troubleshooting and not being able to find a solution.

Key Skills

In this lesson we have been studying Microsoft packages, in particular Microsoft word access and excel. These packages I am already qualified in with my CLAiT qualifications but I still found these lessons interesting and learnt some new things as well. I am learning well in this lesson as it is mostly practical and the teacher is very good. At this moment in time I have completed all the work and do not see how I could improve on it. But that will change shortly as we are going to be moving onto the assignment.

Organisational Systems Security

Another subject that I didn’t really know about but this is one of the lessons that I enjoy most. We are learning about all types of attacks to computer systems at the minute, this can range from denial of service attacks to time bombs. This is a lesson which I am good in and wish to understand more so I am motivated to learn more which makes me pay more attention in lesson.

Computer Systems

This lesson I am not so keen on but understand that in order to complete my course I need to pass this module. This is all about learning the ins and outs of computer systems. I have learnt about the binary language, what buses (in computer terminology!!!!!) are the purpose of input and output ports and many more. To maximise my performance in this lesson I could try and listen to my lecturer a bit more which would enable me to have a broader knowledge of this module.

Advanced Database Skills

This lesson I am not keen on at all. It is mostly theory but it has to be done so I’m doing it. In this lesson we are learning all about relational databases, how to join tables by using foreign keys and many more. I may be able to improve more on my knowledge of that subject if I paid more attention in the lesson.

Website Production and Management

This is one of my favourite lessons at the minute. This is where we are learning how to create and manage websites which is a very interesting subject. The teacher is great which makes me more inclined to pay attention in the lesson. It’s never really boring and that what I like really about this lesson.

Communication and Employability Skills

This is the lesson which I am writing these blogs for. In this lesson we are learning about developing ourselves by using personal development plans, discovering our strengths and weaknesses and creating these very blogs to help us with our personal development plans. The teacher is great and understanding in this subject and what I could do to improve on my knowledge in this area is ask more question when I am unsure of things etc.

I think that I have learned lots in the matter of months that I have been at Bedford College. I have improved greatly on one of my main weaknesses of being very unorganised. I keep everything in a big folder ensuring that I leave nothing at home and also I have handed in MOST of my assignment tasks in on time. I could still improve on that though, I could get ALL of my assignment tasks in on time!!!

I think that the first few months of college have gone very well. I like my teachers, they are all very nice, class mates are cool, and most important of all i am enjoying the course. So far!!!!!

A blog can be defined as many things, it could be someone’s online diary from which the person will write posts (equivalent to diary entries), it can be a memo to the world, it could also be a personal and/or political soap board. A blog post, which I mentioned earlier, is an entry to the blog, so let’s say if this person used a blog for keeping a diary a blog post would be equivalent to a diary entry. Over the years popularity with blogging has increased in popularity. Here is one example of why it has increased; in the 20th century communication across the internet was very professional meaning that the communication was one way. As we moved into the 21st century, the communication on the internet has become more personal, people can voice their opinion and they can reply to peoples post etc. Basically, as we moved on with technology this technology has become more user friendly, interactive and more two way than it used to be.

In my opinion, blogs are fantastic. This gives people a free way of communicating to the world and they can socialise on them and much, much more. The additional bonus when it comes to blogs is how easy they are to set up and maintain. You can set these up in a matter of minutes and then you can be personalizing them and starting to write your posts in a matter of ten minutes. For a person who is not very computer literate, this is a fantastic way of socialising via the internet.

As I have said throughout that this is such a good idea I think it wise to list the advantages and disadvantages of being a blogger.

Advantages:

One of the most important factors of being a blogger is that anybody’s voice can be heard, and this is great for people with lets say for example people with disabilities which makes them unable to go out, then they could start creating blogs and start socialising online as they are unable to go out so then they could make friends online. Some of the other factors is that they are easy to set up, cheap, dynamic, and they can “break and shake” the news, meaning that blogs can have an influence on people.

Disadvantages:

A main issue is Propaganda. This means trying to change/influence other peoples minds on views and stuff. Now this is wrong basically, so you have to watch out for what you are reading – if there is some massive story on a blog and you have seen a actual news print of something totally different to the blog itself you know that then there is a good probability that the blog could be untrue. Another is leaks of confidential information – which could get people into a lot of trouble, attacks on bloggers.