Whodathunkitz log French, Tagalog, Dutch, Cebuano, Spanish, Esperanto

[Whodathunkitz]

Two Open University courses...

Spanish up to speed. Mini submission done. As it was choices and typing it was easy bar accents on people who galés / Welsh or similar. I found it easy to read the paragraphs setting the scene before the questions.

Just behind on other course L161, languages and cultures but did 3 week's work in 2 nights. Will quit now until after my next it/tech exam.

Tech learning. A few hours but mostly concentrated on OU courses. I'll start getting serious tomorrow to give me a week of learning.

Priority, tread water with ou courses then pass tech courses, then job.

Otherwise Spanish and cebuano have to wait.

Bit frustrating but life / necessity of earning a living comes first.

[jeff_lindqvist]

Just behind on other course L161, languages and cultures but did 3 week's work in 2 nights.

Yeah, that's the way! I have completed assignments at the very last minute - often with great success.

[Whodathunkitz]

Just behind on other course L161, languages and cultures but did 3 week's work in 2 nights.

Yeah, that's the way! I have completed assignments at the very last minute - often with great success.

Quite!

It's surprising to me just how much I am still learning about how to learn for pleasure, or even how to pass tests (principally for the certificate).

My last 3 years of language learning has helped. My recent job role has helped. I have to keep tabs on very many projects that only have adhoc emergency meetings every few weeks.

Rather than poring over an expensive book, trying to master everything in one pass and my mind drifting, I've learnt to pomodoro (concentrate for 25 minutes at a go) and most importantly just let multiple sources flow over me. Preferably speeded up so my mind doesn't wander.

Anything that is important is repeated in multiple sources in different ways so the ideas tend to stick. With one source everything must be assumed to be equally important, 3 sources and some things stand out. For these tech exams it isn't clear what must be learnt, each course emphasises different aspects. Often wildly different. One book just wouldn't cover it.

Listening / Reading, doing every cebuano course on Memrise and adding a few myself, readlang all helped me decide that multiple waves/sources better than one source.

Having to do tech exams that experienced people fail multiple times but which (so far) I've passed with a lot less study vindicates this as an approach (for me) that I can continue, indeed develop. It also means I can do an exam every 1 or 2 weeks with part time study when others take months for each exam, usually setting up their own multiple server labs.

The Reddit exam discussion boards are really unpleasant to read. People need these exams to continue in their jobs or for promotion or to get out from a dead end role. Seeing incomprehension, disappointment or fear on some of those threads is awful.

So far I've been able to treat it as a game. Better in many ways.

As someone who does recruit techies it leaves me wondering whether a lab builder / multiple tries would still be a better worker than me who has found a different way.

But I also know myself. This style of learning is good for me and might not work for others.

Indeed when I look at my son and other children learning, it's similar to how they learn about a subject that interests them. Multiple sources at breakneck speed. Watch stuff loads of times, driving parents crazy until they switch to something else.

[coldrainwater]

It is good to hear your thoughts on the tech exams. Of all exams that I take from time to time, I perhaps dislike those the most, in part, due to the very same conditions you mention with the Reddit crowd. They are often forced on consultant types at an alarming rate that can kill the fun in it way too fast. Very often it is the firm that simply wants to boast of having them (or get licenses etc) and they have to attend to a very rigorous renewal schedule. It creates a sort of negative pressure.

I can't wait to apply some of my language learning to the tech field of programming and computer science. It is almost like adding an element of maturity (maturity gleaned in part by more experienced members of this forum). I keep toying with the idea of finding CPE (accounting) certification hours in Spanish and with going full bore into algorithms and chosen topics in discrete mathematics etc. The latter is a real possibility.

[Whodathunkitz]

Quite a bit of cebuano spoken with wife today. I'm not actively studying it, but it comes more naturally than spanish.

Still very basic though and not real sentences.

[Axon]

I'm really interested in your progress with the tech exams. Some eight years ago my high school offered a Cisco networking course and the idea was that after two years you'd take the CCNA. After one year a friend and I decided to take the CCENT, a typical one year benchmark. It was probably the first time I ever really studied for something. Lots of copying things out of the textbook and watching instructional videos.

Anyway we failed miserably and never touched networking again. But I wonder now if my language study habits would take me farther in the world of hard science. Based on your experience, probably yes?

[Whodathunkitz]

Anyway we failed miserably and never touched networking again. But I wonder now if my language study habits would take me farther in the world of hard science. Based on your experience, probably yes?

I'd say yes. I also think the materials available are better, in that there is more choice and not just in book form.

I've got a student email so my exam costs are reduced to £75 per attempt.

If I didn't have this, there are deals for second attempts bundled with mock exam questions.

For learning media, pick an exam. Look for YouTube videos, vendor eg Microsoft/channel9. Otherwise sign up for free trial with cbtnuggets (not used, but maybe better for networks) or pluralsight. Probably others too. Pluralsight probably better for Dev? Much cheaper than cbtnuggets. Not sure what minimum contracts are but might just be per month.

Then find a way to learn that suits.

With pluralsight I did multiple courses on same subject added extra Powershell. I initially used the transcripts and as these are linked to the videos, you can mix and match.

Later I did pomodoro (25 minute sessions) with videos at double speed. Then 5 minutes of stretching legs and tea making. In actual fact if you don't drink tea, start now. Undoubtedly it was the real key to my success

I now do double speed watching on all the tech videos including YouTube and other free ones.

I just let it wash over me, sometimes take notes, but not often.

Then watch someone else's series.

For one exam I did about 15 hours on a subject I know well and scraped a pass, on another subject I didn't know well I did 30/60 hours and scored well.

Last points... The questions you get probably determine how you do. Next one might be easier for you. Answer the questions you can and mark/return to the tricky ones.

With Microsoft exams time isn't a big deal. The first exam was 3 hours and I had 40-60 minutes of that where I left early. Similar on second but only a two hour exam.

Good luck if you try. Approach as a game?

[Whodathunkitz]

It is good to hear your thoughts on the tech exams. Of all exams that I take from time to time, I perhaps dislike those the most, ...

I can't wait to apply some of my language learning to the tech field of programming and computer science. It is almost like adding an element of maturity (maturity gleaned in part by more experienced members of this forum). I keep toying with the idea of finding CPE (accounting) certification hours in Spanish and with going full bore into algorithms and chosen topics in discrete mathematics etc. The latter is a real possibility.

The application of things I have learnt from language learning, from the senior people here and at htlal has been by far the most interesting part for me.

With my son, I'm bearing this in mind.

School is for socialising.

Learning at home.

Certificates both? I can see my child in teenage years using such techniques. He'll probably not want to though!

He could easily get IT , accounting, medical etc exams if he's interested at a much earlier ago.

It might be below your level but khan academy does a spanish version. Not sure what it covers but I believe the English version covers university level maths.

[Axon]

School is for socialising.

Learning at home.

At the risk of derailing your log with general comments on education, this is a fine idea. When I was a child I loved The Swiss Family Robinson and Cheaper by the Dozen, two books which really show the value of teaching yourself things.

I remember dabbling in teaching myself all kinds of little things through high school, though I wasn't as interested in languages at all then. If you provide an environment and an example for your child, they'll be able to look at any skill they admire in others and say to themselves "I can't do that now, but I know I can if I start trying."

[Whodathunkitz]

School is for socialising.

Learning at home.

At the risk of derailing your log with general comments on education, this is a fine idea. When I was a child I loved The Swiss Family Robinson and Cheaper by the Dozen, two books which really show the value of teaching yourself things.

I remember dabbling in teaching myself all kinds of little things through high school, though I wasn't as interested in languages at all then. If you provide an environment and an example for your child, they'll be able to look at any skill they admire in others and say to themselves "I can't do that now, but I know I can if I start trying."

Very true.

I see with people I know who have older children, kids can be a bit lost, just following the flow until university and ending up with a debt and no great interest in their degree's subject matter. Not all, but quite a few. And that was me in my first university.

I'd love my son to have a career in something he enjoys. Whether it's practical (a trade like electrician) or academic. I won't force it but I will respond to his interests and try to feed them.

If he shows an interest in something I ask if he wants to know more. Often YouTube, sometimes a book.

He does it himself as well. It's quite amazing seeing his YouTube history and where he ends up.

In some way, this is better than passive learning from TV (even great Attenborough documentaries) and a small selection of books. It's like having a well stocked library (but quality isn't checked!).

In some ways we're in a golden age of learning for those who choose it.