BTEC Computing

[MissMoo]

Hey, i just wondered if any of you are doing the BTEC national computing in the UK - i dont know if they do it anywhere else? i am in the 2nd year of my BTEC, i just wondered if any of you had any experience with the course!

[Dr-Electro]

Tell me what BTEC stands for and I'll tell you if "the Colonies" have an equivalent.

[MissMoo]

Um... it stands for... i dont really know, you just say it "Btec" no one really mentioned what it stood for!? sorry, its like the equivilant of 3 'A' levels.
Sorry! :rolleyes:

[Dr-Electro]

'Tis ok, we will probably find someone who knows.

Just bear in mind that we don't always share all the same acronyms, especially in academia. I had no idea, until someone told me, what GCSE's were, for example. Some of you have probably never heard of BCIS or APCSI, which are American by nature.

[Dom]

i did the equivilent a few years ago it wasnt called BTEC back then it was called GNVQ IT i found it shite to be honest then again ive got a huge problem with the way most "IT" courses are both run and taught.

my first problem with them is:

the sylibus (spelling?) is full of complete crap because most of these courses are 2 years they bulk up the course by teaching you stuff that in actual fact your never ever going to need to know they spend weeks talking about systems that just arent in use anymore or have absolutly no relevence to the current IT sector, i would prefere it if they taught to a more practical ethos instead of spending 3 weeks talking about PCI slots teach them how to properly manage win 2k networks. to be fair its not hard to take apart and put together a computer example about a year ago my girlfriend at the time bought me a new case for my computer (awww....how lovely) and without having ever opened a computer before in her entire life managed to take apart my machine and put it in the new case in about an hour and a half without me giving any help whatsoever.

second problem:

the lecturers actually infact all IT lecturers are wankers (well 99% of them anyways) this is my theory on IT teachers/lecturers (cuz this applies to school too) they've spent a long time of their life studying upto probably computing science BSC level (for you yanks thats a degree) and because the IT sector moves so quickly they know pretty much nothing now and they dont have the time to pick up the new skills because the sylibuss is so limiting so they're bitter and twisted. also their nastyness is connected to the third problem.

third problem:

the students, right im speaking from my own experience on this one my course was full of dicks complete skinhead wankers and complete social retards thats the students that IT courses attract people:

you get the complete school geeks you know the ones that never shave and are just outright scary and then you get the ones that are so stupid but can use a mouse and because the course doesnt involve writting just typing they think they can piss about on the net all day (and they're probably right) previsously i thought this was only my class but me and "streety" are in the same class in the art school but we have to walk though the IT floor on a regular basis (well we dont have to walk though it but its easier than walking outside and stuff) and its still the same its full of twats and social retards dont get me wrong im not saying that being a geek is bad...but come on...ill admit im a geek


in the long and short of it, it depends what sector you want to go into.

*rant out*

[MissMoo]

wow, oook, well, i agree with 1 and 2 but 3 no way, ok, there are a few guys in my class who dont shave, stay up all night and show off how they just got a new graphics card and look at the great graphics in this game.. which is all ok and that but not when you are trying to concentrate on some stupid VB code which just will NOT work!! LOL, but most of the people there are great. Yeah the silabus - i cant spell it either! its pants i agree, i have taken a pc to bits and back together again but now, my dad wants a new motherboard in his pc and i am gettin all confussed about RAM compatibility and stuff! so really i dont know much more than i did 2 years ago... apart from how to make a dumb VB game which wont get me anywhere in the real world!

[Dom]

well at least you've nearly finished the course well kinda so you can decide what you want to do.

see the way i see computers is that they are a tool they're not something that i sit and go OooOoOoooOo about they just aid me in the creative process and isnt that what they were designed for to act as a tool.

it takes time to actually find out what you wanna do, jeez i sound like a careers advisor (oh the irony, cuz i have no idea what i wanna do in life)

look at your hobbies and no drinkin isnt a profession well it is for the irish.

dommmm

[MissMoo]

lol... well, i aint irish, and i dont drink.... that much!! ;)

i wana be a pro pc-eer!? if that makes sence!?! but i never wana see another bit of VB code in my life... after college. Yeah, i also dont see the fascination in all these gaming graphics, i play games but im not particularly bothered how life like they look!!

Anyway, i am going off topic in my own topic thing!:S that cant be good, :p

I am enjoying the course, but i dont think they are teaching us what we really need to know!

[Stringy Pete]

What do you actually learn in BTEC computing?

I'm doing A Level Computing, and I'm finding it extremely helpful, as I am going on to do Computer Science and Warwick next year.

We learn about Machine/CPU architecture, programming concepts, and other things, and they are on the Warwick CS course.

[MissMoo]

We learn,
Programming
Networking
Hardware concepts
Low-level programming (or as i like the call it - the language from hell)
business IT - databases and poop
Web development
Web Management
E-Commerce
and other stuff to do with all that... I thought it would be great learning programming but all we are doing is VB we get to have a go at C++ and C# but only for a couple of weeks at the end of the course!

i am not fussed on going to Uni, i have sent my UCAS off but i dont think i will accept any.

[Dr-Electro]

Ok. I have a good idea what BTEC actually contains academically.

The correct spelling, kids, is: "SYLLABUS." For a combined Syllable Omnibus. Why? Ask Plato in the afterlife, if you can be arsed to remember that long.

MissMoo, your ambition is admirable. We had plenty of geeks in all of my classes, too. Some of them reeked so badly the professors wanted to drop them from the rolls but were unable to do so. They all flunked out anyway. One of them tried to bully me into doing his class projects for him. HA!! How in Hell does a geeky wanker think he can bully an ex Navy Seal?

Anyway, for anyone upgrading computers, here are some professional tips. Start with the current computer manufacturer or motherboard manufacturer. If you have a Dell, for example, go the www.dell.com and click on support. You will be asked to enter a Service Tag Number, which is Dell's equivalent of a serial number. Pick a "tool" which is the kind of support you are looking for. Select System Details. The resulting printable sheet will tell you all the basics of the system as shipped.

For clone motherboards, find the name of the manufacturer on the board or in system setup (press F1 during a cold boot) and get the registration number. Go the the manufacturers website and find all the compatibility info for that board. Do the same for the new or replacement mother board and compare. You will be able to determine what components you can keep and what components must be replaced.

PM me or go to my profile to get my e-mail address so you can ask for additional help if you need it.

[MissMoo]

wow, thanks alot, thats a great help, as you can understand i do not know as much as i propbably need to but i hope the course will help!

[SarcasticIdiot]

Well I'm doing a BTEC as well. I'm doing BTEC National Diploma for IT Practitioners and in my 1st year. It's really easy apart from the Programming part.

[MissMoo]

Yeah, that is the one i am doing, the first year in my college was easy! This year would be if we didnt have a different teacher!! - the new one is pants!!!

[Dr-Electro]

Keep at the programming part. Even if you never become a programmer, the problem-sloving skills you develop will last you a lifetime.

Go, kids! You rock! [/proud grandad image]