School

I had to give a brief presentation in class today. We are looking at information retrieval and each week we are given a task which builds on the previous week. Eventually we will have a piece of coursework, gradually increasing our knowledge of both the topic we have been given to study and the resources we can use to find it. We have been formed into 10 groups and we work together via the uni discussion board, adding to our knowledge as we test out new things. It’s not very structured.

The first week was an absolute disaster. The lecturer hadn’t really made it very clear that we would be presenting our findings and all the groups (so it wasn’t just me) turned up to class last week, clearly dismayed that someone would have to present from each group. Obviously, me being me, I have no problem getting up and entertaining people but I DO like to be prepared. I wasn’t. And so I didn’t. One of our group managed to bluff her way through it to some extent. All the groups suffered the same.

So, for this week, I took the bull by the proverbials and volunteered to present. During the week I played around with these two databases of databases until I’d found what I thought we needed. Others (though not all) in the group also played around a bit. Then, come Sunday, I collated all the information. It was then I read the instructions. And realised I’d, in fact, prepared the wrong thing. I then sat up till gone midnight, re-preparing the presentation.

In class, just before we came to the presentations, I happened to read a snippet in the Metro (free newspaper) which related beer to our topic (osteoporosis, by the way) and in a fit of peak, I ripped it out and included it. It appears that beer is good as a preventative. Go figure. I guess that says a lot for my bone density, if nothing else.

Anyway, the presentation went well, as did my beer bit – managed to get a huge laugh to finish off. The other groups presented – some were prepared, others not – and it all went by somewhat painfully.

This weeks task, for next Mondays presentation, is more me, given we’re looking at meta crawlers and web search engines. I’m thinking of volunteering again. At least I’ll know what I’m doing this time.