Studying Tips

ally_uk

A little bit of background about myself

I'm 23 years old, I started out in I.T in a trainee helpdesk support role I spent two years supporting a windows environment dealt with lot's of troubleshooting hardware, software, basic networking problems.

I now work for a Social Enterprise as an I.T Technician, We collect and re-use I.T equipment primarily my role includes me building and repairing collecting hardware, and selling the kit onto the public I spend my day installing operating systems, repairing, and I also run a repair service for the project.

I'm at the stage where I am seeking a new challenge, I have been in this role for two years technically I feel I have the potential to go on and do a more interesting job where I learn about areas of interest which are networking, Linux, Server 2k3 and supporting users.

Currently I am not being offered these opportunities to progress I have made a request for I.T training but have been refused.

So I have made the decision to Start with the MCDST I want to study at home as the training centres are offering a ridiculous amount £1500 to do a 5 day course which I simply cannot afford. I have setup a lab at home in my room and have the Mircrosoft Press Book and CBT Nuggets Videos.

So I did a basic taster of Home studying wow this is hard work The book is huge, how do you guys take in this vast amount of information so quickly? I think my brain is wired differently I initially take in the information understand it but when I try and recall the information there is nothing there.

How do you guys stay motivated? I am constantly distracted flicking through pages back and forth reading random chunks of information.

What are your studying tips and your unique ways of taking in information?

undomiel

I generally just sit down and play around with the technology. I figure out a lot of it on my own and looking through Google. If books are available I'll read through some parts, and read TechNotes online. But mostly it is just using the stuff in a vm, or better yet on the job. That is how I learn best. Putting me in a class room puts me to sleep. Just reading the book doesn't really work for me either. I enjoy theory but I like getting my hands wet.

tenrou

Try the local Uni's. In Glasgow 2 out of the 4 have local Microsoft departments and run evening courses for about a 3rd of the cost of a training centre. This would probably be your best bet if your looking for taught tuition.

I'd try CBT nuggets for something a bit cheaper. It's video tutorials but the guys are pretty enthusiastic at teaching it so it's easy to stay interested. I've also tried test out but it's a bit of a stuggle. The guy doing it looks like he's doing it for community service.

ally_uk

Thanks for your feedback guys, Getting hands on with the tech is what I like to do I like to break things intentionally I am a destroyer! lol I like the problem solving aspect of computing working out if things can be improved performance wise.

I taught myself Linux myself just through breaking the damm thing when I was first confronted with Linux I was like " Linux wtf is Linux" being from a Microsoft background I never really had my eyes opened to other O/S's.

The real problem I find is the sheer amount of knowledge you need to take in to pass a exam. Like how do you guys remember the certain bits of information you need to know? I can read read read and write notes but it just goes out my head.

I did a MCDST practice exam and the questions they were throwing up I was sat there thinking how the hell am I going to remember all this.

How often do you guys study say in a average week?