MCDST Study Tips Advice

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Hi again,
At the moment, having just started this course, I'm still deciding the best method of studying out of the videos on the CD-ROM (with an extremely American gentleman called Bill Ferguson!) and the two books for 271 and 272 exams. (Ron Carswell MCDST Guide to Supporting users on a MS XP OS (271) and Ron Carswell MCDST Guide to supporting users and Troubleshooting Desktop Applications on a MS Windows XP OS (272).

I wondered what the most effective way of studying is that you've found?
The notes say to study for one exam at a time. Problem with this is that the CD-ROM's seem to mix up the 271 (OS) and the 272 (Applications) stuff.
The books are separate for the two exams, but they are full of activities like a classroom environment (you have 15 mins for this activity.. etc..)

What's the best method?

Thanks again,

Ben.

 

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Hi again,
Surely one of the 97 lovely people who have viewed this post could share their best method of studying? I'd really like to hear back from someone.
Cheers,
Ben.

 

Well Ben.

The vast majority of this forum is dedicated to studying and learning methods, so many members may feel the they are repeating themselves.

The answer to your question is really 'whatever works for you'.

Some people like classrooms (or instructor led video), some like books and others hands-on labs.
In reality, a combination of them all is probably best.
Staring at a book for hours is a bit of a killer.

If I had to give one piece of advice (and you seem pretty insistant that someone does ) it's to make notes. Writing things down engages the brain at a deeper level than just reading.

Although the MCDST exams overlap a bit, you're probably better off tackling them one at a time, unles you are already extremely experienced in the subjects.

 

Seconded, plenty of notes. For me hands-on labs are the most helpful training tool, I have incredible trouble visualising a process until I've gone through it at least once. I've always been a fairly kinesthetic learner though so thats not too surprising.

 

Thanks to both of you, just wanted to make sure I wasn't trying a method that was going to end up being useless!!
The books are quite irritating though as they all talk like I should be in a classroom and not at home on my own!
I'll go through the CD-ROM's and make notes and hopefully it'll sink in!!
Cheers!