Cath Brown (still ducking around )🦆 🇪🇺💙🌍

@scottadamson11 @DTWillingham Not true universally - AI can absolutely answer many of the things we absolutely have to test in our degree.

@DTWillingham AI isn't nearly advanced enough to help answer well any question on any exam 'worth its salt'.Answers requiring cognition at the upper ranges is more than a match for AI. Ask four questions; give students three hours to respond and evaluate their 'weave' of knowledge

In the face of chatbot cheating, more professors turning to oral exams. Not really an option in my class of 350... washingtonpost.com/education/2025…

@Mikethebotanist @OpenUniversity @OU_STEM Enjoy ! Should be fun

@Harborne_Jayne Well done !

Many Harborne residents have been in touch re the unlawful & unwanted flags on our High St. Council officers have been made aware & will prioritise those posing a risk. Flags should not be used to divide communities. I will continue to work to make sure all residents feel safe.

@SimoninSuffolk Clifton Suspension Bridge!

I'm off to Bristol next week, a city I haven't explored for more than 40 years. Two cathedrals, St Mary Redcliffe, Art Gallery, Arnolfini - what else shouldn't I miss? buildings, churches, galleries, pubs, anything of interest welcome!

@Strickomaster Why are you being so unrealistic as to expect perfection ? Are you perfect ? I agreed things could improve. But errors happen everywhere

@Strickomaster Is everyone who makes an error at some point in their professional life incompetent ?

@Strickomaster Perfection is not attainable in any circumstances. That’s not to say things can’t be improved. But it is unrealistic in any system to think errors can be totally eliminated

@Strickomaster Human beings make errors in every walk of life. Agree of course they can have very negative consequences and procedures should be in place to minimise them. But having more extensive procedures will have consequences in terms of time taken and/or entry fees

@Mikethebotanist @OpenUniversity So sorry Mike - is there anything any of us can do? (Feel free to message if I can)

@Mikethebotanist @OpenUniversity What’s the problem, Mike ? As you know, there’s plenty of us working here who absolutely do care

Register now to start studying maths and stats in October! 🥳🥳👏M140 Introducing statistics MU123 Discovering mathematics MST124 Essential mathematics 1 MST125 Essential mathematics 2 Go to open.ac.uk/courses/result… … to find out more, start your journey...

Could the OpenUniversity be the place for you to study maths and stats?

@OU_Williams @JuliaLaite @mcslaven @SPatootee @FettleAnimation An absolutely crucial victory - not just for defeating that agenda, but for establishing #wearetheuniversity I hope none of us forget the importance of what you achieved

@JuliaLaite @mcslaven @SPatootee @FettleAnimation In spring of 2018, helped front up a successful attempt (in a John Boyd style from below) to sabotage an attempt (in a proto-DOGE style from above) to sabotage the OU. A very important victory, but it did my head in. 22/31

Now that my career in academia, as a historian at the Open University is at its end, I'm going to play out with 31 highlights in 31 tweets. One for each day of my final month. 0/31

@nhlanhladube09 @OU_Williams @DrMBotha I don’t think everyone in any role whatsoever is suited to it in terms of it being the best fit for their having a pleasant and productive life. That’s why people change roles. But being dismissive of other human beings is a huge red flag in a potential colleague

@NotoriousCath @OU_Williams @DrMBotha Do you think everyone in academia right now is suited for it?

I'm sick of this attitude. This isn't to point fingers at OP because OP isn't the only one. From day one you get feedback this line. What a genuinely shit attitude towards ourselves, each other, and the profession. Let's have enough imagination for something else.

@nhlanhladube09 @OU_Williams @DrMBotha If I saw evidence of that sort of dismissive attitude during a selection process, it would count against you very significantly

@OU_Williams @DrMBotha I never said I won't need people. Research collabs are good. But, academia is not for everyone. Which is why some end up opening bakeries.

Thankyou to our four fantastic panellists: Cleo Taylor-Smith, Anushka Fitzherbert, Rebecca Gower & Olga Martini, our fabulous host OU academic Cath Brown, & big thank you to all our students who attended and asked excellent questions. Great discussion about potential career paths

@kateowbridge There is none. It’s controlfreakery for the sake of it.

Can I just genuinely ask secondaries? What is the reason for the “keeping your blazer on” rule? (She says while surgically removing jumpers from y6 as she’d rather have a complaint for that than one for allowing heatstroke)

@nickhillman @AdvanceHE Interesting. In my Cambridge days my supervisors would know my name but only a couple of lecturers would. Without the small group sessions I can see how this would happen Interestingly we should do better than that at the OU, provided students see their tutors as academics

I’ve been very excited by this new Q in our annual survey with @AdvanceHE. But I still don’t know if the answer is as people would expect or not. What do you think?

Love these ! (And will be going on one of them tomorrow )

We took over the giant screen at Farage’s big rally in Birmingham