Current Affairs

[Kendhni]

1. That is what the sessions my neighbour attended were all about since there was an anticipation that we would not return to some semblance of normality until Q3 or Q4 this year. I would disagree with you about the winter wave, I believe the severity was well predicted from Q3 last year (although many just put that down to doom mongers).

2. I can't speak for Starmer, but my interpretation is that despite many claims that remote learning was letting the kids down, there is no doubt that when the chips were down the students have been learning and studying, and proved that through their exam results. On the other hand I still believe that children/teens need the social interaction with their peers.

3. Certainly will and you will be glad to hear that it will probably bug me all day until I do remember

I mostly agree with you about your concerns but I think you underestimate the resilience of the younger generation and how well most have coped with course work. There is something to be said (in some instances) about having to try to figure it out yourself rather than just getting the answer from a teacher.

I am not a fan of Starmer but there is a clue in his job title ... leader of the opposition. I have always said I would prefer a much more collaborative form of government but that is not the system we have. The leader of the opposition is expected to counter, question and disrupt government ensuring due diligence is done (something this government has seriously lacked in) ... it has (generally) always been that way in the UK whether it be Labour or Tory in power.

[towny44]

Ken, regarding point one, I would just like to point out that here in mainland Britain, August is regarded as summer not autumn, and I assume your teacher union friend"s sessions were held during the school holidays, well before the 2nd wave started..

[Kendhni]

Ken, regarding point one, I would just like to point out that here in mainland Britain, August is regarded as summer not autumn, and I assume your teacher union friend"s sessions were held during the school holidays, well before the 2nd wave started..

Here in the stix us culchies also consider August as summer

Shortly after the first lockdown was lifted you will remember I was relating (in posts on this board) some information that was coming from our own CMO ... he had referred to the first wave as the 'dress rehearsal' for what was coming - so we (as in the company I work for) knew what to expect, I am guessing SAGE, and therefore the government, also had similar information available to them ... and that was the reason for the sessions my neighbour attended - to mitigate the impact of another wave/lockdown on students education and examinations. Irrespective they had a year to prepare, and for some reason were not able to do so.

My only point though is that I believe Starmer is correct in raising the questions and hopefully the government will provide answers.

[Kendhni]

PS: I should add that I don't know her exact role but I don't believe it has anything to do with a union.

[Ranchi]

‘There is something to be said (in some instances) about having to try to figure it out yourself rather than just getting the answer from a teacher.’

I agree entirely. Problem solving and investigative skills are very important. Practical skill though will have suffered and this will have an effect for many years ( having said that, practical skills have been sacrificed over many years and a depressing number of pupils are fed a diet of teacher demonstrations and YouTube videos- as a result of cost cutting, timetable pressures and H&S fears.)
At an individual level, I fear that pupils who have been awarded moderate grades ( I was quite please with a’D’ in one of my A level subjects!) in exams will feel undervalued when the media is full the inflated grades in this year’s results.
Also, if there hasn’t been sufficient differentiation at the upper grade levels then a significant number of students may find themselves facing dauntingly difficult ( or even unsuitable) courses in the months ahead.

Having spent a good chunk of my working life in education (schools & exam board) I recall last year saying to a friend that I had confidence in the assessment system being able to cope with the situation and would in the main, give candidates a reliable result. The last minute changes to assessment models (firstly in Scotland) made in 2020 went some way to explain last year’s exam mess but I really thought they would have got it right this year.

[Kendhni]

Having spent a good chunk of my working life in education (schools & exam board) I recall last year saying to a friend that I had confidence in the assessment system being able to cope with the situation and would in the main, give candidates a reliable result. The last minute changes to assessment models (firstly in Scotland) made in 2020 went some way to explain last year’s exam mess but I really thought they would have got it right this year.

I got sub contracted to NAA for several months (probably about 15 years ago) and had to work with multiple exam boards. I remember one of the people I worked with was a musician in one of the pop bands from the 1970's era (possibly ELO?). Boy did I have my eyes opened about parental interference, pretty much every time we came up with solutions the response was along the lines of 'oh no, you can't do that, parents would be up in arms'. At one point I suggested that the problem was not in the solution it was the need to re-educate parents (suffice to say that went down like a lead balloon).

Even back then I remember being in a meeting discussing remote learning and remote exams but my perception was that, rather than pushing forward with ideas, they were immediately shut down - often by senior people with no alternative ideas of their own. In the end I asked my pimp (as I called my boss) to find me another contract because I felt I was just banging my head on a wall ... I left with the impression (rightly or wrongly) that their mantra was 'this is how it is and this is how it will stay'. I felt sorry for many of the staff who were idea people and wanted to evolve and modernise but were left drowning in old traditionalism.

[david63]

I left with the impression (rightly or wrongly) that their mantra was 'this is how it is and this is how it will stay'. I felt sorry for many of the staff who were idea people and wanted to evolve and modernise but were left drowning in old traditionalism.

Isn't that the same situation in any "government" department - the NHS being a prime example.

[Kendhni]

I have worked as a contractor in many branches of government and you are right, most are the same, any attempt at evolution is met with pushback so things usually move at a glacial pace.

[Mervyn and Trish]

The alternative which also exists of course is that every government makes changes, for example to the NHS, that the next reverses, and so it goes on. Sometimes what works is the best approach.

[david63]

Sometimes what works is the best approach.

aka - if it aint broke, don't fix it

[Ranchi]

changed my mind!

[Kendhni]

Sometimes what works is the best approach.

aka - if it aint broke, don't fix it

Sadly that mentality would mean that we would still be trying to find a use for the wheel.

[oldbluefox]

Once the 'suits' with numerous degrees start getting involved you can be sure they will come up with ideas which you know will not work. Unfortunately they rarely if ever consult those working on the shop floor who know what works and what doesn't.

[david63]

Sadly that mentality would mean that we would still be trying to find a use for the wheel.

Would that be the square one?

[Kendhni]

Indeed, but then the traditionalists point out that it doesn't roll down a hill.

[Kendhni]

I read that all landlines may be phased out by 2025. Makes sense this hangover from the last century is overdue being removed. It must be expensive to maintain all the old equipment. Puts the onus on the telecom companies to ensure that everyone has reliable mobile and broadband access.

[david63]

I read that all landlines may be phased out by 2025.

Can't imagine that happening - they will not even have fibre broadband in by then and what about the thousands who do not have mobile phones, not to mention businesses.

[towny44]

I read that all landlines may be phased out by 2025. Makes sense this hangover from the last century is overdue being removed. It must be expensive to maintain all the old equipment. Puts the onus on the telecom companies to ensure that everyone has reliable mobile and broadband access.

I think it's unlikely that landlines will go by 2025, maybe sometime in the future, but until the whole country has reliable mobile broadband it's not going to happen, especially when so much money is being spent on fibre roll out. Initially broad band piggy backed on the landline network, now it's the other way round, but the landline phone system does provide a very healthy baseload which helps to offset the cost of broadband, which is what makes Openreach the jewel in BTs crown.

[Kendhni]

Sorry forgot to include the reference
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/experts-warn- ... 18978.html

The argument about the elderly goes into the category of 'tough' ... they have 3-4 years to learn new technology or p[ay higher and higher prices to maintain an outdated network. besides that in my experience the elderly cope very well with technology when someone takes the time to show them how to use it properly.

[Stephen]

I read that all landlines may be phased out by 2025.

Can't imagine that happening - they will not even have fibre broadband in by then and what about the thousands who do not have mobile phones, not to mention businesses.

We are one of the fortunate areas which is having fibre broadband installed. Should be up and running this autumn

[david63]

The way that I read that report Ken is that the old copper based landline will be replaced with an Internet (aka fibre broadband) based system which, again if I read it correctly, means that it will basically only need a change of handset (and perhaps a bit of wire tweaking)

The interesting point is that only around half of households will have full fibre by 2026, yet they want to phase out landlines by 2025!

And if everyone moves over to the mobile network will prices drop to a more acceptable level? Also what will happen when there is a major incident and they shut the mobile networks down?

Too many unanswered questions for this to happen in four years time, in my opinion.

[towny44]

I am on Sky mobile and my mobile says I can obtain internet calls, when at home, which seems to be a pre-curser stage to the planned switch.
However I hope that any change will allow current landline handsets to continue to be used. Pauline struggles with my smart phone with only having one hand to operate it, touchscreens are just too sensitive for her, whereas the wireless free Panasonic handset is very easy for her to handle.

[screwy]

Very quiet on here. No one got anything to say about Afghanistan.?

[towny44]

What can one say about Afghanistan, other than it has been a complete disaster. If the main aim was to deny
Al-Qaeda a base for its activities, I imagine that diplomacy with the Taliban could have achieved this without any loss in allied lives or the devastating injuries incurred, not to mention the massive harm to the West's relations with the Moslem world; and for a fraction of the financial costs over the last 20 years.

[barney]

It’s either a catastrophe by the intelligence services or the politicians didn’t listen to them.
The absolute capitulation of the Afghan forces should have been foreseen.