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Peekaboo

Sunday 27 September 2026 at 16:31
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Edited by Martin Cadwell, Monday 28 September 2026 at 17:00

All my posts: https://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?u=zw219551

or search for 'martin cadwell -caldwell' Take note of the position of the minus sign to eliminate caldwell returns or search for 'martin cadwell blog' in your browser. There is a space between my name and the minus sign and NO space before 'caldwell' to eliminate the name 'caldwell' in the Google listings

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They can see children hiding behind their hands

[ 9 minute read ]

Opinion based on Fact

While the best place to get information for what The Open University expects from its students; and I believe the primary source is on their information pages, I have provided my take on how I can make the changes in their policy work best for me.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Final versions of TMAs for some modules must now be submitted and no resubmission is possible. Drafts are uploaded and saved and cannot be submitted because that would make them final versions and they would be the only version that can be offered for marking. If the student does not submit a final version by the assignment deadline, the last draft uploaded or saved is automatically submitted for marking after the deadline day.

There was a message posted on a forum the day after I received an email from The Open University that read the same for all students doing level 2 modules (and above I presume).

18 Sept 2026 09:28 POST 1. '... concerned about the students uploading drafts and then submitting a final version. ....How many times will [students] accidentally [upload and save] a [draft] that is not the final version as a result.'

The words in square parenthesis I changed or added, to clarify the intent behind the post.

I am in my third year and doing two modules this year. All my assignments were submitted as drafts. I am conscious that a catastrophe could beset anyone and everyone, as a Black Swan event, so I resubmitted two or three times for every improved TMA. The final ones I resubmitted were only different because they had group forum comments on them. I believe it is only the autumn intake this year (2026) who are the first students to be affected by The Open University's changes to their TMA and EMA submission policy; and the new policies or the changes are a pilot for an intention to make the new or changed policies apply for many years to come.

Until now, as long as we could resubmit TMAs, we could work at our own pace and work on TMAs in any order. We could just bung a half decent one in and work on the module elsewhere because we are party to new information (radio and stage shows and plays; Television broadcasts ; etc.)

Effectively, because there is a long Christmas break, I would have been able to submit our TMA 01's on time (likely October or November) and use the long Christmas break to submit drafts for TMA 02 and TMA 03 for our modules with an intention to update them with mandatory forum posts; so I would then be able to concentrate solely on another module for a while; you know, become one with it. (There are twelve set books to read for A240 English Literature). 

Remember: Submit now means it is the final version that the student intends to be marked. It also means the version cannot be downloaded for future checking if we desire to because we have come into information pertinent to any improvement we might make.

Some people like to be a week ahead; I like to be six or seven weeks ahead; black swan events are grey swan events for me these days. Now, we can now only  download our draft TMAs because they were uploaded or saved, so a personal computer crash will not deny students access to their worked drafts. However, I believe there is a distinction that should be made between uploading and saving. I believe that uploading takes the TMA or EMA draft version to TurnItIn which sends a report on it to the student, who, if the report is favourable, then saves the draft version. I also believe that submitting a draft version means it cannot be downloaded and it also did not go to TurnItIn, because all checks and changes should have already been made, and submitting is reserved solely for final versions.

Someone replied to the first post (POST 1) - the one partly reproduced above

Post 19

27 Sept 2026 09:27

 

'As I understand it, we don't have to submit drafts. It's there if we're concerned about not being able to submit a final draft  [version]. At least then there is something that will be submitted  [marked]

I understand that tutors will not be able to access any drafts that have been uploaded or saved UNLESS THERE IS NO VERSION THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED in which case the latest version will be considered as the final version and that one shall be marked. This is in order to avoid students missing assignment deadlines.

The student who posted POST 19 (immediately above) then went on to say:

 '...they only send [final versions] and if there was a computer crash it would not matter, because all their drafts are backed up to an eternal drive.'

That works if the computer can be fixed in time to meet an assignment deadline; we all still have electricity; are not in hospital; ill from flu or something; at least have one working arm or know someone who understands what the student is saying and can type...You get my drift.

We cannot resubmit final versions; so we should not submit any version until it includes associated TMA forum comments if they are required; so I advise sending at least one draft by saving. This makes the new Open University TMA and EMA Submission policies hugely restrictive for me, and the best way to get the best draft marked (the last one) is to never submit a final version, since if no final version is submitted, the last draft that was uploaded and saved will be marked as a final version submission anyway.

I found some information (below) and a bit more on an OU site. Incidentally, the time for the deadline has long been 12:00 noon, but we were given twelve hours grace for late submissions on the deadline day. I am not certain, but I think versions that are submitted do not get that twelve hours grace. I may be wrong, but I am working from memory on that, and that piece of information is not important to me, because I shall send a version before the deadline day anyway, so I didn't bother fitting that into how the new policies will impact me. Certainly, if anything is submitted the student can not ask for an extension before or after the deadline time and date.

Interestingly, the Open University site (partially reproduced below) uses the word 'upload' as separate to 'submit'. I have extrapolated from their words 'Upload and revise your work' to mean upload sends the work to a plagiarism checker, such as TurnItIn, and there is no point in saving it for later download if the student intends to submit the same file since it cannot be downloaded and only one version can be submitted. I think I forgot to mention that now because only one version or work can be submitted, any drafts saved anywhere are rendered useless if there latest draft was used to be marked, and it can only be of use to reflect on what went right or wrong. In the past, I have downloaded the submitted marked final version after the deadline, but now we cannot. I advise saving the final version before it is submitted. I believe a student can ask for more time to complete the assignment if the submit something. This means that if the student has an expectation that they will not be able to complete the assignment at any time before the deadline; new expectation of a long hospital stay or expectation of a long physical or mental illness, they should get someone to submit anything, and not let their latest saved draft be automatically submitted to be marked (see the OU web site below). However, within that site there is a contradiction.

From an Open University site:

'Upload and revise your work before submitting for marking

You can upload your work as a draft as many times as you like before the cut-off date until you're ready to submit it for marking.

If you do not submit your work for marking by 23:59 (UK time) on the cut-off date, the latest version you've uploaded will automatically be submitted to ensure you do not miss the deadline. You will not be able to request more time to complete your assignment if your draft has been automatically submitted. 

Submit your assignment for marking

Once you submit your assignment for marking, you cannot submit it again. Before submitting for marking, download and check the uploaded files to make sure they're correct. If you realise something is wrong with your files after submitting, contact your tutor to tell them what's happened and discuss your options.'

https://learn2.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=245647&cmid=2741576

Also read: ADDENDUM to TMA and iCMA Policy

https://help.open.ac.uk/documents/policies/tma-icma-policy/files/411/tma-icma-policy-addendum.pdf

The gist I got from another Open University site, is that draft TMAs can be uploaded / saved as a draft, through the Submit button and may automatically go to TurnItIn. Uploading does not save the work; only saving saves and is distinct from uploading.

'How to save your work as a draft

To upload and save your work as a draft, you can either go to the Assessment page of your module website and select the ‘Start submission’ button. Or go to the module record page of StudentHome and select the 'Submit' button for the relevant TMA. This will take you to the new service where you can upload your files, and you'll have the option to save your work as a draft. '

https://help.open.ac.uk/documents/policies/tma-icma-policy

I think the issue that might offend some people, and especially me, is whether drafts get automatically sent to TurnItIn. The changes seem to follow a statement that the OU is concerned with plagiarism and AI assisted work. I say this because I read on an OU site that the tutors will not see the drafts and so the issue of students being continuously tracked is not evident. However, the tutors WILL see the final draft that is uploaded and saved if no final version is submitted; so some kind of automation or even manual manipulation is obvious. That is worrying for me because that means A.I. is likely to automate the process; it is not difficult to write in a couple of lines of code that perform an IF-THEN-IF ELSE-ELSE subroutine. This means that it is highly likely that A.I. will continuously track how students have performed throughout the process of creating any work that is uploaded and submitted. That is useful information for tutors because I often read about student performing poorly and even failing level 1 modules.

What this means, is that by uploading and drafts, A.I. generative software WILL have access to the students' work including their writing style and so that student's style can be known, and even emulated and that makes THAT student obsolete.

I shall either not upload drafts or learn a new style specifically for TurnItIn to emulate. There is another problem, in that, if students do not have their work checked by TurnItIn, the student cannot prove that they have not plagiarised another student who later DOES use TurnItIn with similar work.

Also, because only ONE final version can be submitted, no student can submit more final versions for future TMA marking by working ahead (during the long Christmas break for example) and expect high marks since the Tutor Group Forum comments would be missing from their final versions; if they never upload and save their drafts (which TurnItIN may have access to).

I must conclude that in the drive to eradicate plagiarism and students' use of generative A.I. software, students are now compelled, even forced, to upload drafts and then submit a final version. Progress, performance and style will be measured and if two or more students have the same style of writing or performance then at least one of them is cheating. Expect accusations if you try to interfere with a profile of your studying; working style; and performance being created.

Tags: TMA, EMA, policies, AI, A.I., TurnItIn, performance, style, plagiarism, upload, save, submit, Open University, OU, warning, Important, profile, peekaboo
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Inquisitive

Monday 15 June 2026 at 08:10
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Edited by Martin Cadwell, Monday 15 June 2026 at 14:53

All my posts: https://learn1.open.ac.uk/mod/oublog/view.php?u=zw219551

or search for 'martin cadwell -caldwell' Take note of the position of the minus sign to eliminate caldwell returns or search for 'martin cadwell blog' in your browser.

I am not on YouTube or social media

Cadwell NOT Caldwell

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I read that somewhere

[ 5 minute read ] 

Inquisitive

There are references throughout this post that come from frequent use of the DuckDuckGo indexing and ranking pages for search terms (Release dates for films and character names, for example).

I always thought there was an unwritten rule that books, films and music; seemingly any creative piece, should never reference any other creative piece. I thought it was risky to do so. Perhaps, I thought it demonstrated a distinct lack of creativity and, indeed, the creative world obliquely gave me that idea. After all, creators have some understanding that merely mentioning artistic persons lends credence to their own work; it causes the recipient to momentarily re-experience their exposure to the mentioned artist. I think 'name-dropping' is the thing here. I believed this thread of a thought for a long while. I think the latter part is true, and I thought that it is only recent that we sometimes come across references to Star Wars or something similar. There is, of course, the long-standing meme (originating long before we even knew what a meme is) of the discovery in the film 'Jaws' (1975) when the Police Chief, Martin Brody, and the boat owner and marine biologist, realise that the boat they are on, is not really large enough for the job of dealing with the monster shark. 'We're gonna need a bigger boat',  might be rehashed by a husband and wife team, with children in the modern world, to be 'We're gonna need a bigger car.' It could be, 'We're gonna need a bigger house', when guests come to stay.

Pedants might follow a strong belief that the actual words in 'Jaws' were, 'You're going to need a bigger boat'. Yet, I think I am right when I suggest that most of us don't remember Chief Brody saying, 'You're'. Instances such as this 'false memory' are considered by many to be occasions when 'The Mandela Effect' is apparent. One example of this is 'Sex in the City' is actually 'Sex and the City'. Well, I just don't know. I have seen most of the Star Trek spinoff productions and sometimes there are alternative timelines when none of the crew know of a different one when some of them were dead, or kind. At this point, we could start looking into multi-verses existing in the place of a single universe. However, back to my point of leaning heavily on someone else's creativity to enhance one's own offering by referencing their film, music, book, or intellectual property. I don't mean mentioning a steam engine automatically causes anyone to think of James Watt, or even Thomas Newcomen; it doesn't.

I was delighted to hear Ginger Rogers in the film 'The Major and The Minor' (1942) directly quote, the actress [actor], Greta Garbo in the 1932 film 'Grand Hotel'. Ginger Rogers as 'Su Su', in 'The Major and The Minor' is asked by train guards to show her ticket and they challenge her to prove she is of Swedish stock by demanding she speak Swedish, when she tells them she is a minor. Su Su responds with. 'I want to be alone.' Greta Garbo said this in 'Grand Hotel'. I presume Greta Garbo was well known to be Swedish; a Swedish actress, in 1942 America, when 'The Major and The Minor' was released. 

Later, in the same film, 'The Major and The Minor', there is a reference to Veronica Lake, famous for her particular hairstyle. I think Veronica Lake is also referenced in a film I have seen; I seem to recall a woman sending a man away from her home to accept another man into her bedchamber, who was either posing as Veronica Lake or was supposed to be Veronica Lake.

Personally, I think referencing other artists and works of creativity adds credence to a scene or song lyrics. It is, of course, a short cut to evoke an emotion but I don't see anything wrong with that. Perhaps the problem lies in modern audiences having never been exposed to the original work and thereby being led to believe that that reference is not at all a reference to something that existed as creativity before. I, myself, have enjoyed cover versions of songs and never realised that they were not originals. No doubt, there are many songs I have heard, for which this is still true.

A real case in point for how any of us might quote or misquote a work of creativity is when I was explaining to my German friend while drinking coffee in a church back room: There were a few other people seated there.

       'If I borrow money, I always return the money and include a small gift. I suppose I impose a penalty on myself for being foolish enough to place myself in such a position,' I told my friend. He nodded sagely as he pondered the effect of this.

Suddenly, a woman rose purposefully from her chair and as she passed me said, in a supercilious manner, 'Neither a borrower or lender be.' Instantly, because I know that what she said is only a portion of an idiom, a partial idiom, I wished I could finish it. I also suspected that, like me, she thought what she had said was an old wives tale, except she, I suspected thought it complete.

'...for loan oft loses both itself and friend, and borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.' Hamlet Act 1, Scene 3 (Shakespeare, of course).

If I had of known those words it would have been mean for me to say them to her to finish her words. Just as well I didn't know them, eh?

Sometimes, to the right people, I might say 'Pot Kettle Black', which, in my head, is shorthand for, 'That is like the kettle calling the pot black.' Both the kettle and the pot in years gone by, would have shared the same fire and been blackened by the poorly burning fuel. It is an idiom that expresses a view that someone is being hypocritical, or is criticising someone else while they do the same thing themself. (Suggesting they have feelings they do not actually have).

Another partial idiom is, 'The best laid plans of mice and men.' which finishes with, 'often go awry'; Robert Burns, 'To a Mouse' (1785). It is often, in our modern world, further shortened to, 'The best laid plans'.

However, the above version of Robert Burns' poem is hugely distorted from the original verse:


'The best laid schemes o' Mice an' Men
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!''

 

From: POETRY FOUNDATION - https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43816/to-a-mouse-56d222ab36e33

 

My interest in all of this (partial idioms - which I did not know was a thing before today) came from John Steinbeck's 1937 novella, 'Of Mice and Men', which incidentally, can be bought with a 'sparknotes' study guide. From John Steinbeck's novella, which was compulsory reading in my English lessons at school, to Shakespeare and the now open concept of referencing other creative works to lend credence to our own attempts. For me, it all started with my teachers, and is kept alive by my inquisitiveness.

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Tags: inquisitive, quote, plagiarism, idiom, wit, teacher, Steinbeck, Burns, Shakespeare
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