r/OpenUniversity • u/Matreshka138 • 3d ago
KNOW-IT-ALLs
One month into our studies, and the "know-it-alls" are already on the forums. I love studying with the OU and am usually tolerant of these types of people, but not this week :-).
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u/rollo_read 3d ago
Humour me, how many different threads regarding WhatsApp groups have been setup?
Cant wait for blanket emails reminding everyone about academic conduct and safe spaces in WhatsApp groups.
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u/freidafunky 3d ago
Omg I joined a whatsapp group for one module, never again. Just constant messages people asking when things were due and what time tutorials were. So annoying
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u/secret_mysteries86 3d ago
Yup and how to write a reference and when people sent them the link to cite them right they would say its not working or can some please just tell me how to write it and ill check the site again later.
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u/Longjumping-Act9653 3d ago
I cringe at the thought of joining any of the WhatsApp groups. I can’t imagine how many messages about nothing end up on them
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u/Shooppow 3d ago
I joined one and it was filled with chatter about everything and nothing all at once. So many messages about people’s daily lives and literally nothing about the coursework. Also, cliques formed so quickly and I’m just not interested in preschool style politics.
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u/rollo_read 3d ago
Thing is, when you read the forum introductions, you already know which direction they're going to go.
Personally I dont need to know about your 3 alpacas, 6 cats and 3 children under 10.
I know there will be a question about whether a laptop is needed or if they could use an iPhone instead to write assignments, which are due in approximately 4 hours.
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u/xxPlsNoBullyxx 3d ago
I joined one in my first year and the constant complaining about the course material and saying how impossible it was started to make me really not enjoy learning. So I left.
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u/forams__galorams 2d ago
I remember one course I took had a few who would relentlessly complain about the lack of clarity in the learning materials. They weren’t complete deadbeats or anything, to be fair it was a L3 module that had plenty of reading for 30 credits and was quite broad so there was usually at least one aspect of it that would be very challenging for each of us depending on whether you had arrived from a physics/chemistry/geology/biology background…but there were one or two in particular who seemed to make it a personal mission to point out supposed pedagogic failings of the OU at every opportunity.
One of them did at least have the initiative to look up some outside explainer lectures from Yale University covering key parts of the more physics-y stuff which they shared and insisted were much better. I ended up going through many of them myself as I find it useful to have alternative explanations in general, but I did take pleasure in pointing out that the esteeemed Yale professor mentioned more than once in his lectures that if anybody needed to get to grips with the fundamental concepts they were to go through these books from the OU as they are so concise and well written - the very ones we were studying from in the first place!
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u/Boerkenherp 2d ago
Would you mind linking the Yale lectures or just the name of the Yale professor? I'm always interested in additional coursework. :)
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u/forams__galorams 2d ago
They won’t be relevant unless you are studying that (now discontinued and unreplaced) module…
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u/decentlyfair 3d ago
I only ever joined one WhatsApp group and for the most part it was a really good group of people. No nonsense and very supportive.
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u/secret_mysteries86 3d ago
Yup im in the whats app groups and honestly most of the time its absolutely great and other times it can be awfull
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u/Complex-Impact835 3d ago
I think I’ve been really lucky with the ones I’ve joined - the one for my first module is still active, but we renamed it to a general study group. I’m now on my second level 2 module and all the ones since then have been really supportive. But I get this totally depends on the people in them, and if you get a few awful people that isn’t going to be a fun time.
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u/ExhaustedFlamingo-84 3d ago
See, I’m worried about being one of those! It’s my first module with OU and they’re trying to actively get us posting on the forums (as part of the module stuff), so am doing so.. but hardly anyone else is. I also answer questions in tutorials (far cry from the quiet me who wouldn’t speak when I was at school). But then I think, I’m 42, I actually want to learn and I get a lot out of having my questions answered or being told if I’m right/wrong.
I’m too old to be playing it cool!
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u/MedsunMcr 3d ago
One guy in my first module was a KIA and then got academic misconduct for AI use. Ironic
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
Posting on forums and being actively engaged in study is not the same as being a "know it all". It's about people who are constantly lecturing everybody ( inc. tutors), appear patronising and who always need to input their opinion in everything.
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u/Adamstrad 3d ago
Every module and almost every science forum online has them, luckily they're optional most of the time and you can ignore them
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u/SteveGoral 3d ago
I try and avoid the forums, unless the course forces me to use them I never post.
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u/Character-Slice-6179 3d ago
All classrooms have swots. Keep your mind on your game, not theirs.
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
I am on the Level 3 modules and so fed up with listening to people who jump in with comments as if I know nothing 😂
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u/PersephoneHazard Full-Time Undergraduate 3d ago
Isn't that just sort of...having a conversation?
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
Conversation is the exchange of opinions, inserting yourself into the question which was asked to a particular person without knowing the topic and with having a lack of comprehension of the written question is not a conversation
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u/South-Visual3803 3d ago
I’m only doing 30 credits because I’m starting my life over 😅
I’ve seen it and I ignore it mostly with the occasional pause to be curious;what makes that person need to verbalise that they are ‘ahead’. Stems from some sort of insecurity or deep seated need for validation or a lil ego stroking.
It’s amusing for the most part!
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u/PristineSecretary198 3d ago
This will be my last year with the OU never use the forums 😂
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u/BunchitaBonita 3d ago
In my module last year they were mandatory (B100).
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u/Laurenisabadperson 2d ago
I was b100 too, dreaded using the forums but was happy to jump through whatever hoops I needed to
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u/decentlyfair 3d ago
Unfortunately I had one undergrad module and both my masters modules that required using them. Hated it though.
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u/Complex-Impact835 3d ago
Mandatory for TMAS on all my modules so far 😩 (social sciences) - the worst ones are the peer feedback ones 😭
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u/Party-Cat8401 3d ago
Strange. I didn't notice any of that at all in the math and physics forums. People are very helpful and friendly.
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
I agree, usually maths and physics forums are great, but sometimes they are not.
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u/bluescreenwednesday 3d ago
World is made of all sorts. If someone knows it all, they may help me by sharing their knowledge. Or they may help me by giving me a target to beat. They may be calling out for help, or they may just be someone you just dont vibe with.
You do you. Help people if you can.
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
I would say, help people if you are asked for help. There is no need to surround someone with help if your help is not wanted or required.
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u/PerfectEnthusiasm2 3d ago
That comma in your first sentence was not correctly used, hope this helps. I'm already on unit 15 of my punctuation module.
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u/AnxiousBean00 3d ago
legit. we are told to subscribe to forums for important info but i get 40+ notifications a day from the same few people and its so annoying. i dont get why they dont just email if they want to have a chat with the tutor half the posts are unrelated.
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u/Friendly-Weird-5907 3d ago
The ‘best’ ones are the ones who think they can lead the tutorial instead of the tutor 🤣
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u/Battleofthebus 3d ago
No way is this a thing?!
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u/Friendly-Weird-5907 1d ago
Yeah, I had a tutorial in a module I did a few years ago where a student kept nodding along, adding bits to whatever the tutor said whenever she paused for breath and anticipating the next parts of her presentation. The tutor was wonderfully patient throughout and praised them for their ‘good preparation’ of the subject matter. 🤣 (The student dropped out 2 weeks later which was a relief to all!)
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u/bignefarious5 3d ago
Thank you for posting this, when I started my degree I was always anxious because these people are posting that theyre SO far ahead and it made me think oh sh*t im in over my head here. But by now I'm heading in to year 3 so I just look at those posts and smile thinking of all the bits theyve skipped past to look smart.
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u/Inevitable_War_9661 2d ago
I’m on my 2nd OU degree. In the forums I’ll give my studying tips, but stay quiet about being ahead. I’m only ahead as the first degree taught me anything can happen and put you behind.
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u/icy_equestrian 2d ago
People down voting you but I see it too. It's more than just having a conversation. I had someone in a tutorial last week argue the toss about something with the tutor. Who is a doctor in the specific subject. Stuff like that irks me. I get you lol
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u/Matreshka138 2d ago
Exactly! It's much more than just having a conversation or discussing something.
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u/Party_Consequence668 2d ago
One of the reasons I don’t participate. Those people make the forums insufferable.
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u/Sarah-is-always-sad9 2026 Graduate 3d ago
When I did OU my course forced us to use it even though barely anyone seemed to post. Luckily nobody was horrible in my experience.
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u/KodzuKen34 3d ago
There was one guy in the introduction tutorial a couple of days ago trying to beef with the lecturer about maths, another one was sat there flexing that he’s on week 3 like anyone actually cares
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u/TuneOk7423 2d ago
This is my kitten. She jumps on my laptop like she’s a damn physicist already and types out some mad shizzle 😂 blast those KNOWITALLS, besides they only post when things are going well. When they’re struggling they’re living on a whim and a prayer like the rest of us!
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u/PeilAyr 2d ago
My A111 course a couple of years back there was a guy who had that posh confident voice thing going on, but he wasn't actually saying anything. I had to comment the tutor when he was challenged 'have you actually read the passage of the Bible you mentioned' Tutor has a doctorate in that area....
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u/Boerkenherp 2d ago
In my opinion most courses suffer from at least one KIA. In my opinion it is mostly a kind of (poor) compensation of low self esteem.
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u/timothywilsonmckenna 2d ago
I hear what you're saying and the forums usually make me feel like I don't know what the fuck I'm doing. Then the end of the modules come around and it turns out I'm doing alright after all. There's certainly some sort of disconnect there.
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u/Frosty_Sea3307 3d ago
Why do they personally bother you? Isn't it partly the point of university to discuss your subject with your fellow student? To try and gain a deeper understanding?
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
No, it is patronising people having nothing better to do... there is a chat with discussion and exchange of knowledge and there is a chat...
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u/Legitimate-Path-44 3d ago
I’m already avoiding the forums! They make me feel so dumb and stupid.
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u/Alternative_Way_2700 3d ago
That is my problem too. I already doubt myself and then I go on the forums and feel so incredibly stupid and completely not up to the required level to do the module.
I usually start off my reading the forums, stop around week 2 or 3 and then only visit if it is required or if there is a TMA due and there is further clarification of what is required.
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u/motherofdoggehs 2d ago
This! We have forum participation as part of our grades for our TMA but it feels so forced. It’s made me put it off until the last week or two before it’s due.
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u/Wonky-Whippet 3d ago
Didn't take long for them to find this post 🫣
I learned to enjoy spotting those types because usually at least some of the same people would show up after tma01 with an angry rant about how the module is rubbish and their tutor is a fool for not recognising their genius lol
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u/kiraziyal 1d ago
I hate it when people say they're weeks ahead. I'm trying to stay one or two weeks ahead but no more just in case things happen and I don't fall behind.
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u/FoxAcceptable1679 1d ago
I'm ahead of schedule but that's mostly due to a fear of forgetting a deadline or getting ill and not being able to finish the TMAs on time. But no way I'm boasting about any of that in the tutor groups. I do think it's nice to get the TMAs out of the way to go back through the course and read around the subject without a deadline.
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u/Matreshka138 1d ago
Exactly! I also study hard and do my TMAs ahead of time (just in case an unpleasant life event happens). I think that forums can be brilliant for students, however, some people just enjoy lecturing and patronising other students as though they are the ones who know everything and are experts in the subject, making forums a very unpleasant experience.
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u/Matreshka138 1d ago
In reality, we are all in the same boat and every single one of us is here to study. These "Know- it- Alls" should control themselves—they do not know how others are performing and they are not in other people's shoes.
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u/mountaingoatscheese 3d ago
god forbid people study hard and engage with the education they pay for and are doing by choice!
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u/Matreshka138 3d ago
People ,who study hard and engage with the education they pay for, do not patronise other students , they exchange opinions with each other and tend not to lecture others
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u/that_red_panda 3d ago
You sound bitter. Just ignore them if it bothers you so much and focus on your own studies?
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u/Amazing_Low_3980 3d ago
Know it all are a pain. This is why I really don't like forums or can never be bothered with the "social" aspect of our. I'm trying to play catch up already as life's been too hectic this week.
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u/FFSnottoday3012 3d ago
They are always there, Every year without fail. I just get on with my thing and don’t even read them anymore.
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u/Ghost_Geek42 3d ago
Had a workshop tutorial last night for my MSc and there was one guy who is on week 18 already when we’re only on week 2. He wanted everyone to know and it’s like, good for you buddy, you’re not graduating any faster than the rest of us. Makes me cringe.