Sunday, December 14, 2008

OU marked paper number two

You might remember that I am sharing with you my continuing attempt to get an Open University BA degree in Humanities? I mean I know you all have busy lives and now Christmas is looming to take up any slack that you may have had, but come on - let me talk about it here. I can't really discuss my marks on the OU students' forum; it's not the done thing to actually say what percentage your monthly marked assignments are receiving.

Last month I was quite pleased with my result and was not very optimistic about how I would do with the second assignment - the 'compare and contrast Napoleonic portrait' one and how his portraits helped legitimise his political regime. Well I just received my mark and I got 82% for it which, quite frankly, really surprised me. I didn't think it was very good but it just goes to prove that you can't really judge your own work.

One thing that happened after I blogged about my two previous essays - putting the questions in full here - was that I could see from my blog tracker how many people ended up on my blog by doing a search for the OU essay question. How disappointed they must (well, might anyway) have been to just find a fellow student and not an idea that might help them with their studies. Some of them even ended up here on the day the essay was due in - talk about last minute panic googling.

So, just to be a bit silly, - and also because some of you might be interested - I'm going to put the next assignment that I am currently working on - and which has to be submitted at the beginning of January:

What did William Wilberforce mean by 'real Christianity' and how did this affect his social and political thinking?

It's not the most exciting study block I've ever had and of course the thing that people always think about Wilberforce is his connection with the anti-slavery movement. It was a lovely surprise, however, to find out that he was also behind the RSPCA movement. So, altogether, a 'good egg' in my book.

28 comments:

Henry the Dog said...

Mum says "well done you" and so do I. Mum says those marks are really good and that you should be dead proud of yourself.

French Fancy... said...

Thank you Henry and to your mum as well. That's one thing I miss -having fellow students to discuss things in detail with. Last year I made a new friend who was doing the same course as me and she also lived in Brittany - but this year she is planning a tv programme about maths and she is too busy to OU-it.

Tim Atkinson said...

Yup, and he was MP for my home town of Kingston-upon-Hull, too. We couldn't move for statues, public buildings, roads, memorials. Great man, though. Truly great - and as for the 'real' Christianity: 'by their deeds shall ye know them'!

laurie said...

i say well done, too.

there's a new book out about wilber wilberforce. i almost bought it....

nikkicrumpet said...

Well congrats on the great marks! I have no clue what you're talking about on that new essay questions....my lack of education is hitting me "SPLAT" in the face. But good luck with it...and way to confuse your fellow students by having them google you!

Frankofile said...

You've certainly cracked this study thing now - excellent! And I look forward to factoids about WW.

Tess Kincaid said...

Intriguing new project. Have you seen the film "Amazing Grace"?

will said...

What is really nice and wonderful about Google is that I could look up William Wilberforce and discover who he is and what he did (does). Alas, I probably won't due to a rather long bout of short term memory. Thus forgetting the point of this comment before it is finished. What WERE we talking about?

Elizabeth said...

Never thought of roasting the sprouts - excellent idea.
I love all sprouts but the rest of the family only eat them under duress.
Now roasted parsnips.........YUM

Kathy said...

WooHoo you go girl.... excellent marks for Napolean, hope your cough eases soon, that bug sure is doing the rounds over there, half of my family in the UK have had it. I see you have already started on Wilberforce? good luck but I know you won't need it, congrats, Kathy.

Henry the Dog said...

I've done a Shout Out today (only just found out what one was)but have featured you. It's not anything you have to pass on. I've done it to say Happy Christmas. I just thought I'd warn you 'cause you might have even more comments on that brill one about your dad xx

lady jicky said...

Congrats on your marks. The roast sprouts last night were delish!
I do not know of Wilberforce but anyone connected to the RSPCA is a great guy in my books too!

French Fancy... said...

The Dotterel - you probably know much more about him than me - although in two weeks' time my head will be full of the facts about him - only to forget them a week or so later when I move on the the next study block

laurie - thanks. That's one thing about the OU - they send you lots and lots and lots of reading material, CD's and DVD's.

nikki - I don't know what has come over me. I keep wanting to know more and more - it's like a disease

Frankie - it wasn't always like this - last year I began my essays on marks in the 60-65's and ended up in the 90's. It's weird and a bit worrying to start off so high - now I've got to keep it up.

willow - all the students on the OU forum are going on about that film and, of course, I haven't seen it. I'm just at that period in my study block though - the writing of the Olney Hymns

Bill - I'm exactly the same - I can cram my head quite full but ask me in a fortnight's time about something I know now and I won't have a clue.

Elizabeth - roasting veg is the laziest and tastiest thing in the world - no saucepans on the go to drain, just one big dish and a slotted spoon

Mama Kathy - thanks sweetie - I just went to the supermarket and more people were coughing than weren't. Mine was one of the loudest (she added proudly)

Oh Henry, my pet (well, not literally) that is very lovely of you (although don't actually know what it means - but it sounds good)

ladyjicky - glad the sprouts were good - it's got to the stage in our house when Mr FF will go 'roast veg! again!'. But it's easy and tasty. Wilberforce was a good man, he loved people and animals and religion. He was the best that religion can be - so much of it seems to bring out the worst in people.

♥ Braja said...

Excuse my ignorance but what is Open University? Good mark, though, even I know that much :)

Oh, btw, Henry sent me :)

Dumdad said...

Congratulations!

French Fancy... said...

Hello Braja - thank you for coming to see me-this link will tell you more about it

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/

but, basically, anywhere you are in the world you can study for a university degree with the OU. It's all done in English and is based in the UK, but they have students from practically every country in the world studying with them. It is for people who want to learn new things and get new qualifications. It is also good for people like me who had potential at school but who chose not to stay on and go to university, but left to start working and having fun.

The courses are brilliant - and once you start you either drop out within a few months or you carry on wanting to learn with them for the rest of your life.

I didn't mean to write so much but I believe wholeheartedly that education is good for people whatever their age - you know what they say about knowledge after all.


Dunmdad - thanks. Even when my mark plummets to the 40's I'll still be blogging about it.

Anonymous said...

You'll lift that question right off the page, FF. I know you can do it and will get a very good grade.

Am quite jealous. You are fulfilling your potential. Not reading Prima like me.

xxxx

laurie said...

re crepes: these were buckwheat crepes! (the pictures are google pictures, not from the little restaurant.)

the next time i'm there i should ask the owner if he is from brittany. i'm pretty sure he's not a parisian.

Charmaine said...

Yup. Good job kid. BTW, I don't usually talk about food.

Lynne said...

Well done!
Might give the roast sprouts a try, though my husband loves them in the traditional manner. Like Elizabeth, I love roasted parsnips. Nigella Lawson is just talking about sprouts on the radio!

French Fancy... said...

Jenny - both you know and I know that you could get an OU degree like that (snaps fingers) - if you only had the time.

Hello Laurie - I like crepes forestiere - the ones with mushrooms and cream. Actually I like any crepes - if something is unhealthy and fattening, so what. I'll never be slim again - I might as well enjoy what I eat. As long as I can walk fast with the dogs without getting breathless, that's all that matters

Charmaine -well, I'll come back quickly then but I'll stick my fingers in my eyes and go lalalala very loudly so I don't see the veal post :)

Lynne - it's very difficult to get parsnips in our bit of France. It seems the Bretons haven't cottoned on to them. Shame,eh

Jessica said...

Congrats! :)

justme said...

Well done you on the marks! You are obviously doing really well!
As to sprouts....I like them boiled, then tossed in melted butter and garlic, and topped with parmesan cheese.....and THEN roasted in the ovan for a bit!
Yum!

Charmaine said...

Not so fast Missy,

How DID Napoleons portraits help legitimise his regime?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Wait, they made him look taller?

French Fancy... said...

Jessica - thank you :)

justme - that does sound nice - in fact I'm going to try that.

Charmaine - I could waffle on for 1515 words about it - one quick thing is that the portrait of him in full fancy uniform crossing the Alps on the stallion was a complete fake. In truth he crossed the Alps on a mule and wearing his grey coat.He did not want to appear an ordinary man - he wanted to be a hero whom the people idolised, never mind that he was an autocratic dictator.

French Fancy... said...

Charmaine -p.s.the reason he had that silly fringe was that he thought it made him look like Brutus, the roman consul who had been a very popular leader.

Carol said...

That's a brilliant result!!! You go girl!!!

C x

French Fancy... said...

Carol - aw, thanks. :)