Alasdair Clarke
@riadsala.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer at the University of Essex. Works in a psychology department, but mainly teaches statistics and writes models.
I should probably tell you about the book I have coming out next year.
I should probably tell you about the book I have coming out next year.
I agree 100%. This would be a great first step. Is this position clearly articulated in the UCU page?
Has this point been made to parliment by anybody with a sizeable platform? Am I missing sensible op-eds in the FT? Does anybody in Labour view this as something they could do?
Has this point been made to parliment by anybody with a sizeable platform? Am I missing sensible op-eds in the FT? Does anybody in Labour view this as something they could do?
December 9, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I agree 100%. This would be a great first step. Is this position clearly articulated in the UCU page?
Has this point been made to parliment by anybody with a sizeable platform? Am I missing sensible op-eds in the FT? Does anybody in Labour view this as something they could do?
Has this point been made to parliment by anybody with a sizeable platform? Am I missing sensible op-eds in the FT? Does anybody in Labour view this as something they could do?
oh, I agree entirely.
But the pensioners say "they should go get an apprenticeship"
Or just work.
But the pensioners say "they should go get an apprenticeship"
Or just work.
December 9, 2025 at 1:43 PM
oh, I agree entirely.
But the pensioners say "they should go get an apprenticeship"
Or just work.
But the pensioners say "they should go get an apprenticeship"
Or just work.
I agree entirely. I've had (older, richer) relatives tell me that "too many young people go to university". It takes a lot of self control to avoid going on full on rant mode.
Not looking forward to having to make small talk with such people over Christmas.
Not looking forward to having to make small talk with such people over Christmas.
December 9, 2025 at 12:20 PM
I agree entirely. I've had (older, richer) relatives tell me that "too many young people go to university". It takes a lot of self control to avoid going on full on rant mode.
Not looking forward to having to make small talk with such people over Christmas.
Not looking forward to having to make small talk with such people over Christmas.
I am currently an ex-member - I got fed up of all the endless calls to strike. I don't see any hope of improvement in the sector until we get a government that values (higher) education.
Perhaps if the UCU shared their counter-proposal, it would encourage disillusioned ex-members (me!) to rejoin.
Perhaps if the UCU shared their counter-proposal, it would encourage disillusioned ex-members (me!) to rejoin.
December 4, 2025 at 8:51 PM
I am currently an ex-member - I got fed up of all the endless calls to strike. I don't see any hope of improvement in the sector until we get a government that values (higher) education.
Perhaps if the UCU shared their counter-proposal, it would encourage disillusioned ex-members (me!) to rejoin.
Perhaps if the UCU shared their counter-proposal, it would encourage disillusioned ex-members (me!) to rejoin.
For starters, in the future, do we see our students as campus-based, or commuting (or online)? I don't mind which, but I'm pretty confident that trying to do both will please noone.
December 4, 2025 at 12:46 PM
For starters, in the future, do we see our students as campus-based, or commuting (or online)? I don't mind which, but I'm pretty confident that trying to do both will please noone.
Where can I find the UCU's Future Plan and alternative (costed?) proposal?
December 4, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Where can I find the UCU's Future Plan and alternative (costed?) proposal?
One idea I've been thinking about is cutting grid approximation. I'm very unsure though. It would free up time (I only have 10 weeks!), the coding is a bit clunky, and it confuses students.
But if I cut grid approx, my lecture on Probability doesn't connect to anything.
But if I cut grid approx, my lecture on Probability doesn't connect to anything.
November 17, 2025 at 9:18 AM
One idea I've been thinking about is cutting grid approximation. I'm very unsure though. It would free up time (I only have 10 weeks!), the coding is a bit clunky, and it confuses students.
But if I cut grid approx, my lecture on Probability doesn't connect to anything.
But if I cut grid approx, my lecture on Probability doesn't connect to anything.
Two takeaways: i) yes, your book and module is hard for most students. but ii) students will still find it a struggle even if you make it easier.
November 17, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Two takeaways: i) yes, your book and module is hard for most students. but ii) students will still find it a struggle even if you make it easier.
When I started teaching Bayes, I ran my module as a reading course based on your textbook. Since then, I have reduced the amount of content every year. Yet my current students still tell me it is their hardest module.
November 17, 2025 at 9:10 AM
When I started teaching Bayes, I ran my module as a reading course based on your textbook. Since then, I have reduced the amount of content every year. Yet my current students still tell me it is their hardest module.
But, this doesn't work when our students lack the confidence to question the AIs (and who can blame them given the amount of marketting the tech companies are doing)
November 15, 2025 at 6:41 PM
But, this doesn't work when our students lack the confidence to question the AIs (and who can blame them given the amount of marketting the tech companies are doing)
The AIs can give good advice on how they should be used:
November 15, 2025 at 6:40 PM
The AIs can give good advice on how they should be used:
While this isn't a huge surprise, what I find despressing is how confidently wrong the AIs still are. When asked, they even admit that they're wrong, and that they are likely damaging educational outcomes.
November 15, 2025 at 6:39 PM
While this isn't a huge surprise, what I find despressing is how confidently wrong the AIs still are. When asked, they even admit that they're wrong, and that they are likely damaging educational outcomes.
This looks interesting, @scienceanna.bsky.social, we should have a read. I wonder if there any connections between this and our work?
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 PM
This looks interesting, @scienceanna.bsky.social, we should have a read. I wonder if there any connections between this and our work?
Coud say the same about psycholigists having a preference for under powered studies.
November 14, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Coud say the same about psycholigists having a preference for under powered studies.
Huh, I wish I had heard that this event was on. Would have loved to have attended.
November 4, 2025 at 11:34 AM
Huh, I wish I had heard that this event was on. Would have loved to have attended.
I would be interested to know the extent to which any reviewers ever look at my supplementary materials. (sometimes, based on their comments, it feels like they don't care)
I'm pretty sure the people on the grant panels in charge of handing out the money don't care.
:(
I'm pretty sure the people on the grant panels in charge of handing out the money don't care.
:(
September 17, 2025 at 12:14 PM
I would be interested to know the extent to which any reviewers ever look at my supplementary materials. (sometimes, based on their comments, it feels like they don't care)
I'm pretty sure the people on the grant panels in charge of handing out the money don't care.
:(
I'm pretty sure the people on the grant panels in charge of handing out the money don't care.
:(
in theory, I love all this stuff.
in practise... I have extremely limited resources. My employer doesn't care about this stuff, and neither are any of the academics who peer-review my publications. It feels hard to justify all the time spent on model testing
in practise... I have extremely limited resources. My employer doesn't care about this stuff, and neither are any of the academics who peer-review my publications. It feels hard to justify all the time spent on model testing
September 17, 2025 at 10:34 AM
in theory, I love all this stuff.
in practise... I have extremely limited resources. My employer doesn't care about this stuff, and neither are any of the academics who peer-review my publications. It feels hard to justify all the time spent on model testing
in practise... I have extremely limited resources. My employer doesn't care about this stuff, and neither are any of the academics who peer-review my publications. It feels hard to justify all the time spent on model testing
Glad I'm not the only one.
September 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Glad I'm not the only one.
Why remove? Well, if none of your models converged, and you misreported your p-values, wouldn't that be a good reason to remove your dep.var. ?
September 8, 2025 at 8:50 AM
Why remove? Well, if none of your models converged, and you misreported your p-values, wouldn't that be a good reason to remove your dep.var. ?
The more we looked into this, the worse it looked. But, I doubt anybody cares or anything will be done. [PI from a top uni, paper published in a Nature journal,... makes a mockery of the system]
September 5, 2025 at 5:31 PM
The more we looked into this, the worse it looked. But, I doubt anybody cares or anything will be done. [PI from a top uni, paper published in a Nature journal,... makes a mockery of the system]
The most recent example we found was one in which the researchers had removed their dep. var. from the repository upon publication.
September 5, 2025 at 2:51 PM
The most recent example we found was one in which the researchers had removed their dep. var. from the repository upon publication.