Meet the OEB24 Speakers: Keynote Timandra Harkness

We are thrilled to announce that Timandra Harkness will be delivering the keynote address at this year’s OEB Global Conference! Her work often focuses on how data influences our decisions and perceptions, making her insights particularly relevant in today’s rapidly evolving educational landscape. Join us for her thought-provoking session that promises to challenge conventional thinking and inspire fresh perspectives!

Timandra Harkness is a prominent figure on BBC Radio, known for her writing and presenting on shows like BBC Radio 4’s FutureProofing and How To Disagree. She has contributed to several documentaries, including Data, Data Everywhere and What Has Sat-Nav Done To Our Brains. A resident reporter on the acclaimed series The Human Zoo, she is also the spare presenter for Profile. Her books include Big Data: Does Size Matter? and her latest work, Technology is Not the Problem, has just been released. An accomplished writer for numerous publications, she frequently speaks and chairs events for renowned organisations such as the British Council and the Royal Society. With a background in improv and stand-up comedy, she has produced science-themed performances across the globe, blending her expertise in mathematics and philosophy to engage diverse audiences. Timandra holds multiple degrees, including a BA in Film and Drama and a BSc in Mathematics, and is actively researching for an MRes in Philosophy at Birkbeck College.

We pose a series of questions to Timandra that provide insight into her experiences and the influences that have shaped her remarkable journey.

Who, or what, was your most important teacher?

My primary school teacher, Blodwen Cowper, who both gave me a lot of one-to-one teaching and allowed me lots of independence in learning. That was partly unavoidable, in our tiny village school with 4 year groups in one room, and probably didn’t benefit everyone, but it worked for me. I could learn at my own pace and develop the habit of self-motivated study. She even ordered me some secondary Maths textbooks because I had finished all the primary ones the school had!

What was your most important lesson?

Probably the one about the Chartists that I missed, which meant I failed my History exam. I made up for it years later by researching and writing about the Chartists in my latest book, though, so it’s never too late.

What current learning trend do you think will have a lasting impact?

People watching pre-recorded lectures, treating them more like readings than teaching interactions. Not entirely a positive impact in my view, but I know people who like to watch at their own pace (fast or slow) and sometimes pause and make notes.

Which technology, in your view, had the biggest influence on the way we learn now?

Search engines. There is the (often misguided) belief that all human knowledge is only 3 clicks away.

What is the coolest gadget/ technology/ tool you have seen lately?

I have a phone app for sailing that can give me local tides and weather forecasts, show me the boat’s position on a chart, help with passage planning (course setting and estimated timings) and generally make navigation a LOT easier. Now I just have to avoid dropping my smartphone in the sea…

What would be the title of your autobiography?

WELL, I asked social media and got some excellent suggestions, including:
‘Sine of the Times’
‘Harkness Visible’ or ‘Hello Harkness my old Friend’
‘I Didn’t Mean for this to Happen’ (excellent stats pun)
But I’m going with: ‘More of a Random Walk than a Normal Distribution’

What was your first thought about our overall theme, ‘Brace for Transformation: The Courage to Redefine Learning’?

I like the emphasis on learning – an active verb – rather than education – which can be misinterpreted as a process that is done to people, or even an institution.

Do you have a final message for the OEB community?

Final message? That sounds a bit ominous. I hope this won’t be my final speech!

Thank you, Timandra. Timandra will be part of the Opening Plenary on Thursday, 28 November 2024, in Berlin.