10th June 2004 eMeReCU PreConference Workshop UKMA Kiev

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10th June 2004eMeReCUPre-Conference
WorkshopUKMAKiev

• An Introduction to the
• UK Open University

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.

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THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
Log on to the UKOU Web Site at

• www.open.ac.uk

JNC-PPT1. Slide 2.
Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Jeremy Chapple 1980 to 2000 Director of
Operations Open University 2000 to 2003 Senior
Consultant, Open University Worldwide
JeremyChapple_at_aol.com
Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Mission of the Open University

• Open as to peopleThe OU will play a leading
  role in the transition to mass higher education
  by serving an increasingly large and diverse
  student body
• Open as to placesThe OU will contribute to a
  widening of educational opportunities by making
  its programmes, courses and services available
  internationally
• Open as to methodsThe OU will use
  distance-teaching methods and new learning
  technologies and teaching techniques to serve
  home- and work-based students
• Open as to ideasThe OU will be a vibrant
  academic community dedicated to the expansion,
  refinement and sharing of knowledge

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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History of the Open University
In 1963 Prime Minister Harold Wilson launched the
idea of a University of the Air. Established
by Royal Charter in 1969 the OU is now Britains
largest university.

• By 2000
• Over 185,000 students were registered
• 52,000 self-contained study packs were sold
• 215,000 people were studying with the University
• Over 2 million students had studied with the OU
• Over 250,000 had graduated since 1971

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Numbers of full-time staff at the OU

• In January 2000, there were 4075 full-time staff
• 1040 academic and research staff
• 1179 administrative staff
• 1518 secretarial and clerical staff
• 338 other staff

• Of these 4075 staff, there were
• 10 more staff than in January 1999
• 78 of the staff were on permanent contracts

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Research activities in the OU
In a recent Research Assessment Exercise, the
Open University received high ratings across the
26 subject areas assessed. The highest score of
5 (representing work of international excellence)
was awarded to

• Educational technology, art and design, earth
  sciences, history, history of art and music
• 19 subjects have been recognised as producing
  research with evidence of international quality
• 7 subjects rated as showing evidence of research
  of national excellence

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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The OU World Wide

• In 2000
• There were more than 8,000 students in Western
  Europe
• 12,000 students were taking OU courses in central
  and eastern Europe and Africa through
  collaborative schemes
• 15,000 students were studying through
  partnerships in Singapore Hong Kong
• USOU was started in the USA in 1999

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Who are the OU students?

• Majority of OU students are aged between their
  late 20s and 40s
• the oldest graduates (so far) in their 90s, the
  youngest in their late teens median age is 34
• The OU has the highest proportion of female
  students of any UK university
• Only one in five OU students beginning
  undergraduate studies have the minimum two
  A-levels necessary to enter other universities
• There are currently some 6,000 OU students with
  disabilities physical or sensory-studying with
  the OU
• About 80 of finally-registered OU undergraduate
  students pass their first-year examinations
• 70 of OU students are in employment

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Student Numbers
The build-up of OU student numbers between 1970
and 1997
Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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The OU and its students

• All registered students have a local tutor
• There is a network of some 311 study centres
  throughout the UK and 27 outside the UK
• Open entry no entry qualifications are usually
  required
• A typical undergraduate course involves 1214
  hours study per week over a nine-month period

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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The OU Governmental Structure

• Governed by two bodies, Council and Senate
• Council is responsible for financial and
  employment decisions
• Senate has authority for academic matters
• Various major committees for the next tier
• Academic Board the executive for Senate
• Strategic Planning and Resources Committee
• Operational Planning and Budget Committee

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Academic organisation of the OU

• 6 Faculties Arts, Social Sciences, Maths
  Computing, Science, Technology, Education
  Language Studies
• 2 Schools Health Social Welfare, Management
• Institute of Educational Technology (IET)
• Knowledge Media Institute (KMi)
• 13 Regional Centres covering the UK
• Within the organisation there are 1040 academic
  staff,
• with significant teaching and research activity.

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Regional Centres

• The University has 13 regional centres in the UK
• each has a Director and a staff of academics and
  administrators
• Staff in the centres are responsible for
• the admission, tuition and counselling of
  students
• the recruitment, appointment and supervision of
  some 8,000 part-time associate lecturers
• the organisation of tutorials, residential
  schools and examinations

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Open all hours A single days log-on
record of students on-line to the OU
Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Quality Learning and Teaching

• The Open University Course Development Process

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Course Components

• Study Guide
• Workbooks
• Computing element
• Face-to-face tutorials and On-line support
• Audio, video, CD-ROM
• Day Workshops or Residential Schools
• Assessment and Examination

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Assessment Strategy

• 50 Continuous Assessment(Tutor-marked
  Assignments)
• 50 End-of-course Examination
• One 60 point OU course is roughly equivalent to
  one semester in a traditional university at
  undergraduate level

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Curriculum Structure

• Modular building blocks are called courses
• Module size 30 or 60 points (120 points
  full-time year)
• 360 points BA or BSc degree
• Each course is at one of four academic levels
• levels 1, 2 and 3 for bachelors degrees
• level M for taught graduate programmes

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Planning Processes

• 5 year rolling plans for each Faculty/ School/
  Centre covering courses and qualifications in
  which they are involved
• University curriculum plan to provide a framework
  and overall strategic direction
• University level approval for all plans, annually
• Standard proformas for courses and qualifications
• courses assessment
• content, learning outcomes, media mix
• qualifications overall
• sets of courses and regulations, learning
  outcomes

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Course Production Team
Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Quality depends on people and on process

• Multi-skilled course team
• Peer group review
• Reiteration
• Briefing and training
• Objective scrutiny of the results

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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All OU Learning Materials must have an approved
outline

• It must fit within the overall frame approved by
  Faculty
• It must have learning outcomes that fit the
  course and the degree
• It must fit within the total media package for
  that part of the course
• It must fit the assessment strategy

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Before any OU Learning Materials goes to
students

• Course teams make a formal handover
• Final checks and improvements are made by media
  experts
• Publishing editors work on the words
• Academic Computing Services develop the software
  and web products
• BBC/OU produces the audio-visual materials

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Before OU students start their learning
activities

• Staff Tutors appoint associate lecturers in a
  strict equal opportunity process (looking for
  distance learning and subject skills)
• Associate Lecturers receive full course and role
  briefing and ongoing staff development
• Regional support is planned

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Quality through active questioning (1)

• Can the quality of this degree be assured this
  year?
• An Award Board must provide evidence formally
  to confirm that assessment meets specification,
  and that results are correct.

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Quality through active questioning (2)

• Can the quality of this degree be assured for the
  next five years?The Named Degree Board must
  review course presentation plans against the
  external and internal environment to confirm that
  the learning outcomes are up to date and will be
  sustained.

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Students benefit from

• Individual academic creativity
• Academic Peer group review
• External academic assessment
• Coherent academic frameworks
• Expert produced media
• Local expert academic support
• Local counselling support

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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And finally on the subject of quality...

• Extensive collection of feedback from students
  and tutors
• External Examiner monitors continuous assessment
  and is involved in award meeting
• Faculty Tuition Committee reviews and recommends
  changes
• Mid-life review of each course

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Quality Assurance

• Internal QA OU processes course teams, with
  external assessors and external examiners
• External QA Teaching quality assessments
• External QA National Research Assessment exercise

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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What is the world telling us at the OU?
Its important to get the media balance right.
Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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OU Students need active learning that is
efficient and enjoyable, in a supportive
environment

• active learning supported through feedback
• balance across the range of media
• methods match academic needs and logistics

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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Getting the balance right how much online?

• Online conferencing can considerably enhance the
  learning experience.
• Students especially value collaborative learning
  in the early stages of the course.
• However
• Structure and timetable in online conferencing
  reduces learning flexibility
• Regular, sustained participation in online
  conferencing does not fit demands of normal life.
  
• Students experience guilt and stress about
  failing their colleagues in collaborative work.

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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• Visit
• The Open University
• at
• www.open.ac.uk

Presentation at eMeReCU. UKMA. Kiev. June 2004.
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