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You Said, We Did

How your voice has made a difference

Accessibility statement

This page provides an opportunity to see the valuable feedback received from students across a wide range of communication channels, and to see what the OU has done in response.


Choose a topic from the drop-down list below to see how students can have an impact on their university experience and be empowered to help shape the University. Next time you are asked to give your opinion, you know that the OU is taking this feedback seriously and will respond.


You said...

You are particularly interested in opportunities for home-based work experience.

We did...

Advice on approaches to finding home-based opportunities for paid and volunteer work are available on the website of the OU’s Careers and Employability Service.

Arts and Humanities

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You said...

Named qualifications such as MSc Cyber security were preferred to designations such as MSc Computing (Information security and forensics) because content is more obvious to employers.

We did...

The introduction of the MSc in Cyber Security was a result of consultation and reviewing current market trends. This launched Autumn 2020.

Computing and Communications

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You said...

Very high word counts expected for M816 assessments.

We did...

The word count expectations have been reviewed and reduced on M816.

Computing and Communications

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You said...

MSc Advanced networking – update knowledge and skills in fast changing environment.

We did...

The currency of the Advanced Networking curriculum is currently being addressed by replacing a number of 30 credit modules with a new 60 credit module (T829 Advanced Networking (CCNP Enterprise) launching in November 2021).

Computing and Communications

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You said...

Lack of tutorials on Postgraduate modules

We did...

Briefings are being trialled which are two-part briefings (Part 1 is a brief outline of the programme and an introduction to PG study, Part 2 is module specific). EMA/Exam briefings are also being trialled. The future of these briefings will depend on the evaluation of these briefings which will evaluate the success rate and attendance levels of the briefings before rolling out further

Computing and Communications

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You said...

”We would like to have more control over when we conduct our practical engineering work using the home experiment kits.”

We did...

Both of the T176 and T276 modules have been reconfigured with use of the home experiment kits spread more evenly across the module study calendar and with a greater degree of freedom when the practical work is completed.

Education, Childhood, Youth and Sport

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You said...

”We would like to better understand what modules are about before signing up to them” (from 19/20 QME - Student Consultative Forum on support before and between modules; also feedback from Student Support Team).

We did...

We have continued adding “Are you ready for?” quizzes to more and more of our modules on the Module Chooser site, as well as creating content on the Subject Sites under the heading “Discover your module”. These now provide a comprehensive set of taster materials and background information about our modules and informing students in their qualification progression. A student postcard has also been developed for Design students to help plan qualification study.

Engineering and Innovation

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You said...

For more than half of students, their overall study aims were career-related

We did...

Our EEES Employability Lead is working with the Careers and Employability Service to connect students with employers and resources. Employability is now embedded in the design process for new modules.

Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

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You said...

Accreditation for degrees was valuable, enhancing both employability and credibility.

We did...

In November 2020 we gained CIWEM accreditation for 6 of our Environment qualifications; we have also applied for IES accreditation for 4 of these same degrees.

Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

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You said...

Learning outcomes are most useful when they are related clearly to specific assessment questions or tasks.

We did...

We held 2 discussion meetings on marking practices in EEES in 2021, including tutor and student views. We have rewritten the degree learning outcomes for Q52 Environmental Science so that they are more concise. We have also written degree learning outcomes in the same style for M05 Master of Environmental Science and R53 Geology.

Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

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