How your voice has made a difference
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.
Please note this video is now a couple of years old so some people no longer have the same title. The current Students Association leadership can be seen on their website.
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...
Scholarship highlighted isolation as one of the key issues affecting students at the Open University. We considered that this is likely to be exacerbated by the lock-down.
We did...
We arranged a digital coffee morning as an informal space where students can 'meet' virtually and have a social chat with one another. This is arranged across the law school programme so students have the opportunity to discuss issues across different modules, compare and contrast study etc. This was the second digital coffee morning we have arranged in the last 2 months. At the first digital coffee morning we asked students what was the most difficult three things they found about OU study and almost all students mentioned isolation as one of these three things.
Law
Posted on:
You said...
The word count explanation on page 12 is 'hidden' a little, perhaps could have been more clear.
We did...
We have tightened up the wording of some of the TMA questions to provide greater clarity about word counts.
AccessPosted on:
You said...
Unfortunately, the tutor group forum was not used very much, although our tutor did attempt to get discussions going on several occasions.
We did...
We are hosting a workshop on effective tutor group forum use at our annual conference for Access tutors. We have also improved our guidance to Access tutors about the purpose of the TGFs and how often they should check/post to the forum.
AccessPosted on:
You said...
It's not always clear what recordings of online learning events are available or where to find them.
We did...
We have committed to ensure that key information is visible and readily accessible to students at the beginning of the module. In addition, a university-wide policy on tutorial recording is in preparation.
Posted on:
You said...
The content and/or purpose of learning events is not always clearly explained in advance.
We did...
Module teams have been directed to make use of module-wide forums to publicise further details about learning events in a timely fashion throughout the module.
Posted on:
You said...
Adobe Connect sessions cannot exactly replicate face-to-face events, so content and delivery sometimes need to be considered differently.
We did...
Several projects on this subject are currently underway within the school. These are looking at issues such as the accessibility of online learning events for students with disabilities and what kinds of teaching work on Adobe Connect. The results will be used to inform teaching practise across the Arts and Humanities curriculum. Additional training for effective online teaching is also being put in place for our Associate Lecturers.
Posted on:
You said...
The input of module authors, in addition to Associate Lecturers is valued.
We did...
Module teams have been encouraged to experiment with ways to involve module authors in direct teaching. The results will be shared so that good practice can be spread across the Arts and Humanities curriculum.
Posted on:
You said...
There is not enough discipline-specific choice at Level 1
We did...
From autumn 2020, two new modules will replace A105 (the current second part of level 1). Each will relate to just four disciplines rather than eight, and by the end of each module, students will be working solely in the discipline they intend to study at level 2.
Posted on:
You said...
Markers display different attitudes towards the use of non-module materials in assignments.
We did...
Module teams have been asked to clarify expectations on this issue in future guidance notes for students and tutors.
Posted on:
You said...
You would like us to be more positive about the fact that you are choosing to study full time.
We did...
We are really supportive of you studying full time and are sorry if our concern that you know how much study will be involved has come across as being negative. We have already fed this back to relevant areas and a member of the school sits on the University group looking at how we support students who study full time with us. We will be representing your views.
Posted on:
United Kingdom and online
United Kingdom and online
At home / online
