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.

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.

Select a topic

You said...
Careers forums should be more prominent and webinars easier to find.

We did...
Since we moved the Careers website to the Help Centre in 2017 we have made links to relevant forums and webinars more prominent, and we promote both live and recorded events through Student Home and our Facebook and Twitter accounts. We are currently working on moving webinars and forums to a new home in summer 2018, with more flexible functionality and a more user-friendly design.
Read more Careers and Employability
Posted on: 01-Apr-18

You said...
That you have taken informal learning courses through OpenLearn, FutureLearn or another provider for a number of different reasons including: • For personal development (33%) • Waiting for an OU module to start (21%) • To improve study skills (17%)

We did...
We passed these findings onto the Open Media and Informal Learning team. They will use it to complement their own research and to inform future development of open learning materials.
Curriculum Design Student Panel
Posted on: 01-Apr-18

You said...
What your profile is in terms of study motivations, living situation, practical needs (for example, accessibility), tuition likes and dislikes, study skills strengths and weaknesses and expectations of the OU Library.

We did...
We are using this valuable information to help staff understand the student experience when developing new modules and to improve the online student experience in general.
Curriculum Design Student Panel
Posted on: 01-Apr-18

You said...
The words the OU uses to describe the learning materials, resource and activities that students come across on their module websites need to be clearer.

We did...
We used this feedback in the OU-wide project on making terminology more consistent and easier to understand for students.
Curriculum Design Student Panel
Posted on: 01-Apr-18

You said...
What you think about how students should best be supported to develop reflective skills in a second-level health module.

We did...
Your input is informing the development of module materials.
Curriculum Design Student Panel
Posted on: 01-Apr-18

You said...
You would like more exam preparation assistance, in particular practice quizzes, sample solutions, more sample exams with solutions and advice on exam technique.

We did...
As part of a review, resources for examination preparation will be considered together with individual support on modules.
Mathematics and Statistics
Posted on: 01-Apr-18

You said...
More support around what to do next would be useful.

We did...
From October 2018 we are including a ‘moving on’ week in the module timetable. This will give students a chance to find out more about Level 1 modules and to discuss their options with careers and educational advisors in group sessions and/or one-to-one guidance conversations.
Access
Posted on: 01-Mar-18

You said...
Moving between online and offline modules can be distracting.

We did...
From October 2018 we are changing the balance of print and online material, with Block 1 in print and Blocks 2 and 3 online. The online medium offers a huge range of opportunities for learning (such as video and interactive media) that isn’t possible in print. We will make sure that we build in lots of guidance on how to make the most of learning for students who are less confident online.
Access
Posted on: 01-Mar-18

You said...
There are some broken links and missing videos in the online materials.

We did...
From October 2018 we will be ensuring that important videos and content will be embedded into the module website rather than linked to. This will greatly reduce the instances of broken links.
Access
Posted on: 01-Mar-18

You said...
Some students were disappointed that only the final piece of assessment counts towards the module result.

We did...
A new assessment strategy means that, from October 2018, every piece of assessment will count towards the final mark.
Access
Posted on: 01-Mar-18