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You Said, We Did

How your voice has made a difference

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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...

The Student Resource Portal is a valuable source of information and advice.

We did...

The Qualifications Online website is being replaced by individual subject websites as the preferred destination for online support and advice. The Computing & Communications website will be made available for postgraduate qualifications March 2018 and for undergraduate qualifications in June 2018. We will move the content that is currently hosted on the Student Resource Portal to the Computing & Communications website in the early part of 2018 and update it so that the information on modules is more comprehensive. We will also be moving content that is currently hosted on the Undergraduate Computing and IT website onto the subject website.

Computing and Communications

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You said...

Those students who took the programming ‘boot-camp’ before studying one of the level two modules M250 Object-oriented Java programming, M269 Algorithms, data structures and computability, or TT284 Web technologies were appreciative of the boot-camp and found it helpful.

We did...

The programming boot-camp is a short, week-long, tutor-supported resource, based around a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) workspace, much like a module website. It is intended to support students moving on to one of our level two modules that include programming, such as TT284, M269, or M250. We have been actively encouraging students to sign-up for the boot-camp (it is free, by the way). Since we introduced the boot-camp in 2015 we have been improving the advice and guidance that is offered to students beforehand so that only those students who will gain most benefit from the boot-camp sign-up.

Computing and Communications

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You said...

Entry diagnostic quizzes are welcome as part of the help available for students when choosing their next module.

We did...

We hope to roll out more 'Are You Ready For?' quizzes and integrate these into Module Chooser so they become part of the process of selecting a new module. We will be working on improving the guidance on what you should do if you do not perform well in the quiz, and make this guidance and the quizzes available through the subject website.

Computing and Communications

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You said...

You wanted more information on items such as the topics and skills covered in a module and its assessment strategy together with more accurate estimates of study times and periods where group work is required.

We did...

We have included much of this information for modules on the new biology/health science and Chemistry resources pages and will ensure that this is developed further for all modules on the new Science subject site once it is available.

Read more Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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You said...

You would like to know what modules are being planned for your qualification in the next 1-5 years.

We did...

We will endeavour to provide this information via the Science subject site as soon as we can, however this will be dependent on OU approval processes.

Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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You said...

You would like to be able to organise your studies so that you can follow a level 2 module in one subject directly with the level 3 module in that subject area without leaving a year’s gap.

We did...

We have now relaxed the requirement within the broad and chemistry pathways in Natural Sciences (Q64) to enable level 3 study in any order and are working with the Student Support Team to provide the appropriate advice and guidance as regards study order.

Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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You said...

You wanted information on compulsory projects for MSc qualifications.

We did...

Project information is available and accessible for MSc project modules S810 and SXM810. Students on the new MSc in Mental Health Science will need to successfully complete S826 (Stage 1) and SD816 (Stage 2) before being eligible to register for SXH810. These stages complete in July 2018, and the project module commences in November 2018, so there will be plenty of opportunity over the three-month summer break period to plan ahead for the project.

Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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You said...

As well as providing preparatory materials and study advice to support your next module, you suggested that modules might provide a targeted list of relevant OpenLearn material or MOOCS.

We did...

The majority of modules have now developed preparatory materials. Within the School we are working on a number of Badged Open Courses (BOCS) delivered via OpenLearn that may be interest as optional study between modules and will support our modules. In relation to our master’s programmes, the University has developed a BOC on “Succeeding in postgraduate study” which is designed to help students with the transition from UG to PG study.

Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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You said...

You are frustrated with the timeliness of delivery of Print on Demand.

We did...

Whilst this is outside of our direct control we will continue to push for this to be as soon as possible on modules where this is offered.

Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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You said...

We should consider the introduction of a student buddy scheme.

We did...

We are piloting this scheme for the October (17J) presentations of our chemistry modules, S215 and S315 and if successful will roll this out on other modules.

Life, Health and Chemical Sciences

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