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...
Students are not encouraged enough to draw on their own up-to-date research on the module content to make the learning more personal and relevant.
We did...
Our recently released level 3 modules in English and applied linguistics and forthcoming level 2 and 3 modules in languages draw more of students’ own research and experience to generate ideas, discussions and collaborative work.
Languages and Applied Linguistics
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You said...
Not all students like the requirement to do an English language module when studying for a degree with two modern languages.
We did...
The new Language Studies qualification released since 2012 no longer includes this as a compulsory element.
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You said...
I need more support at the start of my level 1 modules.
We did...
We have developed an induction programme at the start of all beginners’ languages modules, providing activities and resources to ensure that you are ready for your studies by the time the module starts.
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You said...
We would like to be able to continue studying languages at the OU after level 3 modules.
We did...
We are launching a new MA in translation in 2017.
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You said...
That your experience of studying Law with the OU was an enjoyable experience and that you appreciated the knowledgeable and supportive tutors.
We did...
We note that the vast majority of you enjoy studying Law with us. We continue to be proactive to try and ensure that such a positive experience is not just maintained but is also enhanced.
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You said...
You wanted more face to face tutorials and were disappointed with the manuals especially with the number of errors they contained.
We did...
We strive to provide as many, timely and local face to face tutorials as we can with the budget we are allocated.
We discussed and continue to discuss the quality of manuals with our partner, the University of Law, who write the manuals. We regularly monitor the performance of the University of Law against a number of Key Performance Indicators designed to minimise errors and ensure timely responses to academic queries.
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You said...
You hope for more assistance and support as you prepared for assignments and examinations.
We did...
In response to your comments we have provided additional support sessions at Level 2 on preparing for assignments and revision. As a result more of you succeeded in your Level 2 studies. We are planning similar provision for Level 3 modules from October 2017.
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You said...
The teaching materials seemed very out of date, with few papers cited being newer than 2008, which did not bring confidence when discussing an area that is constantly changing and updating with the latest technology and statistics.
We did...
We will be updating the module in 2017 in parallel with the development of the replacement module H880.
MA in Online and Distance LearningPosted on:
You said...
I found it difficult to know what was optional. Given the volume of work I think most people would struggle to complete the optional activities, so clearer instructions about their relevance would have helped me pace myself better.
We did...
We’ve begun revising all of our module guides to give more explicit guidance about which activities are optional. We will also be ensuring that, when designing new modules, increased attention is paid to realistic and accurate timing of study activities.
MA in Online and Distance LearningPosted on:
You said...
There is an inconsistency across some of our modules regarding the amount of teaching taking place in synchronous Online Rooms.
We did...
We’ve now included this type of tuition in all of our modules.
MA in Online and Distance LearningPosted on:
United Kingdom and online
United Kingdom and online
At home / online
