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...
You would like a more holistic, joined-up approach to studying at the OU and for Library Services to be more visible at the start of your studies.
We did...
Librarians now take part in events such as Fresher's Fair, Student Hub Live and engage students in live Facebook events such as 'getting yourself set up for study'.
Library
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You said...
You were unsatisfied with aspects related to personal development.
We did...
Changes are in place to provide greater opportunities for personal development with a greater focus on the delivery and transparency of such skills in new modules as they are produced, across all levels of the curriculum.
Life, Health and Chemical Sciences
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You said...
The quality of advice available for study choice is low.
We did...
We recognise that the changes in the curriculum are causing concern and confusion for some of our students. We will therefore offer clear and timely advice on our qualification website to assist students with their module choices and qualification plans. We will also provide the opportunity for discussion with academic staff on our qualification forums as well as online events. These events will be advertised clearly on both the qualification website and via appropriate modules forums.
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You said...
You are dissatisfied with the loss of books as more of our modules are presented online, with a perceived decrease in value of these modules.
We did...
While embracing the opportunities that online material can provide in supporting learning, we appreciate that many learners value printed materials and so have extended the number of modules on which Print on Demand materials are available.
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You said...
There are a lack of opportunities for you to obtain practical experience.
We did...
We are continually adding to (and improving) the assets delivered via the OpenScience laboratory and in addition to field trips organised by the Field Studies Council are also piloting a number of Laboratory school experiences in our labs on campus for you to develop your laboratory based practical skills.
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You said...
There is a low level of satisfaction about manageability of the timetable and the advice and support available when making study choices.
We did...
We aim to improve these aspects of our provision by working with individual modules to make sure that student workload is managed throughout their studies, and we are also working with the Student Support Teams to ensure that students receive appropriate advice on the time commitment when they plan their studies. We are also developing a new Health Sciences qualification website to assist students with their module choices by providing more information in a single location.
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You said...
You are highly satisfied by the quality of our postgraduate courses (including for overall quality, study experience and tutor support).
We did...
We would like to thank all students who took part in the SEaM and PTES surveys. Our module teams undertake thorough module reviews and will continue to strive to support students in their attainment and to improve student satisfaction on our programmes. We are currently reviewing our curriculum, and looking for additional ways to enhance your learning experience, skills development and progression through our qualifications.
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You said...
That the reading material for your modules was extremely informative & helpful.
We did...
We note that that 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 hoped for more guidance, assistance and support as you prepared for assignments and examinations.
We did...
In response to your comments we have provided additional support sessions on preparing for assignments and revision at levels 1 and 2. We will continue to be proactive and review the success of these sessions for implementation at level 3. We continue to review our assessment guidance and the number of assessments across all our modules. A reduction in the number of assessments
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You said...
That tutor contact was of high quality. You also valued tutor’s support, especially around assessment points and you found online tutorials very good and informative.
We did...
We noted that the majority of you find tutorials useful to your studies and of good quality. 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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