© 2008 the open university. all rights reserved quality, access and scale in the uk open university...
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© 2008 The Open University. All Rights Reserved
Quality, Access and Scale in the UK Open University
Dominic NewbouldOpen University 1978 – 2011
April 2011
Supported Open Learning
The Open University in 2011
• Over 1.5 million students since 1971
• 260,000+ students in 2011
• 55,000 outside UK
• 570 courses, 70+ subjects → 256 qualifications
The OU in a global marketDirect Teaching Provision
The OU in a global marketmajor partnerships - examples:• Bangladesh – English in Action (EiA)• China – Peking U, Open University of China • Ethiopia – Ministry of Education + British Council• Middle East – Arab OU in 7 countries• Russia – IIM LINK• Singapore – UniSIM
Why have an Open University?• To make higher education (HE) available to many more
people – widening participation• To exploit technologies, methods and pedagogy to
achieve increased access to HE• To improve the quality of teaching and learning in
Britain’s universities by sharing best practice
Have we been successful?
What is an Open University?• Open – to people
Playing a leading role in the transition to mass higher education by serving an increasingly large and diverse student body, as well as customers, clients and partners.
• Open – to placesContributing to a widening of educational opportunities by making OU programmes, courses and services available UK-wide and internationally.
What is an Open University? cont’d• Open – to methods
Exploiting distance-teaching methods, new learning technologies and teaching techniques to serve students based at work, at home or on the move.
• Open – to ideasThe OU is a vibrant academic community dedicated to the expansion, refinement and sharing of knowledge.
Open all hoursThe OU’s first on-line
course in 1996:
a single day’s log-on record of students on-line
to the OU
Course: M206
Object Oriented Programming:
OU StructureFunding and Quality Assurance
REFTeaching
Production
Research
StudentSupport
Q AHEFC
QAA
Fees
Study with the OU
• Open entry – no entry qualifications are usually required for undergraduates
• Exit levels more important than entry levels – value added greater
Who are OU students?
OU – 256 different Qualifications37,000 awarded in 2009-2010
Innovation in teaching methods and media• OU offers an alternative higher education:
student centred • The OU has pioneered new curriculum, instructional
design and use of media: learner focused• Academics and teaching support staff need more
professional skills
UK National Student Satisfaction Survey 2005-2010
• Over 260 HE Institutions surveyed.• OU is at the top – awarded highest marks in the UK’s
National Student Survey 2005–2010• OU also ranked first in The Times Higher Education
Supplement (THES) 2006.
OU and social networking:more links
• YouTube:• http://www.youtube.com/ou• iTunesU• http://www.open.ac.uk/itunes/• Social Learn• http://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/sociallearn/
Challenges• Designing learning and support strategies upfront• Evolving the Supported Open Learning Model for the
electronic era—on-line and mobile learning. • Exploiting new technologies, new media and methods• The OU's Virtual Microscope
The OU in 2011• Europe’s biggest University• World-leading OU Business School• In the top five UK Universities on teaching quality ratings
and Student Satisfaction Surveys 2005–10• Blended learning in a multi-modal system. • Teaching is “fit for purpose”• 260,000 current students and clients• 200,000 students studying online• Excellence without exclusivity
EmployerOrganisationCorporation
Firm
Higher Education Institution
(HEI)University
EmployeeStudent
Individual
Contact
Dominic Newbould
Director of External Relations
Open University Worldwide
