Open University Community

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 16:12:44 GMT

can anyone tell me what usually happens if you havent submitted an assignment on time but havent got an extension? Cant get hold of my tutor, think she is on holiday....

course grades?

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:07:47 GMT

CAn anypne explain to me how assignment/exam scores are related to classification?
As in what percentage relates to the different pass levels and how in turn do these relate to classification?

The FirstClass Conferencing system

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 22:07:21 GMT

This is an "out of curiosity" type poll :-)

View Poll: FirstClass Usage

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:27:12 GMT

Can anyone tell me what exactly is firstclass and how is it accessed?

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 12:59:30 GMT

Does anyone have any experience buying study packs from OUW and studying informally?

I've recently taken time out of my OU studies (where I was just choosing courses I liked the sound of working towards an open degree) to do a conventional university degree (in Physics, which the OU doesn't offer to the extent that I want to study), but I have vast (3 month!) holidays in which I'd like to continue to learn things. The OU doesn't offer any courses that fit in with the timing of my break so I'm thinking of buying the study packs from a course I'd previously planned to do and working my way through it informally. Any thoughts/suggestions?

Financial Support

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 22 May 2008 22:28:02 GMT

I've qualified for financial support for the two OU courses I've taken which covered my course fees as well as an added grant. I got letters from the Student Loans Company on both accounts and I was just wanted to check whether that meant I had to pay them back or not?

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Sat, 17 May 2008 10:21:31 GMT

Hi folks

I'm looking at starting a part-time course with the OU in the near future. A lot of that will depend on whether I get a job I was interviewed for last week so here's hoping!!

Anyhow, the course is the MSc in Psychological Research Methods. I graduated last July with upper second class honours in BSc Psychology and want to take my research methods skills further.

Is anyone doing this course? Or done it in the past? Any views? Opinions? Like it? Dislike?

I'm also completely new to the OU in general. I've been scouring the website and have picked up lots of useful little tidbits of information. I guess a big question (and one that i'm sure gets asked about on here a lot) is about funding! IF I get this job I am waiting to hear about, I will be working 16 hours a week (plus more potentially if I can get work again at my old university in September). As far as I can understand from the OU website, the only funding available to postgrad and doctorate students is a career development loan. Is that correct? If so, I suppose that works in the same way a normal bank loan would as that is where it comes from?

Sorry for all the pretty general (and probably over-asked) questions. Just wanting to try and get a bit of an overall feel for the course and the OU before i dive in and sign up for the first module!

Thanks :)

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 14 May 2008 11:54:55 GMT

My OU stuff just came! :D

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:38:50 GMT

Hi all,

Just a quick note to say thank you to those that gave me useful information in my previous post. It's been very helpful. I hope to read posts from other OU students. I'd love to hear what you're all up to.

I fact, I think I'd like to hear about everyone's favourite OU course! What was it? When did you do it? Why was it so enjoyable?

Hope to read some good replies!

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Mon, 12 May 2008 11:10:16 GMT

Hello all. I'm new to this community and to the Open University. I just have a question or two to ask and would be most grateful if anyone could give a helpful answer.

I've enrolled on S194, Introducing Astronomy. I've never done an OU course before and as I'm interested in astronomy I thought this might be a good starting point. My mom has done OU courses before and loved them and thinks I would enjoy my chosen course. I'm an engineer in the Royal Navy and so I will be studying on evenings after work and between watches, but I think my time will be enough for the science short courses.

I'm afraid I might be being a bit dense here as I can't quite find what I want on the OU site, so help would be appreciated here. If I enjoy S194 and have the time I would like to complete either the Certificate in Introductory Astronomy or Certificate in Contemporary Science. I'd probably choose the latter, but can't say for sure. If I did complete one of those certificates, can I link that to a degree (if I wanted to progress that way)? Or once you've linked the short courses to the certificate, is that them 'used up'?

Also, if anyone has any recommended reading for S194 I'd love to hear your suggestions.

Thanks!

Astronomy and Space Sciences

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:27:02 GMT

Hello everyone *waves*

I'm currently ambling through Science short courses (S193, S194, S196 completed) and having joined the Geology society, I wanted to join the Astronomy society.... but it doesn't look like it's active any more :(

Is this the case? Or does anyone know of a well-hidden Astronomy society at OU?

Anyone else on ED209?

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 19:14:32 GMT

I'm taking it alongside DD100 this year and I'm finding the amount of coursework on top of the usual day to day Things That Need To Be Done (tm) a bit overwhelming, so I've not managed to make it to any of the tutorials yet. I'd really like to find some people taking the same course though ... it's always handy to have other people to bounce ideas off (or groan about the workload with!)

Is anyone else on here taking E209?

Is the OU dumbing down?

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:44:16 GMT

Today I found this on the student website section of the Intranet:

AMCT001: Welcome to the Harry Potter Studies level 1 course, "Introduction to Hogwarts". In this course you will be introduced to the early Harry Potter novels, become familiar with terminology used, and investigate some of the influences on the author.

[OK, I confess, it's just for training.]

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:28:56 GMT

How much contact do you usually have with your tutor?

Because of bad management i feel that i am going to have to ask for an extension on my second assignment. I dont particularly want to because i had my first tma extended by 1 week and that is the only other time i have been in contact with my tutor. :(

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 19:33:20 GMT

Hello! I'm new to OU and the community. I registered for T189 Digital photography: creating and sharing better images (starting May 2008) just yesterday. Is anyone else taking this course?

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:24:17 GMT

I've just started doing the OU as a part time student, I'm in Scotland as well which I know will make a difference. Does anybody know if I will get funding for this or will I have to go full time for that? I was hoping to maybe do the course part time and work part time for now.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 20:38:27 GMT

Has anyone here already studied the AA306 Shakespeare: Text and Peformance course? It's just I'm currently really stuck on a TMA and despite chatting to my tutor I'm still rather confused and I was looking for some extra guidence?

On Why The Arts Are Actually Harder Than The Sciences

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 17:33:55 GMT

Hi all,

Just made a post on my personal LJ about my OU course that I thought you guys might also like. I should stress that it is intended to be tongue-in-cheek. Also, just so you know where I'm coming from, I'm a programmer and science-fiction geek who's into writing SF and fantasy.

When it comes to the arts verses the sciences, I've always held to the standard techie view: that the sciences are hard and the arts is just a bunch of art history students talking bollocks for four hours a week and partying for the rest. Art is easy. Science is hard. Right?

Erm. Wrong. Actually.

Why do I say this? Well back in 1991, I took a one year course with the Open University (a degree level course which I was doing as a one-off). It was called M205 Fundamentals of computing and it was easy. Each week the course books would teach me a new technique, every few weeks I'd have to do a marked assessment, and I ended up with a distinction, which is 85%+. (I can't remember the exact score but I think it was something in the low nineties). Why do I say it was easy?

Well imagine you spend your week learning how to do a particular mathematical equation. Imagine you then have a marked assignment where you have to do ten of these equations. What does it mean if you get all ten answers right and score 100%? Does it mean you're a genius? Are you Einstein? No. It just means you understood how to do that type of equation, checked your answers, and didn't make a mistake. I wrote little programs to sort and so on, and they did indeed sort (and so on), and so I scored lots of high marks.

But what about the arts, you ask? Where do they come in? Well last year I fancied doing some kind of writing degree, and the result of that is that I've just started AZX103 An introduction to the humanities, and you know what? It's really hard.

In our first week we learned how to evaluate paintings from a whole load of different technical, semantic and emotional perspectives, and now - in my first marked assignment - I'm staring very hard at a painting by Picasso trying to think what I can say about it. What would it mean if I scored 100% in this exercise?

It would mean that not only was my understanding of this painting perfect, but that my ability to explain that understanding was perfect also. It would mean that I had said all that ever could be said and ever would be said. It would mean that I was omnipotant. It would mean that I was God.

Do I think that I'm going to score 100% in this exercise? No. I'm not God. Do I think I'm going to score a distinction (over 85%). No. No way. This stuff is hard. As I read through the books they keep on having little exercises where they ask you to write down what you can see in a particular painting, and sure enough, when I make my list, and then read on to see what they've got, they've seen loads of stuff I've completely missed. I failed to spot Jesus Christ, Son of God and ultimate saviour of mankind in one painting.

That wasn't a good day.

For this course they have an initial "trial" assignment that is marked, but with the score being a non-counting dummy. We had to write an evaluation of the language used in three extracts from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. I got back 60% (a level three pass), and a comments from my tutor that basically amounted to: "Nicely written, but here's all the stuff you missed."

I'd like to push my final score up to above 70% (a level 2 pass) but that's as far as my ambitions reach. In fact, just keeping at 60% (a level 3 pass) would do me. There's certainly no way in hell I'm going to get another distinction. Why?

Because the arts are hard.

DD100 - TMA07

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 18:41:06 GMT

I don't know where I'd be without this community! I don't get much responses from the OU site.

Anyway, I'm currently cramming like mad to finish TMA07 by midnight. I decided against asking for an extension because I know I can do it if put my head to it.

Now I have been working my ass off for the past few days and I have now got to the stage where I am staring at the question and my mind is blank. (Question being Discuss How Structural And Agency Factors are Involved in Explanations of Crime) I know this is such an easy question but I'm stuck.

I've explained what Structural & Agency factors are now I need to explain how they are involved in explanations of crime. I think I am just spinning round in circles here.

Is anyone doing this course? I don't want anybody to do this for me, I just need a sentence or an idea to kick me off.

Thanks so much.

DD100 - TMA07

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:16:41 GMT

Dear god, either I am stupid or that OU site is a nightmare to find anything!!!

So I ask you. What happens if I fail a TMA? Do I fail the whole course or do I get a chance to do it again?

I'm having some problems with my TMA which is due Tuesday. I've had some issues at home which means I've left it late to do it but I didn't think I would have any problem with the actual TMA. If I call my tutor tomorrow, will I be able to get an extension on it?

Thanks so much!

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 17:13:59 GMT

Excuse my ignorance and what may look like complete stupidity I haven't slept and I think my brain fell asleep without me.

I can't find the forums on the OU website!! Am I failing to see it or did it disappear? Can someone help me with this?

Also, as you can guess, I am pretty new to the OU, I've only just started DD100 - An Introduction to Social Sciences. I'm working through the workbooks and doing some of the small essays etc. I've yet to do my first TMA. When I'm doing the small essays, is it okay to use books/internet to get more information on the subject at hand? Can I use this in said essays etc?

I'm sorry if the answers are blatantly obvious, its been a bad day and I can't reach my tutor just now.

Many thanks!!

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 18:14:53 GMT

i have many open uni questions that i always forget to ask the staff about on the phone so hopefully some of you guys will be able to help :)

In the past i studied Business Studies at convential uni but didnt complete to degree level. I am unsure whether or not i want to continue studying business studies at this stage but I have just completed my credit transfer form to assess what i need to do to achieve either a business studies degree or an open degree. I am hoping that they will tell me i need to complete 120 points at level 3 to be awarded a BA (hons) Business Studies Degree or the same for an open degree.

however....
In the meantime i am studying Youth: perspectives and practice (KE308) which is worth 60 points. I was wondering if it was possible to complete a BA/BSc (hons) Open degree with the course i am currently doing and then 60 points worth of business studies course which could then be used again towards the business degree? If that was possible it would mean i could achieve an open degree and delay my decision for another year or so.
Hope that makes sense to someone out there...

Any help, newbie over here.

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 09:52:20 GMT

Hello, my name is Kayleia and I'm currently researching Open Uni to do a degree. I'm a little confused by some aspects of Open Uni so I am going some really stupid questions, but please, any help I would be grateful.

I'm looking at training to be an Art Therapist to people with a learning disability. I'm currently working as a PR and Marketing assistant in an office but for 1 day a week they let me go to a community centre to help out at an Arts and Crafts session. I'm looking to study Health and Social care because of Mental Health sections. However, I understand it's changing soon and this is the part that really has got me :-

A further 120 points, which can be taken from any of the courses above or from the following. At least 120 points must be at level 3:

Level 2

Challenging ideas in mental health (K272) 30
Nov 2008
£380

Death and dying (K260) 30
Feb 2009
£380

Human biology (SK277) 30
Nov 2008
£340

Inclusive education: learning from each other (E243) 30
Feb 2009
£340

Medicine and society in Europe 1500–1930 (A218) 60
Jan 2009
£610

Diverse perspectives on mental health (K225) 30
Feb 2009
£380

Perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine (K221) 30
Feb 2009
£380

Social care, social work and the law (K269) 30
Feb 2009
£585

or

The law and social work in Scotland (K207) 60
Feb 2009
£785

Level 3

Managing health and social care (K307)* 60
Feb 2009
£1080

Research with children and young people (EK310) 60
Feb 2009
£610

The bit bolded is what REALLY confuses me. So, do I have to do both level 3 topics and then go back and do the mental health sections, or can I do 4 sections from level 2 instead? I really want to do the Mental Health topics as it's vital to my job!

Next question - is an Open Degree seen as a serious degree? After my degree, I'm hoping to go and study a MA at Derby Uni in Expressive Therapies and I'm still considering doing an Open Degree in History of Art and Health and Social Care. Shall I email the Uni and see what they say?

I'm very sorry about these pathetic questions, but this time I am dertimined to get this started and start my career ie, get out of this office!

E25... In one year.

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:38:31 GMT

Has anyone here done E25 (diploma in Literature and Creative Writing)? I'm going to be doing (from September) the creative writing component and the nineteenth century novel component at the same time, so that I can do it in one year. They are 60 points each, so I'm expecting it to be a little hectic.

Have any of you done either of these courses? How did you find them?

It'd be great to hear from any of you.

ou-livejournal@ailbhe.ossifrage.net — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 10:49:06 GMT

hello people, anyone else studying KE308 Youth: perspectives and practice or studied it before?

After my attempt at making the international last year which i had to abandon i am doing this one purely out of interest.

I also wanted to ask if anyone here is from Belfast and has any involvement with ousa? Generally do they organise any events?

thanks