We’ve tried to anticipate the questions you might have before you start studying the course. These are divided into questions you may have before you have registered and questions you have once you have started the course. If you have a different question or are concerned about any aspect of study, don’t forget you can always contact one of our trained study advisors.
Only as much as you have time for at this point in time. AA100 has been structured so that you should have time to work through all of the materials and the assessments during the study period allocated to the course. If you buy your set books in advance, follow this link for advice about what to read before the course starts.
The University may be able to help you, depending on your financial circumstances. Follow this link for more details.
You could start with the BBC’s Computer Tutor, an excellent beginner’s guide which covers the basics of using a computer. Then you might look at WebWise, also from the BBC. This is a step-by-step guide to using the internet. If you already have some computer experience, you might find the OU’s PC4Study website helpful. If you’re thinking about buying a computer, the OU’s online computing guide has advice about equipment and internet access under getting started.
All public libraries have internet enabled computers available to the general public. Access to these computers may be free or there may be a small charge (with most libraries charging for printing). They can be very popular, so you may have to book.
You should have no problems using the course’s online resources. However you may need to use a friend’s computer to view the interactive DVD-Roms as sometimes computer access in libraries can be difficult. The OU Library has guidance on what to do in these circumstances. Follow this link for further information.
Your study materials will come in one mailing. This contains the Course Companion, module map and assignment booklet, the four main module books and the attendant DVDs and CDs.
You can track when your course materials were sent to you via the ‘materials despatch’ tab from StudentHome. If they haven’t arrived 10 days after they have been despatched, you should contact the University, and a replacement set will be sent.
Shortly before the start of the course.
You can start using the Open University Students Association (OUSA) forums soon after you’ve registered. The course specific forums and websites will not open until nearer the start of the course.
For each study week, you need to spend between 12 and 16 hours on the course. The course materials include a calendar and a map which explain what you should be doing and when.
Your tutor is assigned to you at the beginning of the course. He or she will help you – as part of a small group of students – through the whole course by offering online and face to face tutorials, by marking your work, and will give you one to one help if you run into problems.
Face to face tutorials are a central part of teaching at the Open University. All the students assigned to a tutor are invited to attend a programme of tutorials. The content of each session will vary – some will help you with assignments. In others you’ll have the chance to work through materials with other students and to use extra material to help practise your study skills. Many students enjoy tutorials and the chance to meet other students and chat about the course.
Day schools provide the chance for students within a region to come together for a day of dedicated study. Tutors and other academics offer lectures, workshops and study sessions on a variety of topics.
In an online tutorial, tutors will post up a series of questions and materials over a few days. You’re invited to post back your answers, comments and thoughts. Online tutorials have a different feel to face to face sessions – you have more time to think about you answers.
The most important thing to do is not to worry without good cause. The course is not designed to be an obstacle course, and if you do fall behind, your tutor will be able to advise you about where to concentrate your energies. You are not assessed on every piece of course material, and while you will do better on the course the more of it you can read, you may find it easier to focus on chapters which have assignments at least in the first instance. See pp.13-14 of the Course Companion ‘How to study AA100: the role of Assessment’ for more advice.
Try not to gauge your progress through the course on the basis of other peoples’ experiences. While some students like to read the material a long time in advance, for the vast majority, this isn’t possible. There’s no evidence that people who study a long time in advance do better than those who follow the study calendar; indeed, if you read too much too soon, you can forget important arguments and evidence when it comes to writing assignments. The study calendar has been designed so that you can strike a balance between making progress through the course and keeping up with the rest of your life; see pp.23-28 of the Course Companion ‘Pacing Yourself’ for more advice.
