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OER26: Taking forward an agenda of radical hope
Paul Astles, and Catriona Matthews ~ Learning Designers, and Kathleen Calder ~ Senior Learning Designer It was a very hot few days in June as we arrived on The Open University campus for OER26, the Open Educational Resources conference. Despite the soaring temperatures, there was a real sense of excitement and energy as colleagues from…
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Connecting Globally: The Open University’s Contribution to an International Sustainability Symposium
~~ By Catriona Matthews and Paul Astles, Learning Designers When it comes to the challenges facing our planet, no single institution, country, or discipline has all the answers. Creating a more sustainable and equitable future requires collaboration, shared expertise, and a willingness to learn from one another across borders. That’s why we are delighted…
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From insight to impact: The evolving role of learning design in higher education
~~ By Alice Gallagher, Interim Head of Learning Design Introduction When I stepped into the role of Interim Head of Learning Design earlier this year, I found myself looking at a familiar discipline through a new lens. Having spent much of my career in learning design before moving into curriculum and service leadership roles, returning…
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Learning through play: delving into diverse student experiences
~~ By Catriona Matthews and Clare Hill, Learning Designers When you become a student, you don’t suddenly exist in an educational bubble where the reality of life fades away and your only worry is your next assessment. It is not always possible to avoid the impact that wider life events, experiences or responsibilities can have…
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CATE 2026 awards: Reflections on what being The Open University nominee means to us
Paul Astles, Joanna Helms, Eleanor Moore, James Openshaw, Jack Orbell ~~ Learning Designers In the autumn of 2025, after a rigorous application process, the Learning Design AI group was proud to be chosen as the OU’s CATE (Advance HE’s Collaborative Awards for Teaching Excellence) nomination for 2026. Competition for the award was high and we…
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Looking through the lens of compassionate pedagogy: attending the Open University WELS EDI Festival
Hayley Kelly, Cinzia Imbriano-Merner, Anna Judd-Yelland, Catriona Matthews, and Mark Williams ~ Learning Designers The WELS Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Festival 2026 ran from 20 April –1 May online for Open University staff and student reps. It was organised to celebrate the diverse journeys of OU students and staff in the Faculty of…
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Getting the Narrative Right: Storytelling for Student Engagement
Chris Cox ~ Learning Designer The call to adventure. The refusal of the call. Meeting the mentor. Crossing the threshold. The road of trials… Stories are everywhere, from entertainment to news, politics, ideologies… and learning. Storytelling has been part of the Open University (OU) Learning Design Team for years, as we explored how it…
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Innovating Learning Design in Higher Education: Project Outcomes and Open Resources
Paul Astles and Catriona Matthews ~ Learning Designers In our first article on this topic, Innovating Learning Design in Higher Education: Reflections from an International Collaboration, we explored the rationale for the iLED project and why learning outcomes led design matters across diverse higher education contexts. If you haven’t yet had a chance to…