Assessing Open University students – at residential schools and otherwise
Sunday, July 31st, 2011
I was due to be tutoring at the Open University residential school SXR103 Practising Science at the University of Sussex (shown left; the crane is a reminder of the huge amount of building work that is going on) for two weeks this summer. Unfortunately flu and laryngitis forced me to bail out after just one week. It was an excellent week, even if teaching is a bit challenging when you have no voice! – I’m extremely grateful to my colleagues, especially Keith, Chris and Anne-Marie, for helping to cover for me and to Dave for staying on an extra week in my place.
So now I’m home with unexpected time to catch up on some reading, writing and reflection (though my thinking may be even more befuddled than usual!). I’ve thought previously that the assessment-related issues confronting those of us who work at the UK Open University, with its ‘supported distance learning’, are not that dissimilar to those working at conventional ‘face to face’ universities. Now I’m beginning to wonder. (more…)