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Accessibility Statement for The biology of survival (S295)

Mode of study

All of this module's study materials are online. Online materials are composed of pages of text with images; audio and video clips (all with transcripts/subtitles); diagrams; interactive media and animations. Online materials also include links to external resources, online forums and online tutorial rooms. Printable alternatives of some module content are provided, with the exception of interactive items, videos and online activities, which are core study material.

Tuition strategy

This module provides both tutor-group tutorials and module-wide tutorials, all of which are delivered online. Although not compulsory, attendance at tutorials will help you consolidate your learning.

Working with others

You'll be required to work with other students by acquiring data from online experiments and sharing data within your tutor group, and this is assessed. This includes looking at, and commenting on, others’ work; reflecting on others’ comments on your work; and/or working together with fellow learners on a project/task.

Practical work

Online laboratory-based and field-based practical work is an essential element and forms a required component of assessment. This includes some collaborative group work. The module covers all the practical science required for the natural science with biology degree pathway and extends your use of an online laboratory. Alternative study materials and advice on accessing iSpot, OpenStudio and The OpenScience Laboratory are available to enable students that are unable to access these items to successfully study the module.

Residential school

This module doesn’t have a compulsory residential school, but the Field Studies Council (FSC) offers an optional course that you might find useful. This covers pollination and aims to teach you the skills needed to undertake Investigation E, which forms part of the assessment for the module. We give the details of the FSC course on the module website. If you're unable to attend, or simply prefer not to, all the skills you need to undertake investigation E, are provided on the module website.

Mathematical and scientific expressions and notations

The module uses mathematical and scientific symbols and expressions throughout and you'll be required to use such notation within assessment.

Diagrams and other visual content

The study materials contain a considerable number of diagrams, graphs and photographs. Reading, interpreting and producing examples of these is an important part of the study of this module and we assess this. We provide figure descriptions for most figures and always where one is essential to an assignment.

Finding information

You might be required to search for and make use of third-party material online and this is assessed. For example, you’ll be required you to take a photograph of flora or fauna and upload it to the iSpot website. You'll also be required to view other students’ pictures on iSpot and comment on them. We can provide alternatives for required/assessed research material to enable you to meet the learning outcomes of the module.

Specialist reading material

In this module, you will be working with specialist reading material such as mathematical and scientific notation - we deliver these online.

Assessment

This module has tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) that you must submit via the online TMA service, interactive computer-marked assignments completed online and a remote exam. One TMA includes fieldwork.

Feedback

You will receive feedback from your tutor on your submitted Tutor-Marked Assignments (TMAs). This will help you to reflect on your TMA performance. You should refer to it to help you prepare for your next assignment. Contact your tutor to discuss any concerns you have about this aspect of your learning.

Schedule

All Open University modules are structured according to a set timetable and you will need time-management skills to keep your studies on track. We'll support you in developing these skills.

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