Teaching, learning and assessment methods
The overall teaching across the qualification will offer an integrated learning experience. This will include study of materials supplied by the OU, online tuition provided by the tutor, activities including reflective practice, practical exercises, literature review and critiquing and collaborations with other students and finally continuous and end-of-module assessment.
The study materials will include a range of specially written materials, case studies, original texts, study guides and assignments and multi-media material.
You will be expected to engage in range of activities including reading texts, solving numerical problems and scenarios, researching and using relevant literature on contemporary issues and applying theories to practical situations
Your tutor is your first point of contact and they will communicate with you via a tutor group forum. They will answer questions on materials and mark assignments.
You will be allocated a specialist HR tutor who will present online tutorials and online activities, give advice and guidance and assess assignments.
Knowledge and understanding will be assessed through examinations, assessed assignments and online collaborative activities. The dissertation module will provide training in research skills and will be assessed through a 10-15,000 word dissertation. The dissertation will be an independent piece of academic or applied research that will provide opportunity for you to develop and demonstrate research skills, and to develop deeper understanding of one or more parts of the curriculum.
Cognitive and practical skills are developed through a range of activities in each module. Case studies allow you to engage with human resource management issues in a range of contexts, and these will include international case studies. You will be prompted throughout the modules to search for and retrieve information in a digital environment, and will be given guidance on the use of databases. Online discussions and assessment activities will help you to develop and demonstrate critical thinking about the application of theory to practice.
Self-awareness, reflective learning and continuous professional development will have been introduced in the compulsory modules of B863 and B864 (now discontinued) and you are expected to keep a portfolio as evidence of your development of these skills. Further development of these skills are a continuing theme throughout the programme. Guidance on communication skills is provided in study materials, and they will be further developed through written assessments and online discussion forums. You will work collaboratively online with colleagues in activities which contributes to module assessments.
Human resource management residential school (BXR868)
This module is only required if you are seeking Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) accreditation of this qualification. This residential school will give you the opportunity to practise and receive feedback on the skills introduced in the human resource management (HRM) modules.
The residential school is delivered as an online school where there is daily contact over a 12-day period that includes some real-time synchronous tutorials which students are expected to participate in. The school takes place in September. The learning objectives and outcomes are related to professional skill development and are complementary to the learning outcomes of the HRM modules.