Category Archives: Student Stories

Student Story: Charlie De Gale

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‘I’m excited for the next chapter’ says cancer survivor and proud graduate Charlie.

Having played competitive sports for many years Charlie, 58, faced the biggest battle of his life to overcome a critical illness during his Open University (OU) Sport, Fitness and Coaching degree. Charlie describes how digging deep and making the most of the OU’s support, gave him the strength to cross the finish line He’s now looking forward to an exciting career as a sports teacher. From a young age, sport was a lifeline for Charlie and something he was always good at.

“School was a challenging time for me. I found the academic side difficult, but I was lucky enough to have a fantastic sports teacher who noticed my potential,” Charlie remembers. “He encouraged me to join all the school sports teams and helped me write about my experiences, which really helped me with other subjects.”

Taking coaching to the next level

While working as a physical training instructor for the Metropolitan Police Service, Charlie was approaching a milestone birthday and wanted to do something special to mark it.

“I’d been coaching football in the community for years, it’s a real passion of mine,” Charlie says. “So I decided to take a couple of months off work and coach football in America.

After receiving amazing feedback on his coaching ability and style, Charlie found the confidence to  embark on the OU’s Sport, Fitness and Coaching degree.

“I was a bit daunted at first, but I was ready to give it my all. I was also setting up my own community soccer school at the time, so everything was falling into place.”

Devastating news

Since returning from America, Charlie had been struggling with hip pain. After consulting his doctor he was told he needed a hip replacement, which led to a devastating discovery.“ I went for my pre-op checks and then several tests and scans later, the doctors discovered tumours on my lungs,” Charlie explains. “To cut a long story short, I had a rare form of cancer, which needed extremely aggressive treatment. It was a horrible time.”

Unsure of his survival chances, Charlie was rushed for treatment but he recovered well and eventually got the new hip he badly needed.

“As you can imagine with all that treatment, multiple operations and then a hip replacement, I had a lot of recovery time on my hands,” Charlie recalls. “[I had paused my degree and ] thought I’d make the most of it and picked up my studies again.”

A new perspective

Surviving the scariest experience of his life made Charlie even more determined to succeed.

“Coming out of something like that gives you a whole new perspective,” Charlie reflects. “I felt I could do anything I set my mind to – including this degree.”

As he progressed through his degree, Charlie surprised himself by carving out time for study after a hard day at work.

“I liked the adrenaline of reaching a submission deadline, I even miss that now. It was like training for a marathon and getting to race day,” says Charlie.

Digging deep

It wasn’t always plain sailing for Charlie. After failing two tutor marked assignments, his self-confidence took a blow and he started to doubt whether he would ever graduate.

“I didn’t just miss out on a few marks, I failed badly,” Charlie admits. “I was finding the level of the work tough in that last year, and I was on the verge of giving up. But I’d come so far, I just had to pick myself back up.”

That’s when Charlie embraced the different avenues of support on offer at the OU.

“I’d recommend the Student Support Service to anyone who’s struggling. The support they gave me was absolutely brilliant,” says Charlie. “I also contacted my tutor, who was really patient and explained where I’d gone wrong.”

Using visualisation techniques he’d honed through sport; Charlie dug deep and took his tutor’s advice on board.

“I imagined myself crossing the stage at my graduation ceremony whenever I was doubting myself, then I absolutely smashed my final assignment,” Charlie recounts. “I was gobsmacked at the mark I got, and I couldn’t have done it without the support I had from the OU.”

Learning about himself

Not only did Charlie exceed his academic expectations after completing his degree, but he also surprised himself in other ways.

“My OU experience was amazing. I learned a lot about myself. I found another gear I never knew was there. I had this strong drive to do better. And for someone who was always late, I got really good at time management!”

Determined to make the most of his achievements and the skills he developed along the way, Charlie has exciting plans for the future.

“I’m 58 now, so I want to make the most of this degree,” Charlie begins. “I’m planning to enrol for teacher training, so I can teach sports in secondary school. What better way to end my career? I know I can make a difference to young people and give back what my sports teacher gave me.”

Charlie, who celebrated at his degree ceremony in Brighton reflects on what it means to achieve his degree.

“Getting this degree is the best thing I’ve ever done. I can’t wait for the next stage of my journey, and it’s all thanks to the OU.”

 

Student Story: Peter Dunning

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Former Royal Marine Peter Dunning was playing wheelchair rugby at the Invictus Games 2018 when a fellow UK Team member told him about The Open University’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF). Before he knew it, he’d successfully applied and was embarking on a BSc in Sport, Fitness and Coaching degree – something which has always been his passion. After graduation, he dreams of working in sport and coaching fellow veterans.From the Invictus Games to an OU Sport, Fitness and Coaching degree

Former Royal Marine Peter Dunning was playing wheelchair rugby at the Invictus Games 2018 when a fellow UK Team member told him about The Open University’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF).

Before he knew it, he’d successfully applied and was embarking on a BSc in Sport, Fitness and Coaching degree — something which has always been his passion.

Now in his third year, Peter — who lost both his legs and sustained multiple other injuries on duty in Afghanistan — is on track to complete his degree in 2023. After graduation, he dreams of working in sport, coaching fellow veterans and future Invictus Games participants.

After doing his GCSEs at school, Peter studied Sports Science and Clinical Psychology at a brick university. While he enjoyed playing Rugby Union for the university team, he didn’t enjoy the clinical psychology element and dropped out.

Looking to challenge himself more both physically and mentally, Peter joined the Royal Marines and served for five years before an accident in 2008 changed his life forever. A vehicle he was in went over an improvised explosive device (IED) leaving him badly injured and unable to continue his military career or play the sport he adored.

Years later, Peter began playing wheelchair rugby and was one of eight players selected to represent the UK Team in the Invictus Games in Sydney in 2018.

“Daniel Bingley, a friend of mine who was also competing in the Invictus Games, told me about the OU’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund,” he said.

“I knew I needed to do something else, so I looked into it further and thought ‘Why not?’.

“I wanted to choose a course that I would enjoy and that would help my future, so I went for Sport, Fitness and Coaching, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it! The sport arena is what I’d like to do career-wise, and sports is where my big interest has been ever since I was a wee dot.”

Peter got off to a great start with his studies and was nominated for an Inspirational Student Award by his tutor.

“It was a shock to be nominated for the Student Award, and it was even better to win it!” he said.

“Studying with the OU has changed me because it has made me appreciate education. I’ve been out of work and education for a while, and this has got me back into it. It’s good to get the grey matter ticking over again!

“I didn’t know if I would be able to achieve this, but I am. I couldn’t do it without the ongoing help and support of my partner either,” he added.

But studying has not been without its challenges and sacrifices. “It hasn’t always been easy, even though I enjoy it,” he said. “I suspect I have dyslexia — I’ve never had it diagnosed, but sometimes it can take me a long time to get my reading done and I’ll have to read the same line over and over again. Because it’s a topic I’m so interested in, I just keep going, but it can be challenging.

“I’m also buying a house with my partner. Moving house is stressful, so I decided to do my third year part-time instead of full-time so I don’t take on too much at once. Similarly, I was due to play in the Invictus Games in April 2023 but I’ve pulled out because I’ll be working on my end of module assignments around then.”

Peter has shared custody of his two children, so he’s had to find ways to fit in his studies around his family life.

“Having my studies really helped me in lockdown too, especially during the weeks I didn’t have my kids,” he said. “It gave me something to focus on, so it’s been a lifeline. I just made sure I was always a week or two ahead, so I was free when I had my kids to help them with their homeschooling.”

He also appreciates the way OU study is broken down into manageable blocks and said: “I love a to-do list, so I like the way OU work is set out week by week. I like ticking it off at the end of each week!

“You have to be self-motivated, but I haven’t found that hard because I genuinely enjoy the subject I’ve chosen, so I’m inspired by that. I also spoke to a local sports scientist to learn about the job, and thinking about that keeps me motivated as my goal is to work in a related field.”

The DVSF is made possible thanks to the generosity of OU alumni and donors. Each year, the Fund enables veterans like Peter to access life-changing education, so they can rewrite their futures outside of the military.

“To all the donors and everyone who helps with the DVSF scheme I have simply two words to say — thank you! I will always be happy to shout about the DVSF as it’s been of great benefit to me,” said Peter. “Having the opportunity to do the scholarship has been fantastic — I don’t think I’d have considered studying without a scholarship as I couldn’t have funded it.

“My studies have already helped my wheelchair rugby teammates and I when it comes to recovery and nutrition. The teaching materials and tutors have been great — particularly when it comes to assignment feedback and their helpful advice which helps me to perform better next time.

“I am hoping my qualification will really be of immense benefit when it comes to job searching and will make it easier to get into the area that I want to work in. Plus, lots of jobs require you to have a degree, so now I’ll be able to apply for those too. I want to get into a career in exercise physiology, biometrics or coaching — I’d love to coach for the Invictus Games!

“To anyone thinking of studying with the OU I’d say, ‘Good for you!’. My advice would be to: make sure you pick a topic you’re interested in; find a time in the day when you know you’re at their most productive to study; and give yourself plenty of time for assignments. Good luck!”

Student Story: John Owens

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Veteran John Owens was at the top of his military career when a stroke left him hospitalised and facing an uncertain future. With support of The Open University’s Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund, he’s now working towards a new career as a personal trainer. chapter in his ongoing recovery.

After facing his own challenges, John, from Kilmarnock is determined to show other disabled veterans that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“I was operating weapons in a war zone when I was still a teenager,” says John, who signed up for the Army after leaving school at 16. His passion for fitness led him to begin as a personal trainer but was soon seconded into Weapons Support.

“When the First Gulf War started, I was possibly the youngest soldier there aged just 17. I couldn’t help thinking, here I am in a war zone, but when I go home, I won’t be considered old enough to buy a beer in a pub!”

John’s military career took him around the world, where he travelled to conflict zones like Iraq and Afghanistan to provide weapons support to the frontline troops. After his tours, he was promoted and began to teach the next generation of recruits at the Army’s Specialist Weapons School. All while continuing his passion for running whenever he could.

It was then, while at the top of his 24-year service, that John suffered his first stroke.

Adapting to civilian life

“After my MRI scan, the doctors found evidence that I had suffered an earlier stroke whilst serving in conflict zones in the 1990s. I then suffered another stroke in May 2011, which was more serious.

“In my typical fashion, I thought I could just run it off and went for a five-mile run! Very soon afterwards, I collapsed while walking to work. Later tests showed I had been born with a hole in my heart which I had no idea about!

“I was at the pinnacle of my career and now my whole world was collapsing around me.”

After spending his whole life constantly on the move, John was now wheelchair-bound and faced a tough recovery, including speech and language therapy.

“I had to be medically discharged from the Army which was a massive blow. I wasn’t sure what my future might hold and didn’t know what I was going to do. My Resettlement Officer mentioned The Open University, but I thought [the OU would never happen as I have no qualifications and a brain injury.] I was also concerned as to whether I would be fit enough to study.

“But with nothing to lose, I applied for the Disabled Veterans’ Scholarships Fund (DVSF).”

Starting a new journey with the OU

John is just one of hundreds of former servicemen and women studying through a scholarship. The DVSF was specially created to fully support disabled veterans injured in or due to service as they transition to civilian life. It enables veterans to access free education and wraparound support so they can rewrite their futures and unlock new careers.

“I was absolutely overwhelmed when I heard I had been accepted to study for a BSc in Sport, Fitness and Coaching, and was totally over the moon as it gave me a new focus. I was determined to build on my previous experience and become a qualified personal trainer.

“I began studying with the OU in 2020 and they’ve been brilliant. I had been worried about resources for disabled students, but the OU provided me with a laptop computer and a Livescribe pen with tuition on how to use it all.”

Giving back to society

Through sheer determination, John went from being in a wheelchair to completing a 10,000-metre run within a year following his debilitating stroke.

“I thought to myself, what if I can give this [drive] to someone else?

“My aim is to work with other disabled veterans and individuals to show them the benefits of training. And I’m already doing this by coaching young kids to teach them about discipline, commitment and focus.

“It’s my way of giving something back to society. And that’s really my main message to donors [of the Scholarships Fund], as well as saying a huge thank you for helping to give me a new future. I believe teachers and coaches are pivotal to our children’s futures. So the more disabled veterans like me who can be helped to do similar things, the more it benefits our society as a whole.”

Student Story: Constance Devernay-Laurence

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Ballet dancer Constance Devernay-Laurence graduated from the OU in 2022 (Credit: Julie Howden)

An acclaimed Scottish Ballet dancer shares how she achieved her first-class Open University degree alongside a full-time career as a professional ballerina.

Constance Devernay-Laurence is used to wowing audiences as a Principal dancer in Scottish Ballet. She’s now added another achievement to her bright career by completing a degree in Sport, Fitness and Coaching.

“It’s great to be able to inspire other people through dance both on and off stage,” says the 32-year-old. “Studying with The Open University has also boosted my confidence and promoted my own inner drive to keep learning.”

Swapping ballet slippers for books

Through the six years she studied part-time for her OU degree, Constance performed in over 17 different productions including The Nutcracker, Cinderella and The Snow Queen.

Surprisingly, she says that the backstage dressing rooms proved the perfect place to study:

“I studied mainly in the evenings after rehearsals, or during the day, between performances,” she says. “My favourite place to study is in my dressing room in theatres, as it is a quiet place where I can find my focus.

“Touring nationally and internationally with Scottish Ballet meant that I could find time to study during our travel.”

Constance admits that it was a fine balance to complete her studies at the same time as a physically taxing performance schedule. Which is why the flexibility of an Open University qualification was so important.

“It was definitely challenging at times to fit my studies around the company’s heavy rehearsal and performance schedule and its inevitable toll on my body, but, in a way, it allowed me to have an escape from ballet and get some perspective on what is a demanding career,” she says.

“I have also learned valuable psychological and physiological skills with each module, which in turn helped me become a better and stronger dancer.”

Career-boosting skills

Ballet dancer Constance Devernay-Laurence graduated from the OU in 2022 (Credit: Julie Howden)

Credit: Julie Howden

Constance was born in Amiens, France and started dancing at just five years old. After training with the English National Ballet School in London, Constance moved to Glasgow in 2009 to join Scottish Ballet and has been a Principal dancer since 2016.

Reflecting on her journey so far, Constance says that completing a degree has helped her to apply her skills to her current career and set her up for one in the future.

“I now feel better equipped to transition from my career as a professional ballet dancer when the time is right, but also to tackle everyday challenges,” she says.

As a proud graduate, Constance had this advice for anyone looking to invest in their futures and start a qualification with the OU:

“Studying with the OU was the best decision for my future, and I would encourage anyone who is thinking of starting a module or degree to take that step.

“All the tutors and staff were so supportive, I never felt out of my depth, even though English isn’t my first language, and I knew that I could always ask for help or extra time if needed. Graduating felt amazing and I have loved my time with the OU.”

After crossing the stage with fellow graduates at her OU degree ceremony in Glasgow, Constance is now back performing with Scottish Ballet as The Snow Queen.

 

A student’s reality of studying with autism

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By Yasmin Reeve

An audio recording of this blog post can be found here.

Welcome to my blog post. I am a student with Open University studying towards my Sports, Fitness and Coaching degree. I am a student who is neurodivergent, more specifically I am a student with Autism. I decided to write a blog post to reach out to other students who are also studying whilst autistic to give a bit of hope that it is possible to complete your study and share some of the things that I have learnt over the past 3 years which have really helped me to get through. I also hope that any staff who are reading this blog will get a better understanding of what it is like for some students to be studying whilst being autistic.

My Diagnosis

I didn’t get my diagnosis of Autism until I was an adult. I always knew that something was different about me, but it wasn’t until a complete mental health breakdown which led to me being sectioned that people picked it up. The system is long to get a diagnosis through the NHS so I saved up the money to get a private diagnosis and I have to admit it was the best thing I could have done in order to help me better understand myself as an individual and my needs to help me better cope in this world. Things still aren’t perfect, and I still have my battles however I’ve learnt to cope with things better and advocate for myself.

Returning to Education

When it came to me deciding to get back into education, I knew that a brick university and in-person wouldn’t work for me so finding out about Open University was the way for me to gain further qualifications. I didn’t have to cope with seeing people face to face, all the noise, distracting environments, sticking to timings that may not work with my routines and risk having a meltdown in front of a load of other students/staff. With Open University I make it fit in around my own life. If I want to study in my sensory room then I can, if I want to study at my desk its ready and waiting, if I want to sit on my sofa under a weighted blanket then it’s not an issue – no one can see me. I make Open University work for me rather than making me work around the University!

DSA were a great help when I told them about my autism. It was a case of discussing how my autism affects me and the assessor was really good about helping me figure out the positives of my autism. I won’t say that it wasn’t also difficult to be really open and honest about the issues that come up because of my autism, I don’t like to see my autism as a negative so when in a situation where its vital to discuss the difficulties it can be hard. I came away from the meeting with the assessor and actually felt quite good about myself which I really didn’t expect. I am a big advocate that whilst my autism does have many negative impacts on my life I see the strengths in my autism. I am a creative thinker, I can pick out lots of specific detail, I notice the things in life that other people don’t notice, I’m open and honest with people and always punctual. DSA were able to work out what would help me get through my study and gave me choices about what help I wanted. They also reassured me not to hesitate to get in contact with them if things change or I need more support.

My Routine

I like to start the academic year as soon as the module website opens. My modules actually start in October, however, normally I can have access to it from September. This is key for me; I get to look through everything and sort out my structure. I plan what days I am going to study which module; I add in TMA/ICMA due dates into calendars, plan which notebooks I want for each module, what colours I will use for each module. I thrive on routine, so I make up that routine ready for the official start. As soon as tutorial dates are up I get booked onto them and again the tutorials are placed into my calendars. I ensure that I know what I am going to be studying over the coming year. Then I look back over my needs profile to see if anything needs updating and if it does I get in touch with student support so that the profile is all correct. The next thing I do is get in touch with my tutor/tutors. I like to introduce myself to them and point out about my needs profile to them. In the email I give the really key points that they need to know about me ready to be able to support me more effectively throughout the year, they know my preference on contact as well. Once all of this is done it’s a case of taking a pause and knowing that I am ready. I sometimes find it difficult waiting for that first tutor response because you don’t always get a quick reply, that’s not because the tutor is ignoring you it’s that they have their own lives too. They also aren’t required to meet the same deadlines as when the module has officially begun so be patient – they will get back to you.

Your Tutor and Tutor Group

Your tutors are a vital part of studying with Open University they are the first point of contact for you as a student. I have found when a tutor is aware of the extra needs you may have they try their very best to help to meet those needs. Things can change at any point so having that regular contact makes it easier if you need to contact the tutor because of a struggle. As a student if we haven’t told the tutors something we need we can’t be mad at that tutor if they aren’t meeting our needs. Try and advocate for yourself, you’re doing it to benefit yourself. I also think that tutors do genuinely care about their students and would rather be told what is needed than for you to struggle through the module and them not be aware.

As a student learning independently sometimes it’s hard. I often find myself sat questioning if what I’ve read or watched I have a full understanding of this is where your tutor group forum can be a great space to test your knowledge and you get to communicate with other students. Get posting in that tutor group forum as soon as you can. I know that it can be difficult to post in it and it can be scary but the sooner you do it the sooner you will realise it’s a brilliant space to boost your own learning. Tutors are also a part of the forum so tutors can respond to you on the forum page. Tutorials are also a really great space to help gain further understanding and help prepare you for TMAs/ICMAs. When I first started, tutorials were one of the biggest things I was nervous about, but they aren’t that bad. The start of the tutorial the tutor will explain ways that you can interact with the tutorial if its online, there is a chat box function which tutors keep an eye on whilst going through the tutorial. Some tutors also offer up the option of raising a virtual hand and then letting you come in over microphone. Tutorials are a great way to interact with other students. Tutorials are another way to boost your own learning.

Feedback on TMAs is something that I also find extremely difficult, so I’ve come up with a few strategies to help with this. The moment I get the email through to say that marks are available my heart skips a few beats, and I don’t even want to load up the results page. I decide on a time that I will look at what my score was, normally a time when I am at my calmest. I have some fidget items to help with the nerves and load up the results page to see my score. Then I like to open the assessment summary, in this space the tutor will mention the good things about your TMA, what you missed, mentioning in order to get higher marks and some areas for improvement. It can be really easy to only focus on the things that weren’t quite right on the TMA, so I find it useful at this point to come away from it. Then the next day I re look at it and then open up my actual TMA to see the specific points the tutor has documented on the TMA. My next step is to print off somewhere the key things my tutor has said to work on for the next TMA and place it somewhere visible and do my best to work on that for the next TMA. If something doesn’t make sense reach out to your tutor to ask them to explain in further detail what doesn’t make sense.

My recommendations

If you’re a new student starting out with Open University I highly recommend heading over to Open Learn and completing the “Being an OU student” course. (Available here: Being an OU student.) This is what helped prepare me to study and know what to expect from my study. Open learn has so many courses that are free so I like to use Open Learn when I’m not studying through my summer break so that I can still stick to my routines. This helps to make it less daunting when it gets round to officially studying again.

It is a challenge to study with autism, but it is completely achievable to reach your goals with the correct support to help you along the way and Open University and DSA have been fantastic at helping me get through my study. There have been days where I have thought, ‘I cannot do this, I should quit now’ but there’s people you can reach out to – other students, student support and tutors who are there to support you. If you are struggling reach out for that support. Keep striving to achieve those goals and when challenges get in your way know that you have a 100% success rate at making it through challenges so far! You aren’t alone when studying with autism there are so many other students who can relate to the challenges.

The student reality of studying with dyslexia and using software

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By Yasmin Reeve

An Audio recording of this blog article can be found on this link.

Firstly, I want to welcome you to my blog post. I am a student with Open University studying a Sports, Fitness and Coaching degree. I am a student that is studying with a learning difficulty – dyslexia. I make use of software to enable me to complete my study, more specifically I use a screen reader and dictation software. Recently I had a really productive conversation with a tutor about how this affects me as a student and some of the things that I specifically need when it comes to TMA feedback, as well as explaining the process that I go through in order to write my TMAs. This has led to me making this blog post with a few main focuses. Mainly I want to reassure students that they aren’t alone when studying using the software previously mentioned and how they can go about getting support. Secondly, I want to give educators a glimpse into my world and its affect it has on me as a student to help them better support students who are also using this software.

Starting at the OU

I found out I was dyslexic whilst sitting my GCSEs at secondary school. I was consistently told that I would never amount to anything in my life and never achieve higher education, so I gave up on the education system. I went out to work full time but as the years went by, I realised that I still wanted to be studying and achieve a degree. I very quickly realised for many reasons that a brick university wouldn’t work for me and then found out about the OU and thought ‘I can do this’. I went through the process of applying for Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) and was really lucky to get an understanding assessor. My assessor went through what I struggle with and then suggested the use of dictation software and screen readers. I’d never used them in my life, so I was really excited to be sold the idea that this puts me on an equal level as my peers who don’t have dyslexia. DSA went through training with me on how to use the software and it was at this moment my heart sank a little. I realised the true reality of the fact that this software doesn’t suddenly eliminate my problem of really struggling to read and write, I realised just how much of a lengthy process it would be for me to get anything done and there was a point where I thought ‘there is no way I am going to be able to do this, I’m not smart enough or even capable of doing this!’ But I was already signed up and I’d gone through all the paperwork and assessments so figured I had nothing to lose from giving it a go. If it didn’t work out, then the teachers back in secondary school were right I would never achieve higher education! The module website finally opened up and I had all this software, so I gave it a go. I can remember my first conversation with my tutor about my needs as a student and I was too embarrassed to tell them about the fact I was using a screen reader and dictation software. It’s only this year – my third year of study – that I braved even telling my tutor about the struggles of using this software and how they could adapt what they were doing to help me succeed more.

Writing a TMA

The process of writing a TMA for me is a ridiculously lengthy process with so much back and forwards between different documents and trying to dictate to my laptop what it is that I want to write. I think for people who don’t experience dyslexia imagine being asked a question on a topic that you know nothing about and being given a short time period to answer that question on the spot. Your brain is trying to come up with something to say but whilst you’re saying that you’re thinking about where you are going next with that sentence, and then suddenly a fact pops into your head relating to that topic but you know you need to say it instantly or you will forget it. That is what I go through in order to write my plans for TMAs but also to actually write my TMAs. One big problem with this is that I am mid- sentence and waiting for it to come up on my laptop screen in order to then add in the next point that had popped into my brain, so everything becomes one jumbled mess and it’s not easy for me to go back through and edit everything I’ve effectively just written into some sort of structure!

I am sat there having my screen reader read back to me what I’ve written whilst trying to keep up with my eyes at the speed its reading at so that I can stop it to move the last few sentences around and then get the screen reader to read it out again to me to see if it now makes a little bit more sense. (To give you an idea on how lengthy this process is my screen reader only reading to the end of the last sentence took 9 minutes and I was struggling to visually follow along at that speed!). The way that a screen reader works is that every word or sometimes even letter is recorded individually, and it places them all together to read what’s on the screen. You end up with random pauses and that can lead you to think punctuation might be needed there when it isn’t, it’s just a flaw in the screen reader. Or sometimes you think you have added in the punctuation needed due to the screen reader having read that piece of text as if the punctuation was there.

One big problem for me is that I get the screen reader to read out three sentences of my plan because that’s realistically all I can remember to then switch documents to start dictating the TMA based off the three sentences I’ve just heard, then I get the screen reader to read back what I’ve just dictated and go through this process repeatedly! Writing references is also ridiculously difficult to dictate, making sure that you are saying things like “comma, full stop and dash” in the right places and making sure that it has got the spelling correct of a name that you have just said. It’s hard! Writing my first TMA quite literally took me a week of working on it every single day for many hours at a time. The light at the end of the tunnel is that I have got quicker with using the software but am I at the equivalent of someone without dyslexia and who isn’t using this software – not even close!  But, at this point though part way through my third year of study I have proven to myself that it is possible to achieve my goal of getting a degree and that my hard work and effort is paying off and I am doing it, and I am proving all the teachers at secondary school wrong.

My advice to students and tutors

So, if you’re a student reading this and just starting your degree, stick with it – you’ve got this! If you’re a student who is part way through your degree and struggling speak to your tutor about this and speak to DSA to see if they can suggest anything to you and don’t be embarrassed about it, take pride in who you are and everything you have achieved so far! If you’re a student just about to start your degree make sure to tell your tutor you’re using this software and don’t be afraid to communicate your needs and update them as you move through your study, tell them what was useful in the feedback you got and what wasn’t useful and suggest ways for them to adapt.

If you are an educator and are reading this, try and find some dictation software and try to use it. Go through a TMA using a screen reader to truly get a bit more of an understanding what your some of your students are going through. Give more specific feedback than “punction needed here or reference not correct”, actually explain what’s needed and why it was needed or incorrect. Open up communication between yourself and your student to understand the process that they are potentially going through in order to write their TMAs and show a level of understanding of the process they may be going through. Remind your students that you truly appreciate and see their attempt at answering TMA questions. Lastly make sure to ask your students what they need from you as their tutor, make the effort to ask them about if everything made sense in the feedback that you have given and offer that time to explain things in more depth if needed.

  • If you are a student and require information and guidance on disability support please click here.
  •  If you are a tutor and require information and resources on supporting students with a disability please click here.

Student Story: Dominic Ball

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“Mum and dad trained as teachers, so I was always pushed in school. Even when football opportunities came, I was always pushed academically because the average length of a footballer’s career is seven years.

I’ve been lucky enough to be in it for seven years now. Hopefully, I’ll be able to play until I’m 35, but most players have to work so I always thought I need to plan for my future.”

After completing a BTEC in sport, Dominic’s older brother encouraged him to undertake a degree with the university.

“My brother had actually started his degree with the OU a couple of years before me. He said that the course was easy to understand and worked well around football.

We travel a lot, sometimes twice a week for away games, but even in a hotel room you can do your work. I like the fact that I had the flexibility to get on and do my work on flights or at different clubs but keep up with my workload.

My brother’s degree was partly funded by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). They provide financial support to young players which is brilliant – it pushes players to do something in education. When it came time for me to do my degree, university fees had gone up but the PFA provided a bursary, which made it a lot more affordable as a young player.”

At first Dominic found the course challenging but found his feet in his final year and really excelled.

“Initially, I didn’t engage with my tutors or get involved in the student community, so I struggled for the first half of a six-year course. In one assignment I received 14 out 100 which made me think, I need to understand where I’m going wrong.

I started to engage with my tutors and other students, it made the experience more enjoyable. In my last year, I finally understood how to structure my essays and assignments – the penny dropped. I was averaging 70 per cent in my results.”

Dominic didn’t experience the traditional graduation ceremony as he completed his degree during lockdown, but it was still a special moment for him and his loved ones.

“I organised a small celebration at home. I hired a photographer to take photos of me in my robes. It was a special moment – my girlfriend, my dog, and my mum and dad were there to help me celebrate.

All my hard work has paid off, which was a big moment for not only me but also for my parents. I would have loved to go to graduation, but we’ve all missed out on something this year, and I was just pleased to get my degree.”

Now with a degree under his belt Dominic is hopeful for the future and plans to go into business after football.

“Football is my passion – I still have dreams of playing in the Premiership. But with my degree, I hope that in time I can set up a business, maybe something to do with football, so that I have a career long after my days on the pitch.”

Student Story: Sandy Johnston

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When I left school in Scotland back in the early ‘80s I went to university to study science but after a year I decided it wasn’t for me. I was a real disappointment to my folks – the first of my generation to go to university and the first one to drop out!

After doing menial jobs for a couple of years I decided to go back to college and completed an HND in business studies, with a view to improving my prospects. However, unemployment was high back then, jobs were few and far between and it looked like I was going to have to relocate if I wanted to work, but that wasn’t acceptable to me.

Since I was a kid in the scouts, I’d always been into hillwalking, canoeing and kayaking, all these things you can do outdoors. It’s always been my thing. I decided to do some voluntary work at outdoor centres to become qualified as an outdoor instructor, but political changes at that time closed a lot of outdoor education jobs. I didn’t see a future in that area, so a complete change of career plan followed, and I joined the police.

After a couple of years as a cop I decided to improve my higher education and transferred the credit from my HND to the OU, to do a Social Policy Diploma. I wanted to see what the academics made of the social problems I was confronted with on a daily basis, and I felt a degree would help with promotion. I got support from the police with funding, which helped quite a bit, and studied around my shifts.

After achieving the Diploma in Higher Education, I decided to study further courses in sociology and criminology, and went on to achieve a BSc (Hons) Open degree with the OU. Studying those areas helped me in my police career. I gained a wider knowledge and perspective on the things I was dealing with, because social problems and issues around social welfare are the main thing you’re dealing with as a uniformed cop. The studies gave me more confidence, especially when I moved from dealing with people at street level to being a detective sergeant in the economic crime unit. There, I was often investigating lawyers and bankers committing fraud, you might say a more educated form of criminal.

All the time I was in the police force I kept up my interest in the outdoors and I decided that when I retired from the force I was going to work as a freelance outdoor instructor. You retire from the police at a relatively young age with a decent pension, so the freelancing world is good to work in if you don’t need to depend on finding a regular full-time income. During my last few years in the force I spent a lot of my spare time gaining outdoor sports coaching qualifications and when I did retire I picked up work as a freelancer, mainly at outdoor centres. That kept me busy in summer, but I was conscious that during the winter I wasn’t going to get as much work, so I thought I’d go back to study again. That’s what led me to the course I’m studying now, which is the BSc (Hons) Sport, Fitness & Coaching. I wanted to study the theoretical background of sport, fitness and coaching to support me in my day-to-day work, I suppose similar to what I did when I was in the police. I’m funding my studies from what I make as an outdoor instructor.

I really enjoy the Sports degree because it fits in perfectly with what I do in my current occupation as a freelance outdoor instructor. The studies make me think more about my actual, practical coaching. There’s lots of little nuggets of information I’ve learned. Coaching has always fascinated me, so I’ve studied coaching theory before, but this course is filling in some of the blank areas. You get that satisfying kind of, ‘Oh that’s why!’ realisation when you study and discover the reasons why certain approaches or methods work better than others.

One major thing I’ve learned is that there’s a big difference between a coach and an instructor. For example, it’s very important from a coaching point of view that, especially when you’re going to be working with someone over a period of time, you’re not just providing answers to the questions that they are seeking but leading them to find out the answers for themselves. As a coach, you should be helping them to think, rather than saying, ‘This is what you do. Here’s the answer.’ That, according to coaching theory, is what helps your pupil retain what they’ve learned, rather than them just doing what you tell them to do and then forgetting about it.

The biggest challenge of studying comes whenever I have an assignment deadline! That’s when you say to yourself, ‘Why am I doing this?!’ I just try and avoid the procrastination and get on with it but it’s very easy to find other things to distract you.

This is my second Open University degree, so I know I can do it, it’s just a matter of working away at it. But I think the inspiration for my first OU course was my Mum. When I was about 14, my Mum, who left school with no qualifications, decided to go back to college, earning higher education qualifications and ended up working as a college lecturer.

The main difference between the OU back in the ‘90s and the OU today is not having to set your video recorder for 2am to record a programme you need to see to study your module! Everything’s available online now, which is a great improvement, as it’s easier to access, although the quality of the course materials was just as good then as it is now.

I now have my own little business: Sandy Johnston Coaching. I coach people in kayaking, canoeing and watersports, mostly. It’s a nice way to work, working for myself and freelancing with other organisations, such as the scouts or different outdoor centres. It’s really enjoyable and I’m getting paid for something I love doing.

 

My plans for the future are to expand my own coaching business and to work with long-term students to help them to develop. I’m going to continue my studies in coaching. I’m a performance coach in Whitewater kayaking and I would quite like to do the next step up – British Canoeing Coaching Level 4, which is a postgrad diploma – because I want to improve my standing as a coach. I’ve got another ten to fifteen years of my working life left so it would be nice to work at the very top end of coaching.

My advice to anyone thinking of doing an OU course? Just do it!

Student Story: Amanda Halifax

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From the age of 16 Amanda Halifax dreamt of becoming a PE teacher, however, instead of being able to pursue her dreams after school, she had to go out to work. Taking on any jobs just so that she could pay her bills, at one point Amanda found herself having to work 3 jobs as she needed the money. The day that Amanda dropped off her youngest child at university she decided that she was going to follow in her children’s footsteps and get a degree too. Although at first she was convinced she wouldn’t be able to do the study or cope with the technology, Amanda found a love for the study and completed in 2014. Amanda has now achieved the dream that she had from the age of 16 and is working in a school and teaching sport.

“I didn’t do very much at school. I got a few GCEs and I was going to be a teacher, but my mother wouldn’t let me go away to study further because then you had to work didn’t you. I used to dream about teaching and I got a place actually but then I couldn’t go. It was just really sad because it was my dream.

I then went on to do all sorts of jobs really, sometimes working 3 jobs and I struggled to get all my children through university. I dedicated my life to my children and I didn’t really look at doing any study myself until my youngest son went off to university. I’d always wanted to do the same and I think it was really that day that I came back home into my empty house that I thought ‘I want to go to university’. I knew I wouldn’t be able to go away though because I had a house to look after and my jobs, but I also didn’t know if I could afford it.

Over the years I’d always had a little look at The Open University, but I never thought that I could do it. I thought it would cost me far too much and that you’d have to have lots of A Levels or qualifications. When I dropped off my youngest son and came home that day I had a look at all kinds of universities. I punched in ‘Open University’ and I looked at all the courses that the OU offers and as I went through them I thought it would definitely be something I could do, so I did!

When I was 16 I wanted to be a food technology teacher but I also wanted to be a PE teacher because I absolutely loved sport. I came from a little town where there wasn’t anything there apart from tennis courts, so virtually all I did was sport. Working in sport as a PE teacher was something that I did actually dream about but I thought it would never happen.

The tutors were amazing and they were there for me the whole way through. You can contact them by email if you have any problems at all and they get back to you so quickly. I had quite a lot of stresses and setbacks throughout my studies including very ill health and a car accident. At one point I didn’t know if I was going to be there to see the end of my studies and it was horrendous really, but the whole way through The Open University tutors and staff were there for me and they would phone me up. They weresuch supportive and caring people.

I didn’t think I could do it from the first day, but within a couple of weeks of actually looking at the books and just working through the weekly planner I found it easier. The weekly planner tells you what you have to read on each week, so I just tried to keep up with that and by the time I got to week 6 I was in the flow of it and I thought ‘I’m going to do this’.

I really quite enjoyed the sports psychology module because now that I work in a school and help with the PE students it helps me to guide them through their study and aids me with giving them confidence. I’m able to show them that they can do it as well.

One of the other good benefits about the course that I did was that I had to become a level 2 fitness instructor and again I’ve always really wanted to do that, but I didn’t think I could do that either. It was great and the fact that I passed that as well was fantastic! It also gave me other job possibilities too as it meant I could now work in a gym and so that also helped to increase my confidence.

I could never use computers and I have to say that was my big fear at the start. When I first started and everything had to be done online, that was the thing that actually frightened me because I was absolutely rubbish at it. But you get a step-by-step guide so I was able to take my time and to go through that. The whole way through there was somebody there helping me and then eventually all those big problems, that I thought were big problems, were no problems because I was flying through.

I found the online tutorials fantastic because if you had to work and missed it then you could pick it up later. I found it so, so helpful because all the time that I was actually doing my TMA I was actually having a look at the tutorial as well. I didn’t only play that back once either! I used to love to tune in too because you got to talk to other students who were in the same boat as you and sometimes you’d be talking to them afterwards too, so you made friends and felt part of a kind of team. Even though you didn’t actually get to meet those people in person they were there every month and so you just became quite close to them.

I didn’t really plan my study time every day because various things would change and happen in life. When I was doing my first course I had about two or three jobs, so I just used to sit down at weekends. I did used to take the books to bed with me at nighttime to read them too. I didn’t find it too much of a problem though because I really enjoyed it. I was also able to start applying what I was learning directly into my work in the school.

The biggest benefit of OU study to me was that it built in around my job and it built in around my home life. I think distance learning suits a lot of people because you don’t have to actually move away, you don’t have to leave your family and friends and you can actually just carry on with normal life and achieve.

I was determined I wanted a BSc (Hons) Sports degree – I wanted that so much and it’s just changed my life. I’m not stopping now; I’m certainly not packing up teaching because I’ve finally got there and I love it. I feel fit, I feel healthy and I get to play sport. I also have a team of kids from the school in the English Squash championships and they’re doing really well. I would say to anyone not to think about it too much, just sign up for it and just do it, because you can! You’re never too old! If you have a dream then go for it.

It’s changed my confidence, it’s changed my life and I feel like a different person. I’ve grown and I never thought I could do that. I honestly did not think I could achieve my dream in life. I’ve not only got a degree now I’ve got the fitness qualification as well and I have to say my computer skills are so much better, which is amazing.

I’ve had lots of jobs which I haven’t really wanted to do, but I’ve done them because I’ve had to get the money and I’m now in a job that I’m doing because I love the job, not because of the money. I’m being paid for a job that I love – it’s amazing. The biggest thing for me is that I’m now actually teaching and following the dream that I’ve carried with me since I was 16.”

If you have been inspired by Amanda’s story and would like to study sport and fitness at the Open University, please visit our ‘Study with us’ page.