The Open University

OU academics cast doubt over accuracy of fertility and pregnancy planning apps

6 April 2020

New findings, published by Open University academics suggest there are gaps in the reliability of popular apps used by many to estimate fertility and for pregnancy planning. Academics from the OU have put together an evidence review looking at menstruation and fertility apps. Published today in the BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health journal, the findings […]

Wealth of tips to help students study online

1 April 2020

As the Coronavirus lockdown means students are spending less time in tutorials and lectures and more time logging on online, there’s a growing need to make the best of an unfamiliar study situation. Luckily help is at hand, from our tutors and indeed OU students – used to learning remotely – who are willing to […]

Teaching your children – a chance to reconnect and rediscover

1 April 2020

Coronavirus (COVID-19) has radically altered the formal bricks and mortar environment of school education that much of the UK’s children were used to. Whether we call it home schooling, home education or home learning, this new realm is fresh and challenging territory for many parents. Drawing on her expertise in home education, Dr Amber Fensham-Smith, […]

OU partners with Brook to deliver online course to support abortion education in schools

31 March 2020

The Open University (OU) has partnered with sexual health and wellbeing experts, Brook to deliver an online course to support teachers in providing abortion education in schools. Designed to improve the knowledge and confidence of those teaching about pregnancy decision-making and abortion to young people aged 13+, the free course has been shaped by research […]

Advice on supporting your child during self-isolation

25 March 2020

John Oates, Professor of Developmental Psychology at The Open University, writes about how to cope with children being at home during this period of self-isolation, with advice and helpful suggestions on supporting them through this difficult and confusing time. It probably came as a shock hearing that schools will be closing, on top of all […]

World Social Work Day – focus on OU’s new Social Worker Degree Apprenticeship

17 March 2020

Today (17 March) is World Social Work Day, a day to raise awareness of social work as a career path and recognise the incredible contribution that this sector make to our community. The Open University has a range of courses available to support and train social workers, including the Social Work Degree (SWD) Apprenticeship, which […]

How to recover from burnout and chronic work stress – according to a psychologist

11 March 2020

Rajvinder Samra, Lecturer in Health, The Open University writes for The Conversation about how to recover from burnout and chronic work stress. It’s pretty likely you’ve heard of burnout – and you may have even experienced it. Caused by chronic work stress, it’s characterised by signs such as emotional exhaustion, lack of energy, and loss […]

International Women’s Day – spotlight on the International Development Office

6 March 2020

International Women’s Day (8 March) is a chance for us to celebrate, support and champion the work of women from across the world. With this year’s theme of ‘an equal world is an enabled world’, it’s a perfect opportunity to highlight the fantastic women-led projects of The Open University’s International Development Office. Celebrating its 20th […]

OU Wales offers an alternative route into teaching with its new PGCE

23 December 2019

The Open University in Wales has had its Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) courses fully accredited by the Education and Workforce Council. With the secondary Science PGCE expected to launch in April 2020 and the larger programme of primary and secondary options confirmed for October 2020, the OU’s courses will provide a part-time alternative route […]

What conspiracy theories have in common with fiction – and why it makes them compelling stories

19 December 2019

In an era dominated by “fake news” and disinformation, conspiracy theories are coming to play an increasingly influential role in modern politics. During the recent impeachment hearings in the US, for example, former National Security Council official Fiona Hill warned that “fictional narratives” pushed by Russia were undermining American security. But what’s the difference exactly […]

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Category: Education, languages and health