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The Open University in Scotland, The Scotsman

Taking students on a ‘learner journey’

This article is by Learning and Teaching Co-ordinator at The Open University in Scotland, Joan Thomson, and was originally published in The Scotsman. The “learner journey” is a concept which crops up in most of the literature on education policy. It’s not exactly the most user-friendly of phrases – I wonder how many students would recognise […]

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Tributes to Gary Slapper, the first Head of the Law School at The Open University

Tributes to Gary Slapper, the first Head of the Law School at The Open University

Professor Gary Slapper, the first Head of the Law School at The Open University, has died. Gary joined The Open University in 1997 and maintained his links with the OU as a Visiting Professor after leaving in 2011 to take up a post as Director of New York University, London. Professor Rebecca Taylor, Executive Dean […]

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Poet welcomes Open University’s Human Rights Week focus

Poet welcomes Open University’s Human Rights Week focus

In a one-off series marking Human Rights Day, OU academics focus on key elements of the historic Universal Declaration of Human Rights and explore its relevance in a 21st century light. Poet and OU Honorary Graduate Benjamin Zephaniah, a passionate supporter of human rights,  introduces each theme as they lead up to Human Rights Day on 10 December. He […]

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The filter bubble isn’t just Facebook’s fault — it’s yours

The filter bubble isn’t just Facebook’s fault — it’s yours

Following the shock results of Brexit and the Trump victory, a lot of attention has focused on the role that Facebook might have played in creating online political ghettos in which false news can easily spread. Facebook now has serious political influence thanks to its development from a social networking tool into a primary source […]

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kale smoothie: image credit: Thinkstock

Is climate change the ‘kale smoothie’ of TV schedules?

Covering climate change today in a meaningful and engaging way is increasingly challenging, reveal TV producers, in a new report by the OU’s Professor Joe Smith. He reflects that covering climate change seems akin to a kale smoothie – something which can be unappealing yet somehow fashionable and essential. Amid continuing news stories on the […]

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Cuba Car

How booming Havana can avoid the traffic and pollution that plagues most middle-income cities

The classic 1950s cars on the streets of Havana are much admired by foreigners, yet the reality for most Cubans is a lot more mundane. For them, owning a car – any car – remains a dream, albeit one which has been reawakened by economic reforms and moves towards normalising relations with the US. But […]

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Top trends to disrupt education over next decade

Top trends to disrupt education over next decade

New findings in a report from The Open University outline future trends which will impact on education and teaching.  The Innovating Pedagogy report says that the productive failure, formative analytics and design thinking are amongst the stand-out developments for the sector over the next 10 years.  Success and failure analysed Mike Sharples, Professor of Educational […]

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Diamond Review: Wales leading the way on sustainable HE funding

Diamond Review: Wales leading the way on sustainable HE funding

Higher Education funding and student support in Wales is set for significant change. As the Welsh Government responds to Professor Sir Iain Diamond’s review and consults on a progressive new funding regime, Hannah Pudner, Assistant Director (External Strategy) at the OU in Wales, considers the implications for part-time students in Wales. When it was set […]

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We must challenge the culture of silence about child sexual abuse in football

We must challenge the culture of silence about child sexual abuse in football

Professional footballers, including the former Crewe Alexandra player Andy Woodward, have been speaking out recently about their experiences of sexual abuse as children. They include alleged victims of football coach Barry Bennell, who was sentenced to nine years in prison in 1998, and are waiving their right to anonymity. The NSPCC said a special hotline, […]

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Autumn Statement 2016: Tories shift to growth strategy in an Ed Balls-style pirouette

Autumn Statement 2016: Tories shift to growth strategy in an Ed Balls-style pirouette

Needing to perform a fiscal twist in a confined space, it looks like Philip Hammond has borrowed some dance steps from former shadow chancellor Ed Balls. Despite some mockery of his recent turns on TV show Strictly Come Dancing, Balls’ footprints are clearly visible on the spending boost the chancellor unveiled in his first Autumn […]

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