The Open University

Digital picture books could harm young children’s learning

9 March 2021

A comprehensive meta-analysis of prior research has found that children aged 1-8 are less likely to understand picture books when they read the digital, versus print version. However, when digital picture books contain the right enhancements that reinforce the story content, they outperform their print counterparts. The results were published today in Review of Educational […]

Teacher leaning over students with computer tablets

Tip top teaching – free resources to enhance classroom skills

8 March 2021

With the return of children to school, teaching professionals need to be fully prepped for the busy and bustling classroom. The Open University’s free learning site, OpenLearn has created two dedicated resource hubs to support and develop subject and pedagogical knowledge for primary school teachers and teaching assistants, including a wide range of articles and […]

Enhance your skills in Chinese business culture with the OU’s new online short course

10 February 2021

China has a variety of diverse cultures and having an insight into its core cultural values can be hugely beneficial for business and social interaction. The Open University’s (OU) new online short course provides a great opportunity to grow your understanding and build your network. In 16 weeks, students will delve into the core values […]

Voices of children and young people aged 3-12 expressed during pandemic

1 February 2021

The Open University’s Children’s Research Centre (OUCRC) and psychologist-led, Children Heard project have collaborated to analyse survey responses from 240 children aged between 3-12 (48 early years and 192 primary school age participants) on their thoughts, feelings and experiences of living through the COVID-19 pandemic. The report demonstrates how children have varying experiences of the […]

Five ways the OU’s new chatbot can support disabled students

29 January 2021

The process of disclosing a disability can be a time-consuming, stressful process, which the OU is aiming to improve with a chatbot to support both its students and staff. The OU’s chatbot, produced through the ADMINS Project, has been developed by educational experts, staff and students to improve disability disclosure processes for people with disabilities. […]

OU partners with BBC World Service on ambitious new radio series

19 January 2021

An ambitious radio series starts tomorrow (20 January) on BBC World Service. Co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s (OU) Broadcast and Partnerships team, Project 17 looks at the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals through the eyes of seventeen,17-year-olds from 17 different countries. Just over five years after the goals were created with […]

Bees, birdsong and butterflies: public connects with nature during lockdown

1 December 2020

Whether it’s listening to birdsong, strolling along leafy paths or just staring upwards at a cloud arrangement, many of us have become struck by nature’s beauty in 2020. OU Pollinator Watch is a citizen science social project which ran on the award-winning nQuire platform as part of BBC2’s Springwatch and went live during the first […]

OU’s new microcredential supports with accessible and inclusive online learning to disabled students

20 November 2020

The Open University (OU) has launched a new short course in its suite of microcredentials, designed to help education and training professionals across the world to plan, design and deliver accessible and inclusive online learning to students with disabilities. Online Teaching: Accessibility and Inclusive Learning, will be hosted on the OU’s FutureLearn platform and is open […]

Hospital returns to our screens with a first-hand experience of the pandemic

9 November 2020

Tonight, sees the return of the award-winning Hospital, the eye-opening, fly-on-the-wall series that follows the heroic men and women on the COVID-19 pandemic frontline. Co-produced by the BBC and The Open University’s Broadcast and Partnerships team, the five-week series airs at 9pm on BBC Two and focuses on London’s Royal Free Trust, a world-leader in the […]

Actions recommended to improve sexual health of young people

4 November 2020

The Open University and young people’s sexual health and wellbeing charity, Brook have published findings from research into the role of Local Authorities in supporting young people’s sexual health. The report makes recommendations about what needs to happen to ensure young people can access the education and services they need to stay sexually healthy. The report […]

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