Blogs
Our blogs are written by OU academics, staff, students, and our partner organisations. They share their expertise and emerging research as well as comment on current social issues.
Can you break the code?
Mathematics and Statistics expert Dr Andrew Potter, of the OU, writes about a codebreaking challenges app on OU free learning platform OpenLearn, plus the maths that lies behind them.
29 April 2022
Together the OU and the BBC 'Bring Learning to Life’
The OU's Head of Broadcast & Partnerships, Dr Caroline Ogilvie, shares her thoughts on our unique partnership with the BBC and how we work together to 'Bring Learning to Life'.
5 April 2022
Study motivation helped by a good blether
Ewe and Lidia from OU in Scotland’s Access, Participation and Success Team share their experiences of studying with the OU and of building communities through Big Blether events.
9 February 2022
Community Learning and Development workforce supported by the OU in Scotland
Shona Littlejohn, OU in Scotland's Depute Director for Student Experience and Widening Access, shares why the OU is excited to be working with partners to offer a range of development opportunities to Scotland's community learning and development workforce.
31 January 2022
A life turned around through OU study
In this short blog, an Open University in Scotland graduate shares how studying with the OU whilst in prison enabled him to take control of his own destiny.
26 January 2022
The road to success is wide open
OpenLearn, the OU’s home of free learning, has attracted 100 million visitors in the past 15 years. Head of OpenLearn Dr Patrina Law discusses its achievements and social mission.
19 January 2022
The real meaning of student voice
Viki Soper is an Access, Participation and Success Officer at The Open University in Scotland. In this blog Viki shares what student voice means to her and how it informs her work.
19 November 2021
Studying and working with the OU
Joe Turner-Law is a Senior Adviser at the OU in Scotland and an OU student. In this blog Joe shares what it’s like combining his studies and his work supporting fellow students.
18 November 2021
.jpg "A close up shot of a football, on a pitch, about to be kicked by a player. Image by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash.")
The value of access to education
Allan Kavuma was forced to migrate from his homeland of Uganda to the UK. In this blog Allan shares his journey to achieving his goals, through studying with The Open University.
17 November 2021
Studying in a secure environment
There are over forty people in secure facilities across Scotland – prisons and hospitals – currently studying OU undergraduate modules. In this short blog, a literature and creative writing student in a secure environment shares what it’s like studying with the OU.
16 November 2021
.jpg "A close up shot of a football, on a pitch, about to be kicked by a player. Image by Emilio Garcia on Unsplash.")
COP26 - an Observer's perspective
Graeme Smith, Team Manager in Student Recruitment and Support at the OU in Scotland, shares his personal experience as a COP26 Observer and his compelling takeaways.
10 November 2021
Scottish football and climate change
Ways that Scottish football might adapt in the coming years due to climate change, and steps to reduce its extent, are discussed by Dr Leslie Mabon, OU Environmental Systems Lecturer.
09 November 2021
Time to rebalance the books for life on Earth
With the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) underway in Glasgow, the OU is proud to be a part of the proceedings to offer a “culture and science” perspective on the impacts of climate change, says Professor Nicholas Braithwaite.
08 November 2021
Career development opportunities for union members
How the OU supports union members to develop their careers and find new employment opportunities is explored by Michael Conroy, a Learning Organiser for Unite the Union.
23 September 2021
Trade unions support upskilling and reskilling
Access for trade union members to learning opportunities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and beyond, is discussed by Tommy Breslin, a Senior Development Officer for Scottish Union Learning within the Scottish Trades Union Congress.
23 September 2021
Delivering equality with actions not just words
Delivering race equality in education with actions, not just words, is explored in this blog by Sas Amoah, OU Digital Media Producer and Co-Chair of OU’s Black & Minority Ethnic Network.
27 August 2021
The future of nurse education? Studying with the OU
The OU's open-access programme which is helping people across Scotland to become nurses is explored in this short blog by Wendy McInally, OU Senior Lecturer in Nursing.
12 May 2021
OU's unique learning has never been more relevant
The Open University's unique and globally recognised model of supported distance learning has come into its own, as we have all adapted to a changing world with the Covid-19 pandemic, says OU in Scotland Director, Susan Stewart.
23 April 2021
How SMEs can develop in-demand skills
OU skills training of up to £5,000 which small to medium-sized enterprises across Scotland can access via a Scottish Government fund, is discussed by Suzanne McQuade, OU Business Relationships Manager for Scotland.
19 April 2021
Towards an inclusive economic recovery
Discover how the OU is supporting an inclusive economic recovery from the COVID pandemic, and our vision for the next Scottish Parliament, in this blog by Marie Hendry, OU in Scotland Depute Director.
12 April 2021
Gold Rocks Scotland
Geologist, OU Senior Lecturer and Gold Town programme advisor Dr Julie Robson discusses geology’s role in gold exploration and sustainable management of the planet’s resources, ahead of episode three of the OU/BBC documentary.
19 March 2021
The need for an inclusive recovery
How Scotland can rebuild its economy in an inclusive manner post-pandemic is explored in this blog by Susan Stewart, Director of The Open University in Scotland.
18 March 2021
Globalising Tyndrum
Gold mining in the Highlands is the focus of new OU/BBC documentary Gold Town. Dr Gerry Mooney, an OU Senior Lecturer and programme adviser, explores the global connections of nearby Tyndrum.
12 March 2021
Student carers need more support
The pandemic’s impact on carers, and a new free resource for staff at universities to be able to better support student carers, are discussed by Gill Ryan, an OU Access, Participation and Success Officer.
11 March 2021
Learning supports wellbeing
As we start 2021 with so many things we'd normally do still off limits, there’s a wide range of free content to help you move forward, says Shona Littlejohn, OU in Scotland Depute Director.
07 January 2021
Supporting and Upskilling Scotland
Skilled people are vital in helping with economic recovery. The OU is committed to providing flexible online education to support and upskill people across Scotland, says Diane Cooper, OU in Scotland Partnership Manager.
23 November 2020
Retrain or reskill to meet the global challenge
In challenging times for the global economy and jobs market, support will be needed more than ever for workers looking to retrain or reskill, says OU in Scotland Director, Student Stewart.
17 November 2020
Scotland’s links with Caribbean Slavery
Scotland’s first black professor, leading human rights activist and Open University honorary graduate, Prof Sir Geoff Palmer CD, shares reflections on Scotland’s black slavery history and the importance of teaching it today.
29 October 2020
Vital that care experienced voices are heard
Award-winning care experienced Open University Bachelors graduate and Masters student Carol Hunter shares her personal and educational experiences, in this blog for Care Experienced Week 2020.
28 October 2020
Closing the disability assistance gap
Award-winning disability rights campaigner, inspirational public speaker and OU student Dr Julie McElroy, shares first-hand how supportive access to higher education can empower people with disabilities.
22 October 2020
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Facing maths fears in a jiffy
Andrew Potter, Staff Tutor in Maths and Statistics at the OU in Scotland, explores how the OU is helping people across Scotland to overcome their maths fears.
28 September 2020
Cyber security skills at IBM enhanced via Graduate Apprenticeships
Suzanne McQuade, OU Business Relationships Manager for Scotland, explores how IBM is utilising the Graduate Apprenticeship scheme in Scotland to upskill its talent pipeline from within.
16 September 2020
From Healthcare Assistant to Staff Nurse via OU
Emergency Department Nurse at the Western Isles Hospital, Helen Kafantari Maciver, shares her journey from healthcare assistant to staff nurse, via an Open University degree.
16 September 2020
.jpg "Map of OU students by Scottish Parliament region 2018-19 - Central Scotland, 1740; Glasgow, 1770; Highlands and Islands, 1750; Lothian, 2900; Mid Scotland and Fife, 1990; North East Scotland, 2480; South Scotland, 2310; West Scotland, 1860")
Learning for everyone supports recovery
Learning has an essential role in Scotland's economic recovery post Covid-19, says the OU in Scotland's Director, Susan Stewart.
24 August 2020
Write yourself into The Open University story and you might change your life
The experiences of novelist Bernardine Evaristo’s character chime with those of many OU students, says OU in Scotland Director, Susan Stewart.
21 August 2020
Wanting to learn or develop job skills? Then the OU is for you
The OU has taken a rapid, responsive approach during the pandemic to help minimise the impact for workers and businesses, says Marie Hendry, its Scotland Depute Director for External Engagement and Partnerships.
15 July 2020
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How to overcome the challenge of online learning
With Scotland’s students and school pupils abruptly switching to online study due to the Covid-19 pandemic, OU Senior Lecturer Laura Alexander shares advice to help with the challenge.
30 June 2020
Schools may be closed, but we’re still open for learning
Schools will always be the best place for children to learn, but there can be a role for other bodies to complement and support teachers and parents in a way that works for them, says OU in Scotland Director Susan Stewart.
29 June 2020
A world of learning at your fingertips to celebrate significant days
While many of us are trying to keep ourselves and others engaged and informed at home by going online, it seems particularly significant that this week is National Digital Learning Week. Indeed, it’s a week full of timely and respectful tributes. Susan Stewart, Director of the OU in Scotland, explores five ways to mark these celebrations, with free online learning.
14 May 2020
.jpg "Image of OpenLearn website's homepage - Dive in and start learning")
Learning in the time of lockdown
In these strange days, you may feel that learning is the last thing on your mind. But since the beginning of lockdown, the OU's free learning platform OpenLearn has welcomed a record numbers of visitors, says OU in Scotland's Gill Ryan.
11 May 2020
How to age well while self-isolating
People have been made to isolate to delay the spread of COVID-19, but there are several risks of self-isolation to older people. This blog by the OU's Dr Jitka Vseteckova offers some tips on how to combat these risks. These tips will be explored further at an Ageing Well Virtual Talk with Dr Vseteckova on Thursday 7 May 2020.
5 May 2020
Mental health and stress awareness more important than ever now
In Stress Awareness Month, Ben Wood of The OU's Open Media and Informal Learning Unit writes about resources available on free learning site OpenLearn.
15 April 2020
Apprenticeships, study and skills development aren't just for the young
In Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Marie Hendry, OU in Scotland Depute Director for External Engagement and Partnerships, discusses upskilling opportunities for businesses.
6 March 2020
Don't call it a day on learning - OU will help you gain vital skills
On World Day of Social Justice, Susan Stewart, Director of the Open University in Scotland, celebrates making education open to all, regardless of educational background.
20 February 2020
Dr Michael Dempster: A year o firsts fir the Scots language (article available in the Scots language and Standard English)
While we’re celebrating Burns Night, it’s also a time to celebrate the recent developments and the bright future for the Scots Language, says Scots Scriever, Dr Michael Dempster.
24 January 2020
Jennie Lee: MP, minister, rebel, fighter, Open University champion
As a touring exhibition opens on the life of Jennie Lee, a founder of The Open University, OU in Scotland Director Susan Stewart shares ten things about Jennie that you might not know.
30 October, 2019
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Language learning for primary classrooms, as TELT by teachers
Wendy Craig and Aimee Bainbridge, teachers at Newtonhill Primary School in Aberdeenshire, discuss their participation in the Open University’s TELT programme – TEachers Learning to Teach languages.
10 September, 2019
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Upskilling and reskilling of staff no longer optional extra - it is vital
Marie Hendry, OU in Scotland Depute Director, External Engagement and Partnerships, discusses the benefits to workforces of staff skills development, as an OU Roadshow with several employer events across the country gets set to launch.
22 August, 2019
Using the power of writing to deal with grief
Ahead of her event at the Edinburgh International Book Festival Catherine Simpson, author of 'When I Had a Little Sister' and Open University alumnus, shares her experiences.
13 August, 2019
.jpg "Apollo 11 - Aldrin Looks Back at Tranquillity Base. Credit - NASA")
Fifty years after that 'one small step' there's a new rush to reach the Moon
With anniversaries being celebrated of Apollo 11 landing on the Moon, and The Open University being founded, Dr Mahesh Anand discusses projects he has led at the OU working on Apollo samples, and looks to the future of space exploration.
24 July, 2019
Education for all is our ethos - and millions of people have benefited
Susan Stewart, Director of the Open University in Scotland, celebrates the 50th anniversary of the OU and the lives it has changed.
24 April, 2019
A fairer society and decent quality of life gives us many happy returns
On the International Day of Happiness, Professor of Economics at the OU, Paul Anand, discusses happiness in Scotland and other countries.
20 March, 2019
Having a 'Day' to mark equality of opportunity is a goal worth having
Marie Hendry, OU in Scotland Depute Director, External Engagement and Partnerships, writes about the importance of opening education, skills development and careers paths to all.
8 March, 2019
Leadership in voluntary organisations: from the top, bottom, and across the table
Collaborative leadership in voluntary organisations is discussed by Dr Carol Jacklin-Jarvis, from the Centre for Voluntary Sector Leadership within The Open University Business School.
15 February, 2019
Why Glasgow’s ‘Bolshevist Uprising’ in 1919 wasn’t quite the red threat to UK many believed
Gerry Mooney, Senior OU Lecturer in Social Policy and Criminology, examines events in Glasgow's George Square 100 years ago, and explains why they remain so vivid for many in the city today.
31 January, 2019
From the Highlands to the Borders - A day in the life of an OU online creative writing tutor
OU creative writing tutor Jules Horne, an award-winning playwright and fiction writer, shares her experience of using an online classroom for a workshop on Hamlet with students in diverse locations.
30 January, 2019
Veterans have poetic licence to reveal their deepest feelings
Siobhan Campbell is Co-Chair of the Master of Arts in Creative Writing at the OU and editor of ‘Courage and Strength: Stories and Poems by Combat Veterans’. She writes about projects with veterans of the military forces.
28 January, 2019
How to detox your finances for 2019
Martin Upton, Director of the True Potential Centre for the Public Understanding of Finance (PUFin) at the Open University Business School, shares some steps for reviewing household finances.
8 January, 2019
How Scotland's extinct volcanoes help us understand today's eruptions
Dr John Murray, Volcanologist and a Senior OU Research Fellow, explains how research by a Scottish geologist on the Ardnamurchan peninsula decades ago helps inform present volcano studies.
29 November, 2018
Open to innovation and entrepreneurialism
Susan Stewart, Director of The OU in Scotland, writes about open educational resources and their role in helping develop entrepreneurship, particularly in rural areas.
22 November, 2018
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Girls - consider an engineering career
Officially one of the ‘Top 50 Women in Engineering’, Carol Morris, OU Senior Lecturer in Engineering and Innovation, calls for more females to consider a career in engineering.
8 November, 2018
It's never too late to learn Social Science
Scott Montgomery is retraining for a new career, doing an OU degree part-time through a collaborative teaching arrangement with Ayrshire College. He talks about his learner journey, and the College’s Shelagh McLachlan - herself an OU graduate - shadows Scott for a day.
29 August, 2018
Comforting to know that comedians still take on the tough job of tackling taboos
Humour has always provided a vehicle for performers - and the rest of us - to explore difficult topics, says James Robson, Professor of Classical Studies and Head of the School of Arts and Cultures at The OU. How is this playing out in summer 2018?
15 August, 2018
My Open University Experience
Software engineer Sam Orme is an OU graduate. He transferred credit from his college HND (Higher National Diploma) in Computing: Software Development towards his OU degree. Sam gained his university qualification while working full-time.
08 August, 2018
Dementia and Decision Making at the End of Life
In the month that the NHS marks its 70th anniversary, Dr Kerry Jones, OU Lecturer in End of Life Care, examines the support and care that people with dementia get towards the end of life.
31 July, 2018
On the benefits of uneasiness...
OU Associate Lecturer in English Literature Dr Michael Rodgers argues that the uneasiness we experience reading the work of Vladimir Nabokov can be positive - and that the benefits of uneasiness extend to everyday life, including the student experience.
22 June, 2018
‘Migration control’ isn’t about migration – it’s about controlling who can be in our society
Tendayi Bloom, Lecturer in Politics and International Studies at The OU, asks if a state has the right to suddenly choose which of us can be included in society and which cannot.
21 June, 2018
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200 Zambian teachers participate in development workshops with The OU and World Vision
The OU's Dr Lore Gallastegi updates on the Zambian Educational School-based Training (ZEST) project, which centres around Continuing Professional Development for teachers.
13 June, 2018
Widening Participation: OU Conference chair’s update on digital inclusion and ethical dilemmas
Reflections from Shona Littlejohn, OU in Scotland Depute Director, Student Experience and Widening Access, following The OU's Widening Participation Conference.
31 May, 2018
Lava in Hawai'i is reaching the ocean, creating new land but also corrosive acid mist
With the eruption of the Kīlauea volcano in Hawai'i, dangerous corrosive acid mist is being produced, as well as new land, writes OU Honorary Associate Dr Dave McGarvie.
24 May, 2018
DataFest 18: OU courses, research and projects
Knowledge Exchange and Enterprise Manager Dr Simona Foscarin shares highlights from The OU's participation in the recent DataFest18, a festival of innovation.
13 April, 2018
Supporting students with disabilities
Shona Littlejohn, Depute Director, Student Experience and Widening Access, at The OU in Scotland writes about supporting students with disabilities.
3 April, 2018
#IWD2018: Maria Macnamara, OU Honorary Graduate and founder of Smalls for All
On International Women's Day, OU Honorary Graduate Maria Macnamara writes about the work of her charity, Smalls for All, which helps women and children in Africa.
8 Mar, 2018
Why nutritional psychiatry is the future of mental health treatment
The OU's Dr Joyce Cavaye writes about the growing discipline of nutritional psychiatry, that focuses on food and supplements to provide essential nutrients in treatment for mental health disorders.
2 Mar, 2018
#WorldBookDay - our Director's favourite five
On World Book Day, Susan Stewart - Director of The Open University in Scotland - shares the five books she rates as her favourites.
1 Mar, 2018
'Supporting Boys' conference in Glasgow
The OU's Dr Martin Robb writes about the 'Supporting Boys' conference in Glasgow, at which he spoke about research projects into young men, masculinity and role models.
27 Feb, 2018
Flexible voluntary sector learning from The OU
Charities, social enterprises and other not-for-profits can discover at 'The Gathering', Scotland's largest free event for the third sector, how The OU can help support their staff and volunteers gain new skills and develop.
16 Feb, 2018
From Health Care Support Worker to Staff Nurse
Graduate Michaela Olver shares her journey from Health Care Support Worker to Staff Nurse, via an Open University degree she gained while working.
23 Jan, 2018
How to detox your finances in 2018
We kick off the New Year with some top tips on managing your personal finances from OU expert, Martin Upton.
04 Jan, 2018
Making the headlines in 2017
As 2017 draws to a close, we look back at some of the news stories and blogs that have been making the headlines on The OU in Scotland website in 2017.
21 Dec, 2017
When the Blitz came to Clydebank
Professor Annika Mombauer discusses how bombs rained down on Clydebank in 1941.
05 Dec, 2017
Is Iceland's tallest volcano, Öræfajökull, awakening?
A volcano close to home that is showing signs of activity according to Dr Dave McGarvie.
28 Nov, 2017
.jpg "ZEST project - World Vision Zambia and Chibombo zonal school colleagues")
Teacher development in Zambia
The Open University is developing a one-year school-based teacher development programme in Zambia.
13 Oct, 2017
Music’s power to help dementia
An estimated 100,000 people live with dementia in Scotland and that number is set to increase year on year. Dementia is a catch-all term for a number of degenerative brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s Disease, for which there is currently no cure.
21 Sept, 2017
Using open educational practices to widen access and bridge gaps in education in Scotland
Educational resources are increasingly available online. The shift from print to digital has been rapid and much of the material is ‘open’ in the sense that it is freely available to anyone with an internet connection and an appropriate digital device
08 Sept, 2017
Adult learning: exploring the policy and practice of widening access
One of the first conclusions drawn by Professor Sir Peter Scott in his early work as the Scottish Government’s Commissioner for Fair Access, is that reaching the targets set out in A Blueprint for Fairness requires “a radical project, more radical perhaps than we care to acknowledge”
Aug, 2017
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