The Open University, Walton Hall 'walk-thru'

[DiImmortale]

how is it for international students ?

[granadan1]

As someone with an addiction to further education, I can say the OU is just about THE GREATEST, for quality, materials, help, customer service, interest and range of courses!

[novocastrian]

I have just finished a degree with the OU. Without exception the course materials were first class, the level of tutor and peer support was impressive and the structure of the courses was excellent.

I am now studying with Oxford University and in my experience the Open University compares favourably with Oxford in all areas.

The OU is a fantastic organisation and the academic rigour required to do well and the professionalism of the staff shames many of our "newer" brick universities.

[CLTheMonk]

I have found from talking to a lot of OU teachers and students the reason OU succeed better than the newer Unis is because they favour experience in their staff as much as qualifcations/certificates.

I'm still confused why so many colleges and schools shun the OU. Why does everythin academic have to suck up to the Governmental system.

I want to study with the OU because of my disabilities restricting my accessibility. Having all the equipment at home is great. Hope the OU is good though.

[hatc9723]

oxford, good for you man. so, i live in u.s.a. and we don't really have anything like this. we have things like u. of phoenix, but they are like online colleges that don't carry the weight of even a community college really. in england, is o.u. considered the same as a regular university, or is their a bias against it due to the nature of the program? i know, as a graduate, u'd be biased, but what is generally thought. in the u.s. people would be leary, but it sounds legite.

[markjames]

Not a very inspirational video, like many of the courses that I have studied with them I'm afraid to say.

They do allow resits if your exam results are just below the pass mark (bare fail). They also offer resubmission on examinable work that is bare fail.

I think that the OU is now introducing more of their course electronically. The essay submission is done electronically which is good.

[vestsida]

Hello all present and future students of OU

I would like to say that I do not recommend this university. The study material is not available in electronical form(for many courses), and transparency when studying there is very limited. If you fail your exam, you have no chance of knowing what you answered wrong, as they do not provide any service in this field whatsoever.

I also find them grossly overpriced compared to what you get from them as a learning institution.

[lawgirl2007]

I am currently on one of the law programs with the OU. I know you don't have much contact with the tutor, but as someone was telling me who goes to a different university, you don't have any one to one contact with your lecturer anyway, not when there's a hall full of about 100 students on some of the lectures

[lawgirl2007]

but you should be able to ask for help if you need it. I don't see why anyone can't talk about their assignments as it's not like they're going to be copying anyone elses work. there's no harm at all in coming up with ideas together, that way everyone is helping each other, but for some reason, the OU forbid any posts on assignments at all. I can't get my head round it. A barrister I know said that theres nothing wrong with talking about them and working together.

[vestsida]

I totally agree with you! The university's policy is to not answer anyone about this, as the costs for providing this service is too high. Then I do not understand the meaning of this school, as it's mission should be to build and educate people. When they fail in that, they fail its most important rule. I am trying to get the university to change this rule, but I do not know who and how to do that. Anyone know this?

[lawgirl2007]

I don't know how, but I'll try to find out. When we did an assignment before about the Badgers Act, a lot of people(myself included) went outside the set books to find out more information as we thought the info we were given was very vague. We got marked down on our assignments because of that. yet, the lady I know who works in the legal profession said that there was nothing wrong with going outside of the books if it was going to help answer the question.

[lawgirl2007]

At some other university's it seems students do get the help they need. My cousin studied nursing at uni in Manchester and failed 3 of her assignments but got the chance to do them again. The second time getting help from her lecturer. If you fail any with the OU you have to do the whole course again, which I think is wrong.

[Hoshy101]

Not always. It depends on your exam result, you can do a resit exam sometimes. If your exam was in Oct then your resit would be around Feb. I know this because my husband was given this opportunity.

[lawgirl2007]

It's nice to know that you have got that opportunity to re-sit exams and re-submit an assignment if you think it's not done right. I think sometimes it depends on the tutor you have.

[recyclotronuk]

I have been a student at the OU for the last six years and I do not share vestsida's views. I have always had detailed comments back on my TMA's, which cover the entire scope of the course. The exam is there to ensure that you can explain key concepts without the use of textbooks and within a set time. The OU do not allow resits for the simple reason that people would continually resit until they passed, which would undermine the value of results.

[recyclotronuk]

In Art History I have been given higher scores for using texts outside the set texts. Study materials are available electronically, but for example for Art History, there are copyright restrictions on images. The OU have responded to this by issuing the texts electronically but without the images. The OU also now offer video material on iTunes U.

Collaboration on assignments is cheating, but the OU encourage students to help each other out to understand course materials using FirstClass.

[wangzanzai]

no secrets here

[dogwurzel]

whats the point? goes to show where our annual fees are spent

[fenboatman]

Anything that helps distance learning students feel part of a community has to be a good idea. Thanks.

[josephtura]

What a waste of time, hopefully not money...

[iamshezza]

wow, wot a place!!!!!!!!!!

[paulw99]

Hey that's a real good way of helping OU students feel more in touch with their University.

[haggwors]

love the concept