Key issues in open and distance learning
Will SwannDirector, Students, The Open University, UKPresident, European Association of Distance Teaching Universities
The Open University
• Founded in 1969• Over 200,000 students• Nearly 7,000 part time tutors• 1,200 academic staff• More than 3,500 administrative and support staff
Key issues
• Scale• Access• Cost• Open-ness• Student-centredness• Quality based on outcomes• Technology enables and liberates people …
but it’s just a tool
Open University students
4
• Aged from 12 to over 90 with an average of 32
• 70% work and study• 44 per cent without
standard HE entry qualifications
• 18% live in the UK’s 20% poorest areas
• 12,000 students with disabilities
Where the students are
167,000
15,700
8,400
4,200
8,800
6,300
Mia
6
David
Deborah
Bobby
What do you like about the OU?
9
Socio-economic profile
New UK undergraduates, by IMD quintile
Age profile
New UK undergraduates, 18+
1999/00 2004/05 2009/10
Under 21 3.7% 5.2% 6.5%
21 - 24 10.2% 14.0% 14.3%
25 - 49 75.8% 70.6% 68.7%
50 and over 10.3% 10.2% 10.5%
What makes for successful teaching?
12
Learning materials
Student support
Business systems and processes
Annual volumes
1.25 million telephone calls 580,000 emails 240,000 registrations (33% online) 500 courses and 200 qualifications 800,000 student assignments 125,000 examinations 87,000 end-of-course assessments 33,000 qualifications awarded
14
Learning to learn at a distance
15
Structure andorganisation
16Support from real people
17Supporting tutors
18
Information and support online… and offline
19
Managing relationships with students
Rank UniversityPercent satisfied/very satisfied with overall
quality of course
1 Open University 93%
2 Buckingham 92%
3 Cambridge 92%
4 Oxford 92%
5 Bath 91%
6 Exeter 91%
7 Heriot Watt 91%
8 Keele 91%
9 Kent 91%
10 Lancaster 91%
UK governmentNational Student Survey, 2012
