Key issues in open and distance learning Will Swann Director, Students, The Open University, UK President, 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 Student headcount, 2009/10 167,000 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, /002004/052009/10 Under 213.7%5.2%6.5% %14.0%14.3% %70.6%68.7% 50 and over10.3%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 s  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 and organisation

16 Support from real people

17 Supporting tutors

18 Information and support online … and offline

19 Managing relationships with students

RankUniversity Percent satisfied/very satisfied with overall quality of course 1Open University93% 2Buckingham92% 3Cambridge92% 4Oxford92% 5Bath91% 6Exeter91% 7Heriot Watt91% 8Keele91% 9Kent91% 10Lancaster91% UK government National Student Survey, 2012