Promotes equality diversity and inclusion including reduction of degree awarding gap

This project aspires to provide helpful insights into how tutors can best teach and support students with mental health difficulties in a distance learning context. 

The rising numbers of university students reporting mental health difficulties – and how best to respond to this need - is a known concern in the sector.

This project explores whether structured weekly email contact, relating to specific aspects of the module that students are studying, helps to support and retain younger students (i.e. those aged under 25 years). 

In the past, Open University tutorials tended to be run by individual tutors for the students assigned to their tutor group.  Since 2016, however, there has been a move to ‘group tuition’ which allows students to attend tutorials running at their preferred time and venue (including onl

Anyone who has taught via online platforms will be aware that some students find it hard to engage with this medium of learning. Many students sign up to such sessions but do not join on the day, whilst others do not sign up at all.

This project aimed at first year students on the MA in Art History (A843) supporting them in their preparation for their assignment, the 3,000-word final assignment for A843, with a focus on helping them identify a suitable topic that allows for a successful discussion.

This project aims to improve the retention and progression of students on our Arts and Humanities Access module by trialling additional support and advice initiatives.

The context for the project is that 2018/19 saw notable increases in overall registrations in Wales, coupled with a slight decline in BAME proportions in Wales across the period measured (MarComms Insight Programme 2019, ‘Can we grow the OU’s appeal to Black, Asian and minority ethnic stude

Phase 1 has been completed, and an application for Phase 2 of this project has been approved in principle and is being refined in light of feedback received from the FASSTEST Coordination Group and EDI team. Details will be available soon.