What is the Open Learning Unit
The Open Learning Unit (OLU) is a specialist distance education unit within the Department of Information Studies (DIS). It aims to develop, support and promote best practice and high quality provision in Open, Distance and E-learning. The activities of the Unit include:
- Learner Support
- Educational Materials
- Training & Consultancy
- Teaching
- E-learning
- Management Information Systems
Learner Support
One of the Unit's main areas of work is learner support. Advice and support is provided to prospective students considering our courses and this is followed through right up to graduation. Unit staff are trained and experienced in supporting learners and are personal tutors on DIS courses. Staff also act as advocates for distance learners within the University, i.e. we represent the interests and needs of distance learners at Committees, Boards and working parties within the institution.
We offer IT and Study Skills support. As part of our support to distance learners we organize annual study schools, which, in addition to module teaching sessions, contain social events and our study skills programme.
Educational materials
The Open Learning Unit works with academic staff to produce learning materials for the Department's distance learning programmes. Unit staff advise on the style, design, pacing, illustration and layout and perform an editing and quality control role. Final desk-top publishing is performed externally.
The Unit works with print materials and online learning materials.
To maintain the high quality and consistency of our learning materials, OLU staff are trained and experienced in the principles and practice of open, distance and e-learning.
Training & Consultancy
The Unit provides training for individuals, departments and organisations interested in developing open, distance and e-learning. The Unit can advise or collaborate in the development of individual modules, short courses or full programmes. Training workshops can include:
- Setting-up flexible open and distance learning courses
- Writing open and distance learning materials
- Supporting open and distance learners
- Management Information Systems and E-learning environments for distance learners
Workshops have been offered through the University's Staff Development and ILT programmes.
The Unit trains academic staff in writing for Open Learning.
The Unit provides consultancy and training in Open Learning to outside organizations and external staff.
Teaching
Unit staff have developed a study skills programme which they teach to both campus-based and distance learning students.
E-learning
We maintain and develop our own customised Moodle virtual learning environment which we use to keep distance learners in contact with each other and with the Department. We also advise on the use of BlackBoard to support on-campus students.
Management Information Systems
The Unit maintains and develops two information systems specifically to manage non-traditional and flexible programme delivery.
The student tracking database is used to record all distance learning student work. It tracks student module payments, students' progress and study school attendance. It generates progress reports for students, mark reports for examination boards, an FTE report for the registry, automates all the processes involved in the receipt of assignments, and the management of marking dates. It also manages all the copyright agreements for our learning materials.
The dissertation database is used to track all the Department's Masters students working on their dissertations. It reminds students and staff of deadlines via email and records all the stages of dissertation supervision and marking.