.:star:.SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,785 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
I'm just getting back into my Open University studies after a years break for 'interrupted study' and i was wondering if there are any hoppers out there that are doing an OU course??

I am currently studying DSE212 Exploring Psychology with the aim to getting a degree in Psychology. In 2003 I completed the level one course DD100 - An introduction to social sciences.

What i like about the OU is doing most of the work on my own. I get very easily distracted by people so i work best alone and its great being able to work at your own pace

What I am finding difficult is knowing who to talk to about stuff on the course. I am a lot younger than the average OU student and I find that on the times i have ventured to a tutorial i have found it very difficult to get into discussions with people as they are too busy looking at me as if i am a freak!

It would be great if there were any hoppers out there doing an OU course (esp psychology related courses). I'd love to hear your views and experiences with it. ubbrollsmile

NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
What means "Open University"?

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]


spritieSILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,014 posts
Location: Galveston, TX, USA


Posted:
https://www.openuniversity.com
seems to have a whole bunch of info about it...looks like online university class credit to me.

.:star:.SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,785 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
Sorry...should have said. Its a UK based university.
You can study short courses, certificates, diplomas and degrees etc.

It uses books, the internet and the BBC learning zone as well as tutorials at local colleges, lectures and residential courses.

Although its UK based, there are study centres around the world and its great for people in the forces etc who want to get a qualifacation but normal distance learning isn't appropriate.

hope that fills in the gaps..i'm to make lemonade biggrin

.:star:.SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
1,785 posts
Location: Bristol, United Kingdom


Posted:
no OU hoppers out there?

The Tea FairySILVER Member
old hand
853 posts
Location: Behind you...


Posted:
My boyfriend is thinking about starting an OU course in business and economics, he is 26. He'll probably be doing intro. to human sciences module first, or possibly a maths module.

Well done you for keeping up the studies. It must be hard having nobody to get into discussions with about what you're studying. That's the only thing I enjoy about being at a campus-based uni, being able to go to the pub for a quick one after lectures with others to talk about all the ideas we'd been given.

I'm studying Social Anth and Communications, but I do some psychology modules too and I should be fairly familiar with the different schools of thought. I've done some biological psy, some developmental and childhood psy and I'm studying mental disorders and therapies next semester. Feel free to PM me and I can attempt to get a psy-based discussion going with you!

I'm sure there are lots of other psy. students on HOP you could talk to about your course material, even if they're not studying through OU.

hug hug

Idolized by Aurinoko

Take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind....

Bob Dylan


Gayle......!SILVER Member
Pooh-Bah
2,444 posts
Location: Bristol !!!!!!, United Kingdom


Posted:
I don't do an OU course but my work pays for me to do a full time degree with Thames Valley University. It's the same theory as a OU course. It's long distance and i go once a month to "check in". Other than that it's me, the books and email contact with my tutor if necessary. It's quite cool as everything including tution, books, travelling, accomodation is paid for by my work and i'm still classed as a "full time" student so am entitled to an NUS card and reduced council tax etc....

It's quite hard to work full time in the computer industry as a computer programmer and study in my spare time, but it's very managable and to be honest it has changed my opinion about students. I always thought i wouldn't be clever enough to go to uni and do well but if i was a full time student i'd have this course licked in a year, probably with a high mark (my average so far is 72.5% a first!!!) - although i may well have alcohol poisoning due to the two years consistant drinking...ubbloco

Gayle.....!


NOnactivist for HoPper liberation.
1,643 posts
Location: ffidrac


Posted:
woah, i typed in something completely different to search and this thread popped up...

I've been doing OU short courses to make a qualification in Web Applications Development. Thing with this one, because it is a short course, there are no tutorials at all, everything is online conferencing and study guides, it's ok, but it can be hard to explain on the online conference exactly what problems you might have, and what you've already tried etc.

I've done 2 out of 6 modules so far, but the last one was horrible, i didn't get on with the study guides provided at ALL which kind of killed my motivation to study. The short courses are really intense, so there seemed to be quite a few who just gave up if they were behind, but i at least managed to submit something for my ECA, so chances are if it all goes wrong, i could still get a resit...

Having been to university based in a solid building as well, it's quite strange to not be able to have a face-to-face conversation with someone about the work, as i do think that really helps, even if your tutor isn't there all the time, at least they have some track of what you have been doing and what you are trying to do...and because they are not there, it is hard to know what they expect with the assessments...

Nevertheless i think it is an great way to study, you have so much freedom with how and when you do it, but i really need to sort out a proper workspace otherwise i get too easily distracted by all the other exciting internet based things on my computer (i.e. HoP...)

Aurinko freedom agreement reached 10th Sept 2006

if it makes no sense that's because it's NOn-sense.


jo_rhymesSILVER Member
Momma Bear
4,525 posts
Location: Telford, Shrops, United Kingdom


Posted:
Hey Star, i did DD100 a couple of years ago! Then I did ED209- child developmental psychology. I'm on a break too, I love OU. It's great smile hug

Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.


TheBovrilMonkeySILVER Member
Liquid Cow
2,629 posts
Location: High Wycombe, England


Posted:
 Written by: jo_rhymes


Then I did ED209- child developmental psychology.



How do children react to being told 'Please put down your weapon. You have 20 seconds to comply'?


Non-Https Image Link

But there's no sense crying over every mistake. You just keep on trying till you run out of cake.


wonderloeyenthusiast
255 posts
Location: Melbourne - home of pirates


Posted:
I was thinking about doing some units in the Australian equivalent (Open Learning) but I think I lack the self-discipline to study without some kind of external motivation. Have you guys found it difficult to keep motivated to study?

"You've gone from Loey the Wonder Lesbian to everyone wondering if you are a lesbian." - Shadowman

Yesterday is yesterday. If we try to recapture it, we will only lose tomorrow.


Pogo69SILVER Member
there's no charge for awesomeness... or attractiveness
3,764 posts
Location: limbo, Australia


Posted:
I did my 2nd degree externally and to be honest, wonderloey, I found it *easier* to motivate myself than I did in my undergrad degree on campus.

but then... I was older and was able to learn from my (many, many) mistakes.

--pogo (pat) [forever and always]


jo_rhymesSILVER Member
Momma Bear
4,525 posts
Location: Telford, Shrops, United Kingdom


Posted:
Bov, one of the reasons i chose to do ED209 was because of it's name!! ubblol
i met a really cool guy called James who was on my course, and most lessons we did Robocop impressions ubblol

Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.


jo_rhymesSILVER Member
Momma Bear
4,525 posts
Location: Telford, Shrops, United Kingdom


Posted:
Jon you should be ashamed!! spank rolleyes

Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.


NOnactivist for HoPper liberation.
1,643 posts
Location: ffidrac


Posted:
it was one that i resurrected from dead anyway, so i wouldn't worry about it too much, it's like killing a zombie... ubblol

Anyway, your question about maths/comp-sci courses... i haven't done one, but as i said i'm doing web applications which are short course in the technology department... I reckon doing Maths/Physics would have to be one of the more difficult courses you could do with the OU, but your post suggests you have some experience of it, if that's the case you would probably be ok, but i reckon if you had little experience of a subject like that at degree level, it could be pretty tough going without the support. They do foundation course type things in some subjects to break you in gently, maybe you could start with one of those and see how you get on with it. smile

Aurinko freedom agreement reached 10th Sept 2006

if it makes no sense that's because it's NOn-sense.


NOnactivist for HoPper liberation.
1,643 posts
Location: ffidrac


Posted:
but my mum's done all sorts, economics, geography, social science... a professional student methinks smile

Aurinko freedom agreement reached 10th Sept 2006

if it makes no sense that's because it's NOn-sense.


Fine_Rabid_DogInternet Hate Machine
10,530 posts
Location: They seek him here, they seek him there...


Posted:
 Written by: TheBovrilMonkey


 Written by: jo_rhymes


Then I did ED209- child developmental psychology.



How do children react to being told 'Please put down your weapon. You have 20 seconds to comply'?


Non-Https Image Link




Hahahahahahahaha! ubblol

Funniest. Post. Ever. XD

The existance of flamethrowers says that someone, somewhere, at sometime said "I need to set that thing on fire, but it's too far away."


dani_babybooSILVER Member
addict
667 posts
Location: Cannock, staffordshire, United Kingdom


Posted:
im not doing an ou course but i am doing a similar online college based course on computing and thats the path way to lead me to do business management which i think is an ou course so think they are related.

my friend has done a few courses with ou and is doing another although he now lives in spain so its all good

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enter the love realm...
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NOnactivist for HoPper liberation.
1,643 posts
Location: ffidrac


Posted:
hey, well sounds like you are well versed in doing complicated things at university level smile but the OU do publish a guide about levels of courses and give a general idea about what to expect, they also do a few short courses, so maybe you could do a short one as a kind of taster if you're not sure about it smile

I think so long as you are motivated to do it, and able to learn by yourself, most people can get on with OU, the materials are usually very well thought out and there are plenty of sources for help. The main thing is to make sure you have enough time to do it, because at the end of the day, you can get a degree from the OU so you should expect the work to be as intense as in a degree, only it's part-time. But then it also depends what you want to get out of it, you can treat it as a learning for your own enjoyment, or as a qualification you want to aim for, or both. And if something you are genuinely interested in, it doesn't seem so much of a chore...

Aurinko freedom agreement reached 10th Sept 2006

if it makes no sense that's because it's NOn-sense.


NOnactivist for HoPper liberation.
1,643 posts
Location: ffidrac


Posted:
well when you do start thinking about it, sounds like it would be perfect for you smile

Aurinko freedom agreement reached 10th Sept 2006

if it makes no sense that's because it's NOn-sense.



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