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Courses: 2003 ·
S194
Introduction to Astronomy ·
S151
Maths for Science 2004 ·
S103
Discovering Science ·
SXR103
Practising Science 2005 ·
MST121
Using Mathematics ·
S283
Planetary Science & the Search for Life 2006
(currrent plans) ·
MS221
Exploring Mathematics ·
S282
Astronomy 2007 Maths
or Physics who knows?? |
Contents |
OU LinksOpen2.net related to TV programmes University Book Search 2nd
hand books. OUSA students association |
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What made me do it & why the OU? I
used to actively read the astronomy newsgroups UK Sci Astronomy (UKSA) and
Sci.Astro.Amateur (SAA). In January
2003, there was a posting advertising a free astronomy course. I'd been thinking of doing a GCSE via the
Society for Popular Astronomy (SPA) but had been put of by not being sure if
I had the time, ability, inclination, etc.
A free course was good as I could try it, drop it if I couldn't finish
it and not worry about the expense.
So I went and looked at the site
(<http://members.ozemail.com.au/~swadhwa/aaf.html>), was impressed
enough to sign up. Well
it all went very well and I had soon finished the course and got the
certificate. In the meantime
discussions with an American, Brian Tung, took me to the limit of my
knowledge and made me want to find out more.
After looking at various university sites I found that lots offer
certificate or diploma courses in astronomy, but I wanted something more
basic than that to start (a taster) but that could lead toward a degree. I also, through various conversations,
realised I needed to improve my maths.
Moreover, all of this had to be by distance learning in my spare time. Ignorant of the way these things work the
only one that seemed to do the course I wanted was the Open University (OU). They
have a number of Science Short Courses (SSC) including 'An Introduction to
Astronomy' and 'Maths for Science', I signed up for both and the rest, as
they say is history. |
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Well
I decided to sign up for a BSc (Hons) Physical Sciences, having linked a
couple of courses I found out I don't actually have to until I'm ready to
claim the award. Courses can be
linked and unlinked whenever you want so it's not an issue. At
the moment that is still the plan and the list of what I have done am doing
and intend to do 'next' year forms the contents on this page. Toward
the end of the SSCs a lot of talk turned to what people were doing next. The general advice was S103 Discovering
Science, so this is where I started. |
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I
dunno about all of it but here's some of it. For a
degree, you need 360 points with a minimum of 120 at level 3 and a maximum of
120 at level 1. Each course has a
points value which equates approximately (very in some cases!) to the hours needed
to study it. 1
point = 10 hours (e.g. a 10 point course is 100 hours work, a 60 point course
is about 600 hours). There
are introductory courses to get you back into studying again and SSCs worth
10 points that can all give you a taster if you don't want to commit to a
'main' course. When you're ready the
OU suggest you start with a level 1 course and work up. At the end of the day though it's down to
you to ensure you're ready for the courses you choose. These 'main' courses last 9 months, mainly
from February to October, though some are now starting in October. There
are fairly new named degrees for which certain criteria must be fulfilled,
but if you choose you can make up your own out of any courses the OU have to
offer. I think it depends on whether
the majority of the courses used for you classification (ie 1st
class, 2.1, 2.2, etc.) are BA or BSc course, is the deciding factor in
whether your final degree is a BA or BSc. A
misconception some people have is that you can do the course in your own
time, this is wrong. The course must
be completed within the set limits, however, you can take as long as you like
getting a degree (e.g. 1 course a year, 1 course every other year), though
not faster than 3 years. You are
limited to a maximum of 120 points at any one time (excluding residential
courses), this is equivalent to full time education. |
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Thoughts onDisability The
OU seem to be excellent about any disabilities. If someone needs help, I would guess that they could find
it. Among the support offered are
First Class conferences, helpers at residential course, allowances with
assignments, possibility of remote exams, etc. etc. I know I'm not covering everything and to those in the know,
I'm sure they'll think I'm not doing this section the justification it
deserves. The thing is I don't know
the full range of help and support it is just what I have picked up from
talking to other students. Tutorials Very
little to say about these if you can get to them, do. They are good chance to get in front of
your tutor and speak to them face to face, get to know them and they
you. It's a chance to meet other like
minded people and find out you are not alone, maybe others really are doing
as badley as you!!! And there is a
good chance you can make some good friends, too. If you can't get to your own tutorial, use the 'tutorial
finder' from your student home page and go to someone else's (be courtious
though, to allow the tutor to prepare for an extra person). First
Class Conferences First
Class (FC) is akin to usenet newsgroups that you may have come across. There are hundreds of conferences ranging
from course specific, which are given to you, to general interest conferences
covering topics from OU Alumni to OUSA Young students and everything in
between. FC
takes the distance learning experience from a lonely one sat in a room
surrounded by books to something closer to a brick uni. discussion of
courses, general interests, making friends, societies, etc. In
the course conferences you can ask about things you don't understand (there
are usually some good tutors that contribute), help others that are stuck or
need a moral boost, discuss relevant topics, etc. If they are open conferences then you can ask about the course
if you are thinking of doing it. General
interests range from those related the faculties, addiction and ADHD,
disabilities, sport, TV, games, survivors, support, etc. You
need not contribute, or only contribute a little or get fully involved and
help run or moderate conferences it is totally up to you. But, like tutorials it is a good place to
meet like minded people. Tutors These
people are great (mostly), I know they get paid for what they do and get
other perks such as free courses, but this really doen't add up to much. My school teachers and lecturers got more
and returned less. The
vast majority of tutors I've met are either current or former OU students so
know exactly what you're going through and not being involved in the 'them
and us' culture that schools and colleges can create you are treated as an
adult wanting to learn more. The
attitude I get is that they enjoy showing people how to do things and revel
in seeing them being able to do so.
Because of this they seem happy to try over and over until the student
gets there. It doesn't matter how
stupid you think you are, to them as long as you still want to learn they
will continue to teach. There
are some bad apples that I've heard of, again don't let this put you off as
the regional centre are always there if things can't be resolved, even to the
extent of changing your tutor. |
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The
main trouble I've found is all this education is very addictive. It has been likened to the song
"Hotel California" and I can see why. Everytime a mailing is due I get excited, everytime an
assignment is due back I get nervous, when the course results are due more
nerves, when a course finishes I'm itching for the next to start. |
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Adapted from Hotel California by the Eagles On a dark desert highway Cool wind in my hair Warm smell of colitas Rising up through the air Up ahead in the distance I saw a shimmering light My head grew heavy, and my sight grew dim I had to stop for the night There she stood in the doorway I heard the mission bell And I was thinking to myself This could be Heaven or this could be Hell Then she lit up a candle And she showed me the way There were voices down the corridor I thought I heard them say Welcome to the Open University Such a lovely place Such a lovely place (background) Such a lovely face Plenty of room at the Open University Any time of year Any time of year (background) You can find it here You can find it here Her mind is Tiffany twisted She's got the Mercedes bends She's got a lot of pretty, pretty boys That she calls friends How they dance in the courtyard Sweet summer sweat Some dance to remember Some dance to forget So I called up the Captain Please bring me my wine He said We haven't had that spirit here since 1969 And still those voices are calling from far away Wake you up in the middle of the night Just to hear them say |
Welcome to the Open University Such a lovely Place Such a lovely Place (background) Such a lovely face They're livin' it up at the Open University What a nice surprise What a nice surprise (background) Bring your alibies Mirrors on the ceiling Pink champagne on ice And she said We are all just prisoners here Of our own device And in the master's chambers They gathered for the feast They stab it with their steely knives But they just can't kill the beast Last thing I remember I was running for the door I had to find the passage back to the place I was before Relax said the nightman We are programed to receive You can check out any time you like But you can never leave |
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