The document argues that online tutorials are the best way forward for The Open University (OU) as they provide flexibility, accessibility, and cost savings. Online tutorials allow students to learn from anywhere without issues of attendance, travel, or location. They save students' time and the OU's expenses while still offering interactive and engaging lessons. With online tutorials, preparation time is not wasted, lessons can be recorded and shared, and flexibility is high as tutorials can be organized on demand in various formats.

1. Online tutorials only
are the way forward
for the OU
Proposer: Mandy Honeyman
MCT AL (TU100 & TT284)
Student - MAODE
1

2. The student quotes that
you will see have been taken
from the 2014 forum:
“Student Consultation
on Group Tuition”
They have been extracted from
longer posts and edited
for grammar and punctuation!
2

3. • attendance
• location independent
• saves time
• expense
• flexibility
• student choice
• up to date technology ― with support
3

4. “
”
I don't think that students should be
effectively disadvantaged when
tutorials are physically impossible.
4

5. attendance
• accessible
• mobile phone access
• flexible timing
• recorded
• few attendance issues
• not bound by location
• no travel time
• ever prepared a F2F
tutorial to find none or
only one student turns
up? If that happens
online, I would watch
iPlayer or carry on
marking while I waited
5

6. Location independent
6

7. “
”
Watching recorded online tutorials
is a lifesaver on my current
module.
7

8. Your time
• Prep time
– isn’t wasted
– recording makes any prep
worthwhile
– can repeat at any time
– can share the resource
• Zero attendees doesn’t
really matter
– watch iPlayer while you
wait!
– drink wine!
• No travel time
• Lunch times
• Can chat and socialise
• students have been
known to flirt even
• younger students used to
chatting/listening at
same time
• environment is suited to
our new lifestyles
8

9. “
”
I find online tutorials … fun as a
prototype teaching method!!
9

10. Bandwidth – no problem
10

11. Expense
• Cheaper (for the OU)
• Don’t have to travel
• Saves time
• Don’t have to pay for
facilities
11

12. “
”
It was brilliant using it. Especially for
the activities where everyone was
contributing and taking part at the
same time. Also love that all the
students, wherever in the world they
maybe, are all in the OU bubble as
I call it.
12

13. Flexibility
• Everything is flexible
• can combine groups
• can provide module wide
sessions
• can provide one 2 one
• can share
• can be set up as needed
• can be organised in
advance
• can be open or closed
• can be given over to
students
• can…. can…. can….
• the limit is our
imagination and
willingness to innovate
13

14. Use a camera as a visualiser
14
Imagine this
was just
paper and
you were
writing on it!

15. Student choice
• Little risk (time)
• Big rewards
• They like the flexibility
• Students don’t have to
give up a big chunk of
time that could be better
spent studying
• Introverts can be
comfortable
• Extroverts can still shine
15

16. “
”
As the technology moves on, they
can only get better and offer more in
content and further opportunity for
students to develop their skills and
learning.
16

17. Online is just better!
• improves technical skills
(students & tutors)
• your hard work is
recorded
• you can use it to record
tutorials for other media
• the more we do the
better we get
• the resources get better
17

18. Flexible
18

19. Summary:
• no attendance issues
• not bound by location
• no travel time
• guaranteed access to internet
• little risk that time will be
wasted
• inexpensive for students,
inexpensive for the university
• £££ could be better spent
• can forward plan
• also allows for spontaneity
• accessible
• mobile phone access
• the more we do
the better we get
• resources get better too
• can be ad-hoc and scheduled
• different groupings highly
valued by students
• flexible
• your hard work is recorded
• students can socialise
• technology skills improved
19