Has anybody had any experience of an Open University Australia course? I started this week.

[MARYROSE02]

I enrolled with OUA, and my first subject is in Philosophy - 'Critical Thinking.' I started it this week, and still 'feeling my way'. Everything is done via the internet, listening to the lectures, and submitting assignments, and joining in discussions on a forum much like PIO.

 

I was down at Bronte Beach after a swim one evening when I rang the OUA, and the advisor enrolled me over the phone. I am pleased with my choice of subject as it is one of four 'Humanities Gateway' units, which, whilst counting towards my degree, are also introductory subjects, to ease me (back) into study.

 

I have to 'work' too! My excuse for being on PIO at the moment is that I am talking about my course! This subject is making me 'think' too, not least about the way I have sometimes engaged in debate on some controversial subjects here on PIO.

 

I've had this feeling of 'stagnating', caught in a kind of limbo between work and retirement. I've not actually retired, but work is hard to get, and I do have a reasonable income without working. I think this will definitely give me an interest to fill in my days. I've already done a BA, but decades ago, at UNSW.

 

My Mum was one of the first students with the (original?) OU in the UK, circa, I think 1970.

[jac2011]

My husband is considering it so I would love to hear your feedback every now and again!

[Parley]

How much does that cost MR, if you don't mind me asking ?

 

I've thought about studying and it is very expensive if you have to pay it yourself and no guaranteed payback career wise.

[Marisawright]

I enrolled with OUA, and my first subject is in Philosophy - 'Critical Thinking.' I started it this week, and still 'feeling my way'. Everything is done via the internet, listening to the lectures, and submitting assignments, and joining in discussions on a forum much like PIO.

 

 

 

I did some courses with the Open University in the UK too. I also did some with UNISA, which is the equivalent in South Africa, when I lived in Swaziland.

 

I've always hesitated about enrolling in the Australian one. The reason is that I found the UNISA course more of a slog than the OU, due to the different structure, and I worry that the Australian one would be more like UNISA than the OU.

 

The British OU had a weekly "lecture" on the BBC, and instead of a text book you got sent a beautifully presented workbook each week of the course, which guided you through the study. Because of the "weekly book" setup, I was always clear how far ahead/behind I was. There were specific "further reading" sections so you could go to the library, find those books and read the recommended passages. By contrast, UNISA had no lectures or TV programs, the monthly workbooks looked like they were run off the office printer, and there was no contact with the university. It was a good course, I suppose, but I found it really hard to stay motivated.

 

I guess it would be different today (when I did UNISA there was no internet!).

[Guest littlesarah]

Good on you, MR, for keeping the grey matter active! Critical thinking skills are, in my opinion, undervalued and often misunderstood; though I'd be interested in how they're described with a humanities focus rather than the scientific one I have.

 

These days, many institutions offer various courses in 'online' or 'off campus' delivery mode. All use an online learning platform to support their courses (including those that are 'face to face') - usually material is provided online for students to access wherever they are. The best online courses are those that have been designed to be delivered that way - sometimes students are able to complete a course online that is designed to be delivered face to face, and for them it can be a bit less than optimal, because online learning requires a different way of delivering material and interacting. I wouldn't consider doing a course online that wasn't designed to be that way, because it's a bit of a gamble; so I'd think that OUA would be really well-placed to offer courses that are pedagogically sound.

 

You should have access to a Course Outline - that will give you a breakdown of what's expected. For the courses I teach into, we provide a week-by-week schedule so students know what we'll cover. These days, additional material is often available online, so no need to even go to the library! Though personally, I love libraries in general, and the uni one in particular (especially at the weekend and holidays, when it's quieter).

 

I think that online learning can be great, when it's done well. The last course of my teaching cert was online (it was all about online learning, actually!), and it was clearly designed by someone who delivers lots of online courses. The myth has been that online teaching is easier than face to face; but I find the opposite to be true. It takes a lot longer to set up an online course, and it involves a different way of thinking about how to engage students. The comparison MarisaWright made between OU and UNISA highlights the necessity to develop materials that engage students and motivate/inspire them to learn - tertiary study shouldn't be a hard slog, it should be something that is mostly positive!

[MARYROSE02]

On phone in cafe not studying! I'll answer longer posts on computer but for Parley, fee per unit is paid by Aust Govt not us and is $769 per unit I think. It is collected thru tax system if you income rises over certain level.

[Parley]

So we are paying for your 'education' and you probably won't work again.

 

No wonder the deficit is going up and up.

[Guest]

So we are paying for your 'education' and you probably won't work again.

 

No wonder the deficit is going up and up.

 

Maybe Tony's next slogan can be "Stop the Education"

[Parley]

Maybe Tony's next slogan can be "Stop the Education"

 

Just for OAP's.

[MARYROSE02]

So we are paying for your 'education' and you probably won't work again.

 

No wonder the deficit is going up and up.

 

I read in the paper recently that Aussie students who graduate, then head off overseas to work, never have to pay their fees back to the Commonwealth Govt, despite often earning huge overseas salaries?

 

I don't know what the rate these fees are paid back, but I wonder just how 'onerous' the burden is, once students graduate, and start working?

 

I looked at other courses - TAFE, WEA, community colleges, and they all seem to involve up front and expensive fees, so this OU degree is good value.

[MARYROSE02]

Good on you, MR, for keeping the grey matter active! Critical thinking skills are, in my opinion, undervalued and often misunderstood; though I'd be interested in how they're described with a humanities focus rather than the scientific one I have.

 

These days, many institutions offer various courses in 'online' or 'off campus' delivery mode. All use an online learning platform to support their courses (including those that are 'face to face') - usually material is provided online for students to access wherever they are. The best online courses are those that have been designed to be delivered that way - sometimes students are able to complete a course online that is designed to be delivered face to face, and for them it can be a bit less than optimal, because online learning requires a different way of delivering material and interacting. I wouldn't consider doing a course online that wasn't designed to be that way, because it's a bit of a gamble; so I'd think that OUA would be really well-placed to offer courses that are pedagogically sound.

 

You should have access to a Course Outline - that will give you a breakdown of what's expected. For the courses I teach into, we provide a week-by-week schedule so students know what we'll cover. These days, additional material is often available online, so no need to even go to the library! Though personally, I love libraries in general, and the uni one in particular (especially at the weekend and holidays, when it's quieter).

 

I think that online learning can be great, when it's done well. The last course of my teaching cert was online (it was all about online learning, actually!), and it was clearly designed by someone who delivers lots of online courses. The myth has been that online teaching is easier than face to face; but I find the opposite to be true. It takes a lot longer to set up an online course, and it involves a different way of thinking about how to engage students. The comparison MarisaWright made between OU and UNISA highlights the necessity to develop materials that engage students and motivate/inspire them to learn - tertiary study shouldn't be a hard slog, it should be something that is mostly positive!

 

The overall degree is administered by OUA, but the individual subjects are taught by whichever university is the provider. In this case, it is Macquarie University in Sydney, but other subjects are taught from Griffith University. You can study entirely via one university or several, depending upon your interests. Since I started the actual studying, I've not needed to look in the OUA web site. I guess that the OU provides the framework which allows all the teaching universities to join?

 

The actual lecture is a recording of a 'live' lecture at Macquarie university, complete with 'crowd' noises, shuffling, coughing, asking questions. I suppose there's nothing to stop you going to the actual uni and listening to the lecture? Come to think of it, when I was having lunch at the Uni of the South Pacific, in Suva, I wandered up to a lecture theatre and listened through the open doors to a bit of a maths lecture.

 

I've got copies of the course material on line, too. I have not bothered to print them out. I've posted to some of the forums, although not so far engaged in any 'debating' (the way I do on here!) I don't know whether I want to go and study in the uni library, or in a local library. When I did my UNSW BA, I was always in the library there, or at the State Library of NSW in Macquarie Street. I'll see how I go as the subject progresses.

[Bob1]

I teach on the OU course through Curtin Uni in Perth, it is education for students training to be teachers. Anyone can enrol but there is quite a high drop out rate the first study period when students realise they can't cope with full time work and study and a family, or the level is just too hard.

[LKC]

I'm not doing a degree with OU, but I am doing an online BA (history and philosophy) with another uni. I'm doing two subjects each semester, so it will take six years to complete unless I feel that I can take more on at some stage. I am finding it quite hard to fit everything in with the kids and other commitments, but I am enjoying having my brain stretched again! I do have a career in mind once I have done, although I am also doing it for interests sake and to prove to myself that I am not too old! I have two assignments to write by the 13th, and the kids are on their Easter break from Friday, so I'd better get on...!

[Que Sera Sera]

Is that HECS that pay for it MR?

[Parley]

No. We are paying for it QSS.

You and me.

[LKC]

I am sure that MR will have paid his fair share of tax over the years, just as most people do. I am paying for my degree upfront, but then I am lucky that I can afford to.

[Parley]

Not really the point.

It is worthwhile if it helps someone get a job, But I'm not sure funding 60 year olds is justifiable with our current financial constraints.

 

It is a good test whether the student would be willing to pay for the course themselves without the funding.

I'm glad you are.

[LKC]

But that is the point though, isn't it. You are begrudging MR some education because you don't feel that you should have to pay for it unless it has a use. Who knows whether MR will pay his loan back? Just because he doesn't have to pay it back until he is earning over a threshold, doesn't mean that it won't be paid back.

 

I don't work (other than being a student and a mum), so I don't pay any tax. Is it wrong of me to use medicare? Or is it okay for me to use medicare because my OH earns a great salary and consequently pays a whole heap of tax more than we would ever get back out of the system?

[Parley]

I may have misunderstood but I don't think he mentioned HECS, he just said it was funded by the government so he did it.

Nothing against him personally but at Age 60 I doubt doing a uni course is going to change his employment prospects.

Hopefully he proves me wrong.

But I don't think the government should pay just because people think it would be interesting to study or because they are bored.

 

Medicare is different. Everyone no matter what age or circumstance needs healthcare.

[MARYROSE02]

I teach on the OU course through Curtin Uni in Perth, it is education for students training to be teachers. Anyone can enrol but there is quite a high drop out rate the first study period when students realise they can't cope with full time work and study and a family, or the level is just too hard.[/quote

 

I think there is a unit taught through Curtin in the Humanities Pathways group. Just checked my workbook - APC 100 Academic and Professional Communications. My first unit is PHI 120 Critical Thinking taught through Macquarie, and there are two more taught via Griffith COM 15 Developing Research and Analytical Skills & CMM 19 Text and Culture. I think I might do all four of them this year, or at least one after the other.

 

I don't think the level is too hard, but it is certainly 'hard work!' I expected that though as, apart from my first year at UNSW, I just did one subject per year, whilst working full time. I've spent most of the arvo today working away, partly on an assignment, and partly listening to lectures, and, yet again, no time to go to the beach!

[Que Sera Sera]

I've been looking and they do an English Language/English Lit one, but is it really 8 years part time?

[MARYROSE02]

Is that HECS that pay for it MR?

 

So far as I understand it, the Commonwealth Government pays the unit fees of $769 in full, and then they reclaim the money via the ATO when I submit my tax returns, subject to my reaching the minimum salary level? ($50,000?)

 

Will I feel guilty if I never reach that minimum level? No!

 

(Maybe I'll put the money I've saved in uni fees into private health insurance, though up to this point, I've paid cash for plenty of operations, so I'm not bludging that off the Government!

 

I can't remember what it is called? Maybe HECS, maybe it has another name. I think this applies to all students. I remember reading that graduates who move overseas to live and work never have to pay the fees back, unless they return to OZ, because the Australian Government has not scheme in place to 'claw back' the money?

 

I think I also read about some colleges, perhaps mainly private ones, offering incentives for people to sign up, so they can get the Government fees?

[MARYROSE02]

Not really the point.

It is worthwhile if it helps someone get a job, But I'm not sure funding 60 year olds is justifiable with our current financial constraints.

 

It is a good test whether the student would be willing to pay for the course themselves without the funding.

I'm glad you are.

 

My God, Parley, you really are a more extreme 'rightie' than me! I only want to stop 'foreigners' from ripping off the taxpayer!

 

Would I be willing to pay the fee myself up front? Probably not, which put me off enrolling with TAFE/WEA/Community Colleges, although after four weeks of mostly enjoyable study, I think I might pay the fees anyway. I didn't create the rules anyway. I've been living back in Australia for seven years now, with no entitlement to Centrelink benefits, and having to pay my own way when I'm out of work, as I am now, five months after my last job.

 

I have not actually got a large income anyway, and it's only been since my Royal Mail pension 'kicked in' from my 60th birthday, that I've been able to get by.

[Que Sera Sera]

So far as I understand it, the Commonwealth Government pays the unit fees of $769 in full, and then they reclaim the money via the ATO when I submit my tax returns, subject to my reaching the minimum salary level? ($50,000?)

 

Will I feel guilty if I never reach that minimum level? No!

 

(Maybe I'll put the money I've saved in uni fees into private health insurance, though up to this point, I've paid cash for plenty of operations, so I'm not bludging that off the Government!

 

I can't remember what it is called? Maybe HECS, maybe it has another name. I think this applies to all students. I remember reading that graduates who move overseas to live and work never have to pay the fees back, unless they return to OZ, because the Australian Government has not scheme in place to 'claw back' the money?

 

I think I also read about some colleges, perhaps mainly private ones, offering incentives for people to sign up, so they can get the Government fees?

Thank you I'm going to look into it. Don't feel guilty ever if it's avalable and it helps you even if it's just a sense of achievement then go for it.

[Naomi from Manchester]

Good for you, MR! Which philosophers are you studying? How wonderful to be able to learn for learning's sake.