Learning Design team at the Open University
@ou-ld-social.bsky.social
510 followers 540 following 85 posts
Sharing the @OpenUniversity Learning Design team’s approach to designing for student success. Using evidence and #StudentVoice to enhance the learning experience. #HigherEd #LearningDesign #EdTech #DigitalInclusion #EDIA
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ou-ld-social.bsky.social
We're over here now too!!! 🌟 Trying to build up the accounts we follow & find old followers from The Other Place so thought it would be good to create a starter pack of Open University and other HE peeps to kick things off. We'll add more people and feeds to it as we find them.

go.bsky.app/LYgYXL2
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
carlzimmer.com
Today my @nytimes.com colleagues and I are launching a new series called Lost Science. We interview US scientists who can no longer discover something new about our world, thanks to this year‘s cuts. Here is my first interview with a scientist who studied bees and fires. Gift link: nyti.ms/3IWXbiE
nyti.ms
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
mjruybalid.bsky.social
“We seek to contribute to recent conversations in which faculty and staff burnout, well-being and mental health are recognized by highlighting the role of higher ed leaders… (1/2)

www.insidehighered.com/opinion/view...
A call to invest in faculty and staff well-being (opinion)
Institutions must invest in faculty and staff well-being at work, Vicki L. Baker and Rebecca Pope-Ruark write.
www.insidehighered.com
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
jgeoghe.bsky.social
📚 A new study of undergrad & grad students during COVID-19 reveals how the pandemic layered onto housing, food & mental health insecurities. Students built mutual support networks, pointing to the need for systemic institutional solutions in higher ed.

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Browse all journals
Browse all journals
www.tandfonline.com
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
The #OU_LD team has a collection of resources on our internal TEL in Practice site, which includes a section on how to increase diverse representation in module materials and better support our Black students. These are a huge help to module teams when considering how to design inclusively.
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
With a spotlight on celebrating hidden narratives from within the Black community this #BlackHistoryMonth, diverse representation in learning materials and activities seems more important than ever.
Graphic showing two black faces in silhouette against a coloured background in red, yellow and green.
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
katherinestiles.org
“AI is not invited into schools through a process of adoption, like buying a desktop computer or smartboard—it crashes the party and then starts rearranging the furniture. That means schools have to do something. Teachers feel this urgently.” #AI #AcademicSky #EduSky
katherinestiles.org
What past education technology failures can teach us about the future of AI in schools ‣ phys.org/news/2025-10... #academicsky #edusky #ai
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
🤔 Ever wondered what it takes to update a #LearningDesign framework? Well wonder no more! Our latest blog post explores the long but rewarding process of updating the #ICEBERG learning design Principles and Design Tips for supporting #StudentRetention. www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni...
Ice cave at Jokulsarlon glacier in Iceland. A man can be seen in the distance at the mouth of the cave.
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
📢 ATTN! There's a new article on our blog! Read how members of the #OU_LD team & @ietatou.bsky.social represented the @openuniversity.bsky.social on the Innovating Learning Design in Higher Education (iLED) project, along with a team of international collaborators.
www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni...
A bronze miniature relief of the city of Zagreb. The map shows buildings, trees, roads, a river, and a compass rose marking North. The centre of the compass rose has the words ‘welcome’ engraved in several languages.
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
xsarahelmi.bsky.social
Registration is open for 'Women Transforming Classical Music', a free 6-week online course to diversify
repertoire by including more works by women composers.

Launch will be held online, Friday, Sep 19th, 10am- 12pm (UK/ROI time)

www.open.edu/openlearn/hi...

#music #classicalmusic #womeninmusic
Women transforming classical music
Women transforming classical music is a free course aimed at helping individual performers, ensembles and organisations within the classical music industry to diversify their repertoire by ...
www.open.edu
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
vickybowskill.bsky.social
Have you ever thought about how artists and scientist view the world? 🌍👀 Find out more about this @openuniversity.bsky.social research & download the illustrated leaflet 🎨👇
inklusivenature.com/2025/06/26/a...
#SciArt #SciComm
Visual summary of the linked page
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
oulibrary.bsky.social
Heritage Open Days return to The Open University from 17–19 Sept with campus tours, new exhibitions, a choir performance, and a brand-new Archive Cinema experience! 🤩

🎟️ Free to attend – tours require booking!
🔗 Full schedule & info: www.open.ac.uk/library/libr...

#MiltonKeynes #Heritage
Black and white photo from 1975 of a television studio for an Open University programme. Text reads: 'You're invited! Heritage Open Days at The Open University. 17-19 September 2025.'
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Thought provoking article by a high school student on their experience of #AI in the US educational system. If school students stop practising -and lose- vital thinking skills, how will that affect how we'll need to design learning at #HE levels going forward?

www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
I’m a High Schooler. AI Is Demolishing My Education.
The end of critical thinking in the classroom
www.theatlantic.com
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
For more information about our #ResponsibleByDesign framework and to vote for us, follow the links in this flyer:
openuniv-my.sharepoint.com/personal/pa4... Remember - voting closes on Sunday, 14 September!
A portion of the flyer that shows the ALT Awards 2025 logo and reads: your vote matters. ALT Community Choice Awards. Voting closes Sunday, 14 September 2025. Also show the OU Learning Design logo.
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
If you'd like to see a more in-depth look at all of the finalists in this year's @altuk.bsky.social Awards, you can find that all in here:
drive.google.com/file/d/1AXG8...
ALT Awards 2025 - Shortlisted Entries .pdf
drive.google.com
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
#ALT members can vote for us in the Community Award category: www.alt.ac.uk/news/all_new.... The awards ceremony is on 23 October in Glasgow - we'll let you know how we get on. In the meantime, bring on those votes! 🗳️🌟
#ALTAwards2025 #CommunityAward
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
We’re positively delighted to be recognised for the work we're doing to promote ethical and responsible use of #AI in #HE. ☺️
#ALTAwards2025 #CommunityAward #EthicalEdTechAward
ALT Awards 2025 - Shortlisted Entries .pdf
drive.google.com
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Fab news to share! The work our #OU_LD AI team has done creating the Responsible by Design framework has been nominated for *two* @altuk.bsky.social Awards! Find the shortlist here: drive.google.com/file/d/1AXG8....
ALT Awards 2025 - Shortlisted Entries .pdf
drive.google.com
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Who doesn't want to start the holiday weekend with a little fun? Enjoy!
goldengateblond.bsky.social
this is so wonderfully weird, give her all the golds 🥇
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
"The tips here encompass aspects of the @openuniversity.bsky.social's #ICEBERG Learning Design for retention principles. You can find more design tips and resources relating to ICEBERG on the Learning Design blog: www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learni.... "
OU Learning Design team blog – Reflection and resources from the Open University Learning Design team
www.open.ac.uk
ou-ld-social.bsky.social
Ahead of the new academic year it’s more important than ever to consider what students think & feel about their learning. Our latest resource explores '7 Top Tips' students told us can impact on how they feel about the workload associated to their #LearningJourney.

#StudentVoice #LearningDesign
Title: Designing to positively impact student workload.
Text:
Heading: 7 top tips from Open University students.
What did we do?
We asked our Curriculum Design Student Panel how they perceived workload in their studies e.g. what might make workload feel higher or lower than the actual time they spend on it. Here are the factors students said helped to reduce both actual and perceived workload.

Sub-Heading: Multiple formats.
• Provide activity and assessment guidance in multiple formats.
• Use video and/or audio to break up large blocks of text.
Sub-Heading: Estimated timings.
• Provide estimated activity timings to help students to 
manage and prioritise their study time.
Sub-Heading: Clear signposting.
• Indicate where activities and content contribute to specific 
assessment tasks.
Sub-Heading: Set expectations.
• Provide guidance to help students structure independent study time. 
• Outline the intended purpose to help set task boundaries. 
Sub-Heading: Vary activities.
• Include a variety of activity types to support engagement.
Sub-Heading: Chunking instructions.
• Break up instructions / module materials into small sections. This 
provides break points and supports time management. 
Sub-Heading: Assessment workload.
• Keep assessment submission weeks free of additional course 
material to help students catch up where required.

The tips here encompass aspects of the Open University's ICEBERG 
Learning Design for retention principles. You can find more design 
tips and resources relating to ICEBERG on the Learning Design blog (https://www.open.ac.uk/blogs/learning-design/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/ICEBERG-booklet-compressed.pdf).
Reposted by Learning Design team at the Open University
policyatkings.bsky.social
Catch up on our report with @hepi-news.bsky.social, out yesterday, which looks at public misperceptions of higher education ⬇️

👩‍🎓 The public hugely overestimate how many graduates regret going to university and significantly underestimate the importance of higher education to the UK economy 📈
Public hugely overestimate graduate regret while underestimating economic value of universities and being wrong on tuition fees – new study
People guess that 40% of graduates wouldn't go to university if they could choose again, when the reality is just 8%
www.kcl.ac.uk