Open University

Sociocultural researchers have claimed that students' learning of science is a discursive process, with scientific concepts and ways of reasoning being learned through engagement in practical enquiry and social interaction as well as individualised activity. It is also often claimed that interacting with partners while carrying out scientific investigations is beneficial to students' learning and the development of their understanding. The research we describe investigated the validity of these claims and explored their educational implications. An experimental teaching programme was designed to enable children in British primary schools to talk and reason together and to apply these skills in their study of science. The results obtained indicate that (a) children can be enabled to use talk more effectively as a tool for reasoning and (b) talk-based activities can have a useful function in scaffolding the development of reasoning and scientific understanding. The implications of the findings for educational policy and practice are discussed.

We use the galaxy cluster X-ray temperature distribution function to constrain the amplitude of the power spectrum of density inhomogeneities on the scale correspond-ing to clusters. We carry out the analysis for critical-density universes, for low-density universes ...

We review five independent techniques which are used to set the distance scale to globular clusters, including subdwarf main sequence fitting utilizing the recent Hipparcos parallax catalogue. These data together all indicate that globular clusters are farther away than previously believed, implying a reduction in age estimates. We now adopt a best fit value M v (RR) = 0.39 ± 0.08(stat) at [Fe/H] = −1.9 with an additional uniform systematic uncertainty of +0.13 −0.18. This new distance scale estimate is combined with a detailed numerical Monte Carlo study (previously reported by Chaboyer et al. 1996a) designed to assess the uncertainty associated with the theoretical age-turnoff luminosity relationship in order to estimate both the absolute age and uncertainty in age of the oldest globular clusters. Our best estimate for the mean age of the oldest globular clusters is now 11.5 ± 1.3 Gyr, with a one-sided, 95% confidence level lower limit of 9.5 Gyr. This represents a systematic shift of over 2 σ compared to our earlier estimate, due completely to the new distance scale-which we emphasize is not just due to the Hipparcos data. This now provides a lower limit on the age of the universe which is consistent with either an open universe, or a flat, matter dominated universe (the latter requiring H 0 ≤ 67 km s −1 Mpc −1). Our new study also explicitly quantifies how remaining uncertainties in the distance scale and stellar evolution models translate into uncertainties in the

The successful development of mobile learning is dependent on human factors in the use of new mobile and wireless technologies. The majority of mobile learning activity continues to take place on devices that were not designed with educational applications in mind, and ...

Aggressive driving behaviour was studied using a self-report questionnaire. Respondents were asked about their own behaviour on the road using a version of the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire which contained an extended set of driving violation items. Three violation factors were distinguished, providing support for the ®ndings of Lawton, R., Parker, D., Manstead, A.S.R., and Stradling, S.G. (1997). The role of aect in predicting social behaviours: the case of road trac violations. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 27, 1258±1276). Respondents' beliefs and attitudes towards two aggressive driving scenarios were measured, using Ajzen's (1988) theory of planned behaviour model (Ajzen, I. (1988). Attitudes, personality and behavior. Milton Keynes, UK: Open University Press) supplemented by a measure of aective beliefs. In one scenario the driver was described as initiating an aggressive driving episode, and in the other as retaliating to the aggressive driving of another. Beliefs and attitudes in relation to the scenarios were found to be signi®cantly predictive of own self-reported aggressive driving behaviour. It was shown that aggressive driving behaviour was particularly associated with relatively positive (or less negative) beliefs and attitudes in relation to the initiation of an aggressive driving episode. #

This series is aimed at research students in education and those undertaking related professional, vocational and social research. It takes current methodological debates seriously and offers well-informed advice to students on how to respond to such debates. Books in the series review and engage with current methodological issues, while relating such issues to the sorts of decisions which research students have to make when designing, conducting and writing up research. Thus the series both contributes to methodological debate and has practical orientation by providing students with advice on how to engage with such debate and use particular methods in their work. Series authors are experienced researchers and supervisors. Each book provides students with insights into a different form of educational research while also providing them with the critical tools and knowledge necessary to make informed judgements about the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches.

In order to respond to learners' need for more flexible speaking opportunities and to overcome the geographical challenge of students spread over the United Kingdom and continental Western Europe, the Open University recently introduced Internet-based, real-time audio conferencing, thus making a groundbreaking move in the distance learning and teaching of languages. Since February 2002, online tutorials for language courses have been offered using Lyceum, an Internet-based audio-graphics conferencing tool developed in house. Our research is based on the first Open University course ever to deliver tutorials solely online, a level 2 German course, and this article considers some of the challenges of implementing online tuition. As a starting point, we present the pedagogical rationale underpinning the virtual learning and teaching environment. Then we examine the process of development and implementation of online tuition in terms of activity design, tutor training, and student support. A number of methodological tools such as logbooks, questionnaires, and observations were used to gather data. The findings of this paper highlight the complexity of the organisational as well as the pedagogical framework that contributes to the effective use of online tuition via audio conferencing systems in a distance education setting.

Understanding the nature of design ability can better enable design educators to nurture its development in their students. Such understanding has been promoted by a wide variety of studies of design activity and designer behaviour. From a review of these studies, design ability is summarised as comprising resolving ill-defined problems, adopting solution-focussed cognitive strategies, employing abductive or appositional thinking and using non-verbal modelling media. These abilities are highly developed in skilled designers, but are also possessed in some degree by everyone. A case is therefore made for design ability as a fundamental form of human intelligence. The nurture of this ability through design education is discussed, with particular reference to the problem of providing design education through the distance-learning media of the Open University.

This paper focuses on university-level education offered by methods of distance learning in the field of computers and aims at the investigation of the main causes for student dropouts. The presented study is based on the students of the Course of "Informatics", Faculty of Science and Technology of the Hellenic Open University and investigates the particularities of education provided through the use of computers and technology in general. This paper presents information about the students' profile, the use of computer technology, the percentage of dropouts, as well as a classification of the reasons for dropouts based on interviews with the students. The study shows that dropouts are correlated to the use of technological means and, based on this fact, the Hellenic Open University implemented interventions in the use of such means. It also proves that correlation exists between dropouts and students' age, but not gender, although female students are more reluctant to start following a course. However, it is also shown that female students' commitment to a course is stronger and thus, they do not drop out as easily as male students do. Furthermore, the results of this study strongly correlate dropouts to the existence of previous education in the field of Informatics or to working with computers, but not to the degree of specialisation in computers. Finally, the paper presents the reasons provided by the students for drooping out, with the main reasons being the inability to estimate the time required for university-level studies and the perceived difficulty of the computers course.

Problem: The bicycle helmet use rate is still low among teenagers despite the cumulating evidence that bicycle helmets can prevent cyclists from serious injuries and death. The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of the Health Belief Model (HBM; Health Education Monographs, 2 (1974) (1), Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB; Ajzen, I. (1988). Attitudes, personality and behavior. Open University Press, Milton Keynes) and Locus of Control model (LC; Psychological Monographs, (1966) (80) in understanding the intention to use bicycle helmet use among bicycle helmet owners. Method: Data were collected at two schools in Helsinki, Finland. Students (N = 965) completed a questionnaire including three social psychological models applied to helmet use. Models were compared by structural equation modeling techniques. Summary: Results showed that the TPB and LC model fitted the data well, whereas fit of the HBM model was lower than the fit of TPB and LC models. All components of TPB and external LC orientation were significantly related to the intention to use a helmet. TPB together with LC model provide a promising theoretical framework for helmet use promotion campaigns. Practical suggestions for future bicycle helmet campaigns were provided.

We present a natural scenario for obtaining an open universe (Ω 0 < 1) through inflation. In this scenario, there are two epochs of inflationary expansion-an epoch of 'old inflation,' during which the inflaton field is stuck in a false vacuum, followed by an epoch of 'new inflation,' during which the inflaton field slowly rolls toward its true minimum. During the first epoch, inflation solves the smoothness and horizon problems. Then an open universe (with negative spatial curvature) is created by the nucleation of a single bubble. In effect Ω is instantaneously 'reset' to zero. During the subsequent 'new' inflation Ω rises toward unity. The value of Ω today is calculable in terms of the parameters of the potential, and we show that obtaining values significantly different from zero or unity (though within the range 0 < Ω < 1) does not require significant fine tuning. We compute the spectrum of density perturbations by evolving the Bunch-Davies vacuum modes across the bubble wall into its interior.

This chapter describes an explorative study carried out to gain response from distance students on their experiences with collaborative learning in asynchronous computersupported collaborative learning (CSCL) environments. In addition, this study also attempts to have a good grip of crucial aspects concerning collaborative learning. The study was undertaken among distance learners from the Open University of the Netherlands who were working in groups of four to eleven persons. During and after the course students' experiences with collaborative learning were measured and after the course also students' satisfaction with collaborative learning was assessed. The finding revealed that distance learners appreciate the opportunities to work collaboratively. They show positive experiences and are quite satisfied with collaborative learning. This study also explored individual as well as course characteristics that influenced aspects of collaborative learning, and also aspects of collaborative learning that influenced students' satisfaction. The findings suggested that a group product influences regulation of group processes and group cohesion influences students' satisfaction with collaborative learning.

Student dropout occurs quite often in universities providing distance education. The scope of this research is to study whether the usage of machine learning techniques can be useful in dealing with this problem. Subsequently, an attempt was made to identifying the most appropriate learning algorithm for the prediction of students' dropout. A number of experiments have taken place with data provided by the 'informatics' course of the Hellenic Open University and a quite interesting conclusion is that the Naive Bayes algorithm can be successfully used. A prototype web based support tool, which can automatically recognize students with high probability of dropout, has been constructed by implementing this algorithm.

We investigate the validity of the generalized second law of thermodynamics in a universe governed by Hořava-Lifshitz gravity. Under the equilibrium assumption, that is in the late-time cosmological regime, we calculate separately the entropy time-variation for the matter fluid and, using the modified entropy relation, that of the apparent horizon itself. We find that under detailed balance the generalized second law is generally valid for flat and closed geometry and it is conditionally valid for an open universe, while beyond detailed balance it is only conditionally valid for all curvatures. Furthermore, we also follow the effective approach showing that it can lead to misleading results. The non-complete validity of the generalized second law could either provide a suggestion for its different application, or act as an additional problematic feature of Hořava-Lifshitz gravity.

This study reports results from a format comparison between Web-based and pencil and paper questionnaires measuring two well-validated measures of psychological distress among 530 frequent Internet users studying at an on-line University (Open University of Catalonia, UOC). A four-item version of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and a seven-item version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CESD) were randomly administered in Web-based and pencil and paper format. Internal consistency analyses showed that these two brief versions were reliable for on-line assessment. Also, no differences in Cronbach as were found between formats. Exploratory as well as multigroup factor analysis techniques showed that factor structures were invariant across formats. Overall, results revealed that respondents did not bias their responses in the Web-based condition. As these findings suggest, when familiarity with technology is high among respondents and sample procedures are followed to maximize control for potential participants, Web-based and paper and pencil formats are virtually equivalent, as in the two brief measures of psychological distress used in this study.

We have investigated the properties of a complete K-band selected sample of 35 elliptical and S0 galaxies brighter than K = 20 m .15 in the Hubble Deep Field, as representative of the field galaxy population. This sample has been derived from deep K-band image by the KPNO-IRIM camera, by applying a rigorous morphological classification scheme based on quantitative analyses of the surface brightness profiles. The completeness of the sample is proven by a careful evaluation of all biasing effects inherent in the automated selection procedure. Fifteen objects have spectroscopic redshifts, while for the remaining twenty a photometric redshift is estimated from a seven-colour broad-band spectrum (including 4 HST and 3 near-IR bands). This dataset, based on public archives from HST and from deep observations at Kitt-Peak and Hawaii, is unique as for the morphological information, and for the photometric -2and spectroscopic coverage. The broad-band spectra of the sample galaxies, together with a few basic assumptions about the IMF and the stellar evolutionary paths, allow us to date their dominant stellar populations. The majority of bright early-type galaxies in this field are found at redshifts z ∼ < 1.3 to display colors indicative of a fairly wide range of ages (typically 1.5 to 3 Gyrs). Because of the different cosmological timescales, the star-formation history depends to some extent on the assumed value for the cosmological deceleration parameter: we find that the major episodes of star-formation building up typical M ⋆ galaxies have taken place during a wide redshift interval 1 < z < 4 for q 0 =0.5, which becomes 1 < z < 3 for q 0 =0.15. There seems to be a tendency for lower-mass (M < 5 10 10 M ⊙ ) systems to have their bulk of SF protracted to lower redshifts. Our estimated galactic masses, for a Salpeter IMF, are found in the range from a few ∼ 10 9 M ⊙ to a few 10 11 M ⊙ already at z ≃ 1. So the bright end of the E/S0 population is mostly in place by that cosmic epoch, with space densities, masses and luminosities consistent with those of the local field E/S0 population. We argue that the strong decrease of the comoving mass density of early-type galaxies found by some authors already by z ≃ 1 might be due to improper color classification, since these objects are usually found to display blue young populations mixed with old red stars. Instead, what distinguishes the present sample is a remarkable absence of objects at z > 1.3, which should be detectable during the luminous star-formation phase expected to happen at these redshifts. Obvious solutions are a) that the merging events triggering the SF imply strongly perturbed morphologies which prevent selecting them by our morphological classification filter, or b) that a dust-polluted ISM obscures the (either continuous or episodic) events of star-formation, after which gas consumption (or a galactic wind) cleans up the galaxy. We conclude that the likely solution is a combination thereof, i.e. a set of dust-enshrouded merging-driven starbursts occurring during the first few Gyrs of the galaxy's lifetime. While our main conclusions are moderately dependent on the assumed value of q 0 , an open universe is favored in our analysis by the match of the K-band local luminosity functions with the observed numbers of faint distant galaxies. Two sources of uncertainty in our analysis -i.e. the possible presence of a background cluster or group at z ∼ 1 in the HDF (possibly contaminating the z-distribution), and the lack of a complete spectroscopic identification -are shown not to likely affect our main results. In any case, they will be reduced soon by new observations in the Southern HDF and by deep spectroscopic surveys with large telescopes.

The post-graduate course, Software Requirements for Business Systems, in the Department of Computing of the Open University (OU) is one of the early adopters of OU's Virtual Learning Environment. The course involves teaching systematic elicitation and documentation of requirements of software systems. On a software development project, team members often work remotely from one another and increasingly use wikis to collaboratively develop the requirements specification. In order to emulate requirements engineering practice, the course has been enhanced to include group collaboration using a wiki. In this paper, we describe the wiki-based collaborative activities and the on-going evaluation of the pedagogical effectiveness of a wiki for collaborative learning.

The availability of text reading and editing software for Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) makes it timely to consider whether PDAs are useful tools for reading learning materials. This paper describes a study that evaluated the use of PDAs for reading by students on a Masters course run by the UK Open University. The evaluation consisted of pre-and post-questionnaires, and follow-up interviews. In addition, students discussed their experiences in a computer-based conference. Findings show that while the portability of the device was welcomed by students, and the electronic format was advantageous, limitations such as the small screen size, navigation difficulties, and slow and errorprone methods for entering text, made it difficult to read and interact with documents on the PDA. The paper recommends that further research consider the value of PDAs as reading devices in the context of other potential ways that PDAs can be used as learning tools.

We have used the Keck 10m telescope to count objects as a function of image size in two high galactic latitude fields covering 1.5 arcmin 2 and reaching 50% completeness depths of K=24 and J=24.5 for stellar sources. Our counts extend ∼1 magnitude deeper in K than those of surveys with other telescopes; complement other Keck surveys in the K band that provide counts at comparable or shallower depths but that have not utilized image structure; and extend by several magnitudes the J band counts from brighter surveys using smaller telescopes that cover larger areas. We find the surface-density of objects at K=23 to be higher than previously found (∼500,000 mag −1 deg −2), but at K < 22 to be consistent with other surveys. The slope of the K band counts (dlogA/dm = 0.36) is similar to others near this depth as well as to our own J band counts (0.35). Counts in J and K bands are both in excess

With the development of new digital technologies and their gradual introduction into the language classroom, the Internet enables students to reach out beyond the confines of traditional teaching and learning settings, allowing previously non-existent access to foreign languages and cultures. In telecollaborative exchanges, for example, language students use online tools to establish contact with other learners of the target language and native speakers. The learning environments for such encounters are becoming increasingly more powerful, often combining different modes of communication in one single medium, the learners' PC. In 2005, students of French at Carnegie Mellon University, US and French learners at the Open University, UK worked synchronously and asynchronously in online environments with native francophone students enrolled on a masters program in distance education at the Université de Franche Comté, France. Completing a set of three collaborative tasks, synchronous meetings took place over 10 weeks in the Open University's Internet-based audio-graphic tuition environment Lyceum, which provides multiple synchronous audio channels as well as synchronous text chat and several shared graphical interfaces. The project output, a shared reflection on cultural similarities and differences, took the form of several collaborative, asynchronous blogs. This contribution draws on data from pre-and post-treatment questionnaires, recordings of the online interactions, work published by the students in the blogs and discussions among learner and tutor participants exploring aspects of online partnership learning such as learning environment-specific affordances and their impact on task design as well as learner interaction .

In this paper, we examine emerging ways to describe and structure learning material, learning tasks and learning situations. In particular, we consider three different approaches, looking at common issues and differences in emphasis. These approaches are: learning patterns, inspired by the architectural patterns of Alexander; learning design, as described in the IMS Learning Design specification and which itself draws on Educational Modelling Language (EML) developed at The Open University of the Netherlands and learning activities as used in the Learning Activity Management System (LAMS).

Current evidence suggests that the cosmological constant is not zero, or that we live in an open universe. We examine the implications for the future under these assumptions, and find that they are striking. If the Universe is cosmological constant-dominated, our ability to probe the evolution of large scale structure will decrease with time -presently observable distant sources will disappear on a time-scale comparable to the period of stellar burning. Moreover, while the Universe might expand forever, the integrated conscious lifetime of any civilization will be finite, although it can be astronomically long. We find that this latter result is far more general. In the absence of possible exotic and uncertain strong gravitational effects, the total information recoverable by any civilization over the entire history of our universe is finite, and assuming that consciousness has a physical computational basis, life cannot be eternal.

Quality assurance for distance higher education is one of the main concerns among institutions and stakeholders today. This paper examines the experiences of Universitas Terbuka (UT), which has initiated and implemented an innovative strategy of quality assurance (QA) for continuous improvement. The credo of the UT quality assurance system is &quot;We write what we do. We do what we write. We check. We improve continuously! &quot; Implementing a quality management system at the UT, a mega-university with a student body of more than a quarter of a million and which involved a network of participating institutions and regional centres, was a formidable task to accomplish. To achieve its lofty goal, UT adopted and contextualised the draft of the Asian Association of Open Universities (AAOU) QA Framework to launch its own quality assurance program. This has taken a great deal of commitment and participation of all staff involved. QA at the UT required systematic and step-by-step process...

The lower limit on the age of the universe derived from globular cluster dating techniques, which previously strongly motivated a non-zero cosmological constant, has now been dramatically reduced, allowing consistency for a flat matter dominated universe with a Hubble Constant, H 0 ≤ 66kms −1 Mpc −1. The case for an open universe versus a flat universe with non-zero cosmological constant is reanalyzed in this context, incorporating not only the new age data, but also updates on baryon abundance constraints, and large scale structure arguments. For the first time, the allowed parameter space for the density of non-relativistic matter appears larger for an open universe than for a flat universe with cosmological constant, while a flat universe with zero cosmological constant remains strongly disfavored. Several other preliminary observations suggest a non-zero cosmological constant, but a definitive determination awaits refined measurements of q 0 , and small scale anisotropies of the Cosmic Microwave background. I argue that fundamental theoretical arguments favor a non-zero cosmological constant over an open universe. However, if either case is confirmed, the challenges posed for fundamental particle physics will be great.

The ability to provide assistance for a student at the appropriate level is invaluable in the learning process. Not only does it aids the student's learning process but also prevents problems, such as student frustration and floundering. Students' key demographic characteristics and their marks in a small number of written assignments can constitute the training set for a regression method in order to predict the student's performance. The scope of this work compares some of the state of the art regression algorithms in the application domain of predicting students' marks. A number of experiments have been conducted with six algorithms, which were trained using datasets provided by the Hellenic Open University. Finally, a prototype version of software support tool for tutors has been constructed implementing the M5rules algorithm, which proved to be the most appropriate among the tested algorithms.

Geochemical-and perhaps biochemical-processes may yield tell-tale proxies in rocks and minerals on the Earth or other planetary bodies, in the form of distinctive slopes of linear fractionation arrays on the oxygen three-isotope plot. It is generally recognized that kinetic and equilibrium fractionation processes are described by different mass fractionation laws. We show that coupled laser fluorination, dual-inlet IRMS procedures for oxygen three-isotope analysis of silicates, at high precision, gave reproducible accuracy for the slope value as measured independently by two different laboratories, using replicates of the same silicate samples. As far as we are aware, this is the first such inter-laboratory comparison. Hydrothermal quartz (together with one chalk flint sample) with a range in d 18 O of 31‰ gave respective slope k values of 0.5240 ± 0.0010 and 0.5242 ± 0.0010, using Prism III and MAT 253 mass spectrometers, respectively, at the Open University (OU). Errors were computed from weighted linear regression and are reported at the 95% confidence level. The comparable result obtained at the Geophysical Laboratory (GL), Carnegie Institution of Washington, was 0.5240 ± 0.0015. A MAT 252 mass spectrometer was used for the latter measurements and the oxygen extraction and purification procedures differed in detail from those used at the OU. In contrast, slopes measured for replicates of seven garnet samples, metamorphosed under high-temperature, highpressure conditions, and spanning 20‰ in d 18 O, gave 0.5262 ± 0.0008 at OU (Prism III analyses) and 0.5266 ± 0.0012 at GL.

1. INTRODUCTION One of the most remarkable results in recent obser-vational cosmology is the detection of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) at cosmological distances. Comparing the Hubble diagram of these D50 SNe with the predictions of classical cosmological models strongly ...

Nessa perspectiva, foi estudada a depressão nos idosos que fazem parte do Programa Universidade Aberta à Terceira Idade, da Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UnATI/UFPE). ... Portanto, é objetivo deste estudo identificar, dentre os participantes do Programa UnATI/ ...

To assess the prevalence of falls and their association with the use of medications among elderly women in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Falls among the elderly are likely to gain additional public health importance in Brazil and many other developing countries given the rapid growth of the elderly populations in those nations. Methods. A cross-sectional study was carried out with women who were participating in the educational, cultural, and medical care activities of the Open University of the Third Age (OUTA), a group that works to promote the welfare of elderly people in the city of Rio de Janeiro. The women in the study were all 60 years old or older, were able to walk, had no cognitive impairment, and were living in the community (rather than living in a facility exclusively for older persons). A questionnaire was used that asked about falls within the 12 months prior to the interview, medications used in the previous 15 days, current and past health problems, and demographic characteristics. Women who were interviewed face-to-face also had their blood pressure checked. Two outcome variables were defined: (1) "fallers," who had suffered one or more falls (contrasted with "nonfallers") and (2) "recurrent fallers," who had had two or more falls (contrasted with those who had had one or no falls, called "nonrecurrent fallers"). Results. A total of 634 women were interviewed face-to-face at the OUTA facilities. Among these in-person interviewees, 23.3% reported one fall in the previous year, and 14.0% reported two or more falls in that period. Considering both prescribed drugs and over-the-counter drugs, only 9.1% of these women were not using any medications, 52.7% were using 1 to 4 medications, 34.4% were using 5 to 10, and 3.8% were using 11 to 17 medications. In comparison to nonusers, users of diuretics who also suffered from musculoskeletal disease were 1.6 times as likely to report having suffered a single fall in the preceding year, after adjusting for cardiovascular disease. Recurrent falls were reported 2.0 times as often among beta-blocker users as among nonusers, after adjusting for cardiovascular disease. The risk of recurrent falls among users of anxiolytics/sedatives who had postural hypotension was 4.9 times as high as among nonusers.

Background: Values continue to play an integral part in education across the globe, but the importance of teachers' personal values is often overlooked (Klein, M.B., New teaching and teacher issues, Nova Science Publishers Inc., 2006; Aspin, D.N., and J.D. Chapman, eds, Values education and lifelong learning: Principles, policies, programmes, Springer, 2007). It has been argued that teachers need explicit opportunities to reflect on their own personal and professional values to enable them to model what they ask of their students with integrity (Palmer, P.J., The courage to teach, Jossey Bass, 1998; Atkinson, T., and G. Claxton, The intuitive practitioner, Open University Press, 2000). Professional development is still often narrowly defined within the bounds of skills and competencies. However, discussion of values could help contribute to professional development by building teacher commitment and resilience.

. Developing autonomy in a distance language learning context: issues and dilemmas for course writers. System, 29 , pp. 341-355. For guidance on citations see FAQs. c [not recorded] Version: Proof Link(s) to article on publisher's website: http://dx.doi.org/Abstract The relationship between autonomy and the teaching and learning of languages at a distance is complex. On the one hand, in order to complete successfully a distance learning programme, learners need to develop a series of strategies and skills that will enable them to work individually. At the same time, distance learning programmes have a clear structure in which the amount, rate and content of the learning programme is determined by the course writers, and not by the student. If autonomy is about the learner being 'able to make significant decisions about what is to be learned, as well as how and when to do it' (Van Lier, L., 1996. Interaction in the Language Curriculum, Awareness, Autonomy and Authenticity. Longman, London and New York, pp. 12-13), then it would seem to be incompatible with distance learning. This paper investigates the notion of autonomy in relation to distance language learning, and examines the skills and strategies needed by those learning at a distance in order to achieve successful outcomes. It explores in particular the dilemma posed by the highly structured nature of Open University language courses and the need for learners to develop autonomous approaches. Using examples from the Spanish Diploma, it outlines ways in which autonomy can nevertheless be effectively promoted through careful attention to materials design. #

Anxiety and non-anxiety in a distance language learning environment: The distance factor as a modifying influence Journal Article How to cite: Hurd, Stella (2007). Anxiety and non-anxiety in a distance language learning environment: The distance factor as a modifying influence. System, 35 pp. 487-508.

Factors related to students' selection of Internet-assisted vs. traditional distance learning environments (IDL vs. TDL) at the Open University of Israel were investigated. The two groups differed in their demographic variables, academic achievements and value priorities. The IDL group had a higher percentage of males, and a different age distribution. Students in the IDL group also had higher academic achievements: higher grades in Statistics, a higher grade point average, and a better knowledge of English. The groups also differed in their value priorities. The IDL group attributed higher importance to values that emphasize independence in thought and action, creativity and curiosity, and lower importance to values that emphasize maintenance of the status quo, and preference of what is familiar and well-organized. Theoretical, methodological and practical implications of the results are discussed. #

The main objective of this paper was to analyse how sustainable development indicators impacted upon the integration of sustainable development into the governing of Scotland. A major concern was whether an accounting technology could represent this complex multi-dimensional and interdisciplinary concept. We analysed the relationship between the official sustainable development strategy of the Scottish Executive and the associated indicator set using an analytics of government framework . Governmentality: Power and rule in modern society. London: Sage Publications. . Governing societies. Berkshire: Open University Press). We observed a lack of alignment between these sustainable development indicators and the visions, fields of visibilities, forms of knowledge and techniques of government contained in this strategy. Critical aspects of this strategy were omitted from the indicator set and we argue that these indicators did not to effectively measure progress towards a Sustainable Scotland but that they could calculatively capture and distort the sustainable development governing process. The analytical framework used allowed us to problematise these indicators and contribute to a wider discourse on the composition and nature of sustainable development indicators. Crown

Background: Thailand is undergoing a health-risk transition with overweight and obesity emerging as an important population health problem. This paper reports on a study of the transition, focusing on ''lifestyle'' factors such as diet (fried foods, soft drinks, Western-style fast foods) and physical activity (mild, moderate, strenuous exercise, housework/gardening and screen time). Methods: A baseline survey was administered to 87 134 adult students from all regions of Thailand attending an open university. Results: 54% of the cohort was female. Participants' median age was 29 years. By self-reported Asian standards, 16% of the sample was obese (body mass index (BMI)>25) and 15% overweight at risk (BMI>23-24.9). Men were twice as likely as women to be overweight (21% vs 9%) or obese (23% vs 10%). Obesity was associated with urban residence and doing little housework or gardening and with spending more than 4 hours a day watching television or using computers. The latter occurred among 30% of the cohort, with a population attributable fraction (PAF) suggesting that it accounts for 11% of the current problem. Daily consumption of fried food was associated with obesity, and eating fried foods every second day or daily had a PAF of nearly 20%. Conclusions: These health-related behaviours underpinning the Thai health transition are associated with increasing obesity. They are modifiable through policies addressing structural issues and with targeted health promotion activities to prevent future obesity gains. Insights into future trends in the Thai health transition can be gained as this student cohort ages.

This paper reports a project working to improve distance education in Bangladesh by means of a low-cost, large-scale interactive learning environment using video, mobile phones, SMS-based tools administered in a learning management system, and innovative pedagogy based on the student-centered learning model. The paper addresses the question of how to use existing mobile telephony technical infrastructure to create interactive learning environments which can reach a majority of the population, be able to include thousands of students, and be sustainable from a resource perspective. This question includes challenges relating to pedagogy and teaching methods, technical tools for learning and communication, and institutional arrangements. The paper addresses these challenges by the illustrative case of the Bangladesh Virtual Interactive Classroom testing the tools and ideas in course at Bangladesh Open University. We find that our tools are feasible and usable but also that sustainability requires meeting organizational and social challenges.