New Student
Open Learning
Many of our courses are available in open learning format. This allows you to choose when and where you want to study, with support from your individual tutor by telephone or email.
There may be certain start and finish dates, but these still allow a great deal of flexibility.
When you enrol on an open learning course you will receive a pack with all your course materials plus the name and contact details of your tutor. You will be invited to attend an induction when you collect your materials. This will help you understand how the course operates.
Your Tutor will maintain regular contact with you throughout your course and in most cases complete an individual Learning Plan with you, which sets targets for completion of assessments. Your tutor will give you individual feedback on your progress by phone, letter or increasingly by e-mail and will let you know at what times he or she can be contacted. Your tutor is there to help you succeed, so do not hesitate to contact him or her if you are unsure about any aspect of your course. If you are still not clear, keep asking!
Open learning does require good study skills and self-discipline in order to succeed. However, please remember that your learning centre manager and tutor are there to assist you throughout your course and they do understand the demands that many of our students have on them while they are studying. If you feel that you need additional assistance during your course, please do not hesitate to speak to your local learning centre or your tutor.
If you feel that you cannot continue your course or require a deferral, please ask for a withdrawal form or speak to your tutor about extending your learning plan. Sometimes a break from your course or additional support for your studies will help you to keep going.
OPEN LEARNING COURSE STRUCTURE
When you enrol on an open learning course, you will receive a pack containing all your course notes and the information you will be required to know to complete your course.
Most open learning course materials include the following:
Activities and Self Assessed Questions (SAQs)
These let you test yourself to make sure that you understand what you have been reading.
Tutor Marked Assignments (TMAs)
These are usually at the end of each section and allow you and your tutor to make sure that you understand what you are learning and are working towards the formal assessments.
Completed TMAs are sent to your tutor either by post or email. Your tutor will give you feedback on these assessments and let you know when you are ready to sit the final assessments. They may ask you to resubmit your TMAs for correction.
Learning Outcomes (LOs)
These are your formal assessments and must be completed and passed in order to gain the qualification.
The learning outcomes are not usually included in your pack and you will need to telephone your learning centre to arrange to sit these. Your tutor will let you know when you are ready to sit your learning outcomes. LOs will either be open book or closed book:
Closed Book assessments:
These are completed in the centre, under supervision, without reference to books, notes or course materials.
Open Book Assessments:
These are completed either at home or in the centre and you may use any course notes, books or other relevant materials.
Tips for sitting Learning Outcomes
- Don’t panic! They are usually not as bad as you think and as long as you understand the materials you have been working through, you should not have any problems. There will be no trick questions!
- Try to relax before you come in to sit your assessments. You will think much more clearly if you have a calm mind.
- If you are unsure whether you are ready to sit a Learning Outcome, contact your tutor, who will be able to advise you. As long as you have been sending in your TMAs, then your tutor will know if you are ready to sit the final assessment.
- You are normally allowed a re-sit so don’t worry if you don’t pass first time around.
European Computer Driving Licence Tests
This course is certificated by The British Computer Society and is structured somewhat differently from our other courses. To complete the ECDL course, you have to sit a 45-minute test in the centre after working through each of the 7 modules. Make sure that you have completed a sample test and that your tutor has marked it before booking your test. More information is included in your open learning pack, or ask your centre staff.
Study Skills
It may be many years since you last undertook any formal learning and you may be daunted by the idea of having to remember and understand new information. Enjoy the challenge, use your life experiences to enhance your studies and remember it gets easier the more you do!
When you are starting an open learning course, whether it includes tutor taught sessions or not, one of the most important features of your study is finding the time and motivation to complete your work within deadlines. This section aims to help you make the most of your studies.
Although flexible learning allows you to continue to work and be involved with family life, it can be difficult to prioritise your study within a busy lifestyle. However, now that you have chosen to undertake a course, it is important to make allowances in the rest of your daily routine to fit in study time.
Firstly, look at your normal weekly routine to see where you can best fit your study time in. Then plan how, when and where you are going to work on your course. A couple of hours to organise yourself now, will save time and frustration while you are studying.
Setting up a study timetable
This will help you to organise your time and prioritise your study.
To help you plan your study timetable, think about the following questions:
- What time of day to I study best?
- How long can I concentrate before I need a break?
- Where do I study best?
- What helps me study? For example, a quiet environment free from distractions, or with music or noise around me?
- Do I work well under pressure?
- Do I work better alone or with others?
Planning study time
If you plan to commit one or two evenings a week to your studies, tell your friends and family that you cannot be disturbed during this time.
Make study targets to help you use your time effectively. Your tutor may have already discussed your learning plan with you, including deadlines for completion for assessments, but your own study timetable will help you break down your course into small, achievable chunks.
Remember that you have support throughout your course from your tutor and from your local learning centre staff, who are available to answer questions or provide assistance and guidance to help you successfully complete your course.
We strongly advise any applicant who has a disability or learning need to let us know at the initial stages of enrolment to ensure that additional support is available if needed. Extra time can be given for most courses or tests if you have any learning difficulties.
On the following page we have included a monthly timetable to help you organise your time.
Use the chart to plan times for study and to set targets for completing units or assessments.
You may want to book time in the centre or plan your study time at home, or a combination of both. Simply record times you plan to study and what you want to achieve in that time.
You should aim to complete a typical 40-hour Unit over 13 weeks. This equates to approximately 3-4 hours of study a week. Your course may have specific start and end dates, so please pay attention to deadlines.
If you feel that you will require more time than this or need to extend your learning plan, please speak to your tutor or centre manager.
If you feel that setting up an organised study planner will help you complete your course on time, please ask your centre manager for extra copies of the following study timetable.
Additional Study tips:
- Set aside a place for study. Make sure that you have everything you will need at hand.
- Plan your study time; using the timetable supplied may be helpful.
- Organise your course work and keep it separate from personal paperwork. If you are working on more than one Unit, keep each course in separate folders and divide your study time between the two.
- Sort out arrangements with family and friends to allow time to study without being disturbed.
- Make sure that you know what your tutor is looking for, and if uncertain, ask for clarification.
- Keep to deadlines and re-submit corrected work on time.
If you would like to find out more about study skills, the learning centres have books available on this subject.
There are also a number of websites that you may find helpful; these are included at the end of this section.
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