The document discusses the role of part-time tutors at the Open University and the impact of e-learning and international partnerships on education. It highlights the significance of tutor support in student learning and the challenges of managing expectations and quality assurance across diverse educational contexts. Issues such as curriculum adaptations and cultural differences in teaching and learning methods are emphasized, along with the need for mutual investment in partnerships to enhance student experiences.

1. Supporting students: part-time tutors and international partnerships Anne Gaskell Senior Project Manager, Student Services November 2011

2. Outline of presentation The role of the tutor in the OU The impact of e-learning International partnerships: what is the impact on the curriculum? International partnerships: what quality assurance issues arise? What are the implications for future research?

3. OU part-time tutors 7,000 part-time tutors 37% work full time for other organisations 20% have the OU as their sole employer Live across the UK and CWE Have a contract which includes pensions, maternity pay, paid staff development

4. The role of the tutor in the OU Separation of function in distance teaching institutions Tutors facilitate student learning, rather than create materials/lecture Importance of correspondence tuition – in 2004, 44% said it accounted for 40-50% of their time (Gibbs, 2004) 84% of 82,935 students agreed that “the tutor’s comments helped me improve” (2010) Importance of student support – 80% agreed that “the tutor responded well to my particular needs for support” (2010)

5. The impact of e-Learning Blurs the separation of course creation and delivery (Thorpe, 2002) Requires management of student expectations Leads to increased staff (and student) development needs - Tutors the group of staff most enthusiastic about additional e-Learning development (2010) Increased competition – from distance learning for some to flexible delivery for all (King, 2010)

6. International partnerships Different staff roles, issues and arrangements in partnerships Arab OU – implications for curriculum? NIIT working in Botswana – implications for quality assurance?

7. The Arab Open University Private University 2002 Kuwait, Jordan, Lebanon; 2003 Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman Affiliated to the OU UK OU role: licensing of materials, consultancies, accreditation, and validation. IT and Computing, English Language, Education, Business

8. Curriculum: English Literature Pride and Prejudice acceptable Frankenstein not acceptable – replaced by Jane Eyre No Literature and Gender Romantic poetry without Byron Different cultural traditions of teaching and learning 70% compulsory face-to-face by law

9. NIIT: OU partnership in Botswana Botho College a partner in delivering OU’s BSc Hons “Computing and its practice” 6000 students More face-to-face support than in UK but same materials and same assessment Different cultural expectations in terms of role of tutor and student and learning and teaching styles

10. Quality assurance of partnership Not just of outcomes Aim to make student experience comparable OU direct role in approval of tutors and academic managers Initially OU a larger role in QA of tutors and academic managers Increasingly role in handover of QA of staff to partner and monitoring progress

11. Lessons learnt Both partners need to be willing to invest, change and improve Sustainability – student numbers, staff available Student support local and tailored Development of mutual trust and respect Understanding of different cultural traditions in teaching and learning

12. Questions How is e-Learning breaking down barriers between students, course authors and partners in your own programme? What are the implications of delivering one curriculum internationally? Is quality assurance of outcomes sufficient to ensure a high quality student experience? What research issues do these examples raise?

13. Thank you for your attention Any questions? Anne Gaskell [email_address]