The Open University on iTunes U

Politics

The tracks on this album look at how governments make decisions, form policies and sometimes manipulate information to help their cause.

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The Politics of Participation

Why do people choose to vote, or indeed, not to vote?

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Politics as performance

In an age of televised electoral debates, the pressure on our politicians to convince the majority of the electorate they can deliver on their promises has never been greater

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Top downloads

1. Beginners’ Chinese

Do you want to learn some basics in Mandarin Chinese? The tracks presented here are designed to give you a taste of Mandarin Chinese language and cult...

2. Phenylketonuria - a long term condition

Phenylketonuria is an inherited long term condition where, from birth, the person is unable to break down an amino acid called phenylalanine, a compon...

3. Moons of the Solar System

How did the solar system form? Are we alone in the Universe? What are alien atmospheres made of? These questions can be answered by studying the solar...

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The History of English: Shakespeare

This entertaining, animated video, voiced by Clive anderson, tells us that Shakespeare invented over 2000 new words and phrases like eyeball, anchovy and puppy.

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The OU on iTunes U

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What is iTunes U?

Part of Apple's iTunes store, iTunes U is a vast learning resource offering free educational content that users can download straight to their computer, iPad, iPod and iPhone.

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Subjects

Arts and humanities

The Aurelianic wall

The renewed threat of barbarian invasion led to the construction of the Aurelianic wall - the second fortification in the history of Imperial Rome.

Artificial Intelligence

Philosophy professor Tim Crane explains what he sees to be the main philosophical issues in the area of Artificial Intelligence

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Business and Management

Calderdale: preparing the bid

Members of the Calderdale NHS trust and the private consortium discuss the affordability of the new hospital.

Sorting out strategies

How a group makes decisions and deals with discord.

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Childhood and Youth

Creativity and early years

Using interviews and a live recording of a learning environment, creativity is defined and discussed as both a central aspect of the curriculum and a developmental tool.

Making Music Together

Recording a DJ set, designing a cd cover, and a guitar lesson. Behind the scenes the facilitators discuss the group's teamwork.

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Computing and ICT

Adding text to video

Titles and visuals are a quick and simple way to give the audience more information.

Why go robotic?

Benefits for the cows, the farmer and his family.

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Education

TESSA - Anything for School

Adjua wants to go to school, even though she is sick

TESSA - Something Good

Jude's snap decision costs him money

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Engineering and Technology

A MIDI composer talks about his career and the equipment in his studio.

IDEO: Encouraging Ideas

How to manage small teams and ways to create innovative ideas.

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Environment, Development and International Studies

Women's roles in the war

Women were involved in various ways in war, and their roles both as perpetrators and in peace-building should not be under-estimated.

The Impact of Science

A discussion with scientists about the nature of scientific knowledge, and it's relationship to policy making regarding climate change

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Health and Social Care

Carers from Minority Ethnic Groups

The specific needs of carers from minority ethnic groups with emphasis on the Chinese Welfare Association in Belfast

Gate Control Theory

Doctors and patients at the Royal Free Hospital's Pain Clinic and at the Real Health Institute explain how chronic pain works

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Languages

Talking to the waiter

Beginners' German Introduction

A series of short tracks giving speaking, pronunciation and listening practice on the theme of Food and Drink.

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Law

The abolition of capital punishment

Exploring some of the legal and ethical issues which influence decisions to abolish or retain the death penalty.

Freedom of speech

A current affairs journalist, a human rights lawyer and an academic debate issues around freedom of speech and to what extent the law should intervene to restrict it.

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Mathematics and Statistics

Taking a bearing

Discover how to get your bearings with a compass and a map.

The Open University's Alan Graham shares his knowledge on the link between music and math, and his band Betty's Kitchen perform several songs and talk us through their instruments.

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Psychology

Identical twinset

Linda, Sharon and their mother discuss their similarities as identical twins.

Discursive Psychological Research

Professor Margaret Wetherell discusses her pioneering research into the language of racism.

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Science

Focusing on fungi

Dr Sarah Watkinson reveals the role of fungi in breaking down dead leaves.

Waves: Electro magnetic waves

How radio waves work and their use at sea.

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Social Sciences

Migration: controlling borders

In Algeciras in southern Spain, the arrival of undocumented migrants from North Africa is a daily occurrence.

Working in partnership

Joan Devlin on how Belfast Healthy Cities is a model for further partnership initiatives.

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Research

Spectacular Flirtations

Open University Art History researcher, Gill Perry takes us through The National Portrait Gallery and explores the relationship between 18th Century art and theatre and the notion of actresses and their portraits as seductive, beguiling objects. Gill also looks at paralells in the ways contemporary female stars use media images to promote themselves as celebrities.

Building on History: the Church in London

Short documentary outlining a new Open University research project involving the Diocese of London and Kings College University in which existing c19th church history research is used to inform current strategies for the Church of England as part of a Knowledge Transfer Process.

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The OU on iTunes U

Bringing learning to life