What has changed when it comes to breakfast cereals, and who is paying the true cost of apparent abundance?

The theory is fine, but how does systems thinking work in practice?

Open University ethnomusicologist Martin Clayton describes how his study of music and its performance in different cultural settings has allowed him to develop his understanding of the concept of entrainment. His research into this phenomenon is providing key insights into the synchronisation of rhythmic processes in humans and in the natural world. To find out more, follow the research links.

Regina Jonas (1902-1944), who is now widely recognised as the world’s first female rabbi, was ordained in Nazi Germany in 1935. However, for many years after her death at Auschwitz, she remained a largely forgotten figure until the discovery of her papers in the early 1990s. This collection explores Jonas’ story, which raises important issues in relation to the role of women in historiography and the connection between processes of remembering, forgetting and identity formation. Stefanie Sinclair, Open University Lecturer in Religious Studies, travels to Berlin to find out more about Jonas’ life and legacy within the Jewish community and speaks to British rabbis Sybil Sheridan and Elli Tikvah Sarah about why Jonas was almost forgotten and what she means to them and to other rabbis in Britain today. This material is taken from the Open University course: A332 Why is religion controversial?

This course extends language skills and cultural knowledge. By working with authentic material from German-speaking countries, you will learn how to communicate in a wide range of situations: expressing opinions; reporting other people’s comments; explaining processes and trends; electronic communications; structured notes and texts. Cultural themes explored include changing demographic and social patterns; jobs and the role of work; German media and arts; issues of faith and personal beliefs; and issues in recent Germany history. There is an integrated residential school which takes place in Germany. . This material is taken from The Open University Course L203 Motive: Upper Intermediate German.

How do you solve your problems? This album follows two facilitators as they lead a 2-day workshop in creative problem-solving, providing a chance to adopt a new approach to the difficulties we encounter in our daily lives. Their reflections on time-keeping and good facilitation provide insight whilst the group tackle problems they’ve experienced at work, using different processes and techniques. This material forms part of The Open University course B822, Creativity, innovation and change.

This innovative album introduces one of the biggest, and most complex, of today’s environmental problems – climate change. It features the hard-hitting, "Who Will Pay", selected as a finalist in an international film competition on "Vulnerability Exposed: The Social Dimensions of Climate Change" organised by the World Bank. This 'Earth in Crisis' album offer a sophisticated understanding of the processes and players that shape contemporary international environmental problems, evaluates what can and should be done in the future, and explores how responses to these dilemmas are intertwined with issues of development, international justice and responsibility. The eleven video tracks focus on climate change induced flooding in the delta regions of Bangladesh and in the Thames region of the UK. In the first five audio tracks, members of The Open University course team explore the main issues raised in the videos. The final three audio tracks explore some of the wider political and scientific dimensions of climate change. This material forms part of The Open University course DU311, Earth in crisis: environmental policy in an international context.

What are ecosystems, and what do different ecosystems have in common? How are they affected by human activity? From the diverse rainforests of the tropics to the smallest microbial communities, ecosystems support life on Earth. This album reveals the ecological relationships that create these living systems of energy transfer and explores some of the key processes that occur. It goes on to show how these complex systems can be affected by external influences and harmed by the activities of humans. This material forms part of The Open University course S396 Ecosystems.

This series of tracks examines the operations management in four service industries. Each has unique problems associated with their sector but they all have operational processes to ensure smooth delivery of their product. Material is taken from The Open University Course T883 Business operations: delivering value.