This course has certainly whetted my appetite to go further. The fact that there is a course is itself a testament to the OU's commitment to openness of learning. In common with prospective students,one of the things that most appeals is the ability to fit in OU tutoring with my busy life. 

We hear very often of the shortage of STEM skills and their importance to our society and I feel that I can help the University to address the imbalance.

I think my biggest take from this course is that the relationship between the OU and the tutors is two way. Tutors have their expertise to give the OU and it's students, but the OU gives them a lot back.

I think that I have many things to offer. I have some, albeit little, experience of being a tutor in an educational setting, and through these experiences I have found that I enjoy understanding and responding to the wants and needs of the student. I also have STEM skills that I can help tutor on, particularly programming skills.

The OU offers many opportunities to build upon my existing experience and better my tutoring skills. Through the course, I have already picked up many interesting techniques that I am keen to explore further.

I think in many ways, the OU ideas of what a tutor and a student align with my own opinions. In my current setting, I often struggle with the idea that the tutor is ‘all knowledgeable’. Within the OU the line between them seem to blur in many ways, as tutors seem to be open about their own experiences with students and are even encouraged to take modules themselves.

As a recent OU student this course has given me an insight into how the tutor role works within the OU and the support that the OU gives the tutor.

This is very different from my experience as a teacher who is just left to get on with it.

I much prefer the OU model.

This course has been very timely for me.  I am post PhD, post first Post Doc, and really trying to make sense of where I should go from here. I enjoy doing research, but at my age and with my tempermant, I probably have a better chance to make a contribution to the computing discipline through teaching. This course has helped me understand that this is not an idle desire, but a true reflection of the directions I have taken in my professional life and my research within computing.  I strongly believe that good education has a big part to play in preparing students to be technically skilled, but also responsible, publicly interested professionals.  

Though I so wish I could teach at the OU, my personal circumstances make this an unlikely outcome. 

Even still, the course, while revealing many details about how tutoring works at the OU, has also shown me aspects of good teaching and professional support for teaching that could (should?) be applied in any teaching environment.

The OU tutor role is a bit different to what I expected but in a good way. It fits well with my aims and I particularly like the social justice aspect and the opportunity to continue learning myself. I can contribute my subject knowledge, industry experience and tutoring skills. 

First I like this course, it is well structured and never boring and has given me a good idea of what a good standard the OU modules will be like.  I like then idea of working from home, part-time and combining this with other work and study, to have a better work/life balance.  I have taught at a secondary school level but have always wanted to teach at a university level and teach adults but  for sometime now but thought at my time in life and financially this would not be possible.

I am keen on this on this tutoring role, learning new modules in teaching pedagogy or maths/computing  and the options in could open up for me in the HE environment.

I could offer my academic experience in maths up to Msc level and over 20 years of experience in the IT industry and the teaching and tutoring experience I have had.

Going through this course has provided me with the understanding of how the OU student learn and what they expect from tutors.

It has also shown me how the tutors, support students which is quite different from the traditional universities. 

It's also quite fascinating to see the level of support that's available to new tutor such as the tutor forum, tutor mentor etc. 

Another point is the opportunity for growth that OU offers through the CPDs to develop my teaching further. 

All these have given me a renewed impetus for my aspiration to be a tutor in OU. 

The opportunity to be able to support students to achieve their dreams and be what they wanted to be is another thing that excites me about the OU tutor role. The OU students will no doubt benefit from my experience, skills and pastoral support.

The OU has a fantastic reputation and opportunity to teach online in the prestigious organisation as the OU, definitely will help me develop my own teaching and career. I can offer as a tutor my experience, skills and knowledge as well as my enthusiasm.

I am taking this course because I have already applied to be an AL, and have an interview scheduled. I wish I had found it earlier, but it would only have served to increase my desire to become an AL.

I have considered taking up some form of teacher role, as I feel that I should pass on the benefit I have received to future generations, but have only really seriously considered it after talking to some of the various tutors I have met and interacted with as on OU student.

They helped me to see that I could do this role and inspired me to sign up at the OU jobs website and, now I am nearing the end of my degree, to apply for a position.

I think partly it's because I enjoy the 'OU Experience' and don't want to give it up.

The fundamental role and expectations of an AL hasn't changed, which makes me confident that I want to take on this role again.  I am also really excited about the course I hope to tutor on.  Explaining topics to others means you gain a deeper understanding yourself which you can then feed back to your students and so on.  Even being a teacher/tutor I am constantly learning new things or making new connections. 

I have found the content on this course resonant so far and am keen to take my practice further with teaching on the Open University. 

Having worked in FE/HE for 10+ years now, and after having brought in blended learning programmes I feel inspired to take my professional development and practice further to teach at a higher level and with the provider I deem to be at the top of the field of online education in the UK.

I feel I have a lot to offer, my experience with working with a variety of learner groups and at different levels + my experience with supporting students on a pastoral level would put me in a good position starting out as a tutor with the OU.

After studying the course so far, I think the course has put across the way that the OU delivers education, the role of the tutor and the support that is available for people who want to pursue teaching with the OU, very well. I would consider teaching with the Open University.

I had a really positive experience learning with the OU and would be keen to 'pass forward' some of the support I had and various skills I learned. I think I would be able to offer students not only the benefit of my experience relating to technology, but also having gained my degree with the OU, how that has helped me move forward in my career.

Taking on a challenge like tutoring would allow me to learn new skills and develop myself in a different direction - yet within a field of my expertise, so, out of the comfort zone, but not too far out of it.

After I finished my OU MSc 20 years ago I had a conversation with my dissertation supervisor about tutoring and he was very encouraging about the idea. I sat on my hands over this for all this time, despite that many people I have mentored in the workplace have thanked me for my help over the years. Coming back to the OU as a student has reignited the idea and one thing I really feel is that after all these years in the industry it would be a shame to retire in a few years' time and not be in a position to pass on some of what I have accumulated.

Frankly I've been pretty relieved to see the breadth and depth of teaching material, and to have a greater understanding of the role of the Tutor, as I started by thinking there's  few places in IT I'm pretty light on the detail (to put it mildly). It's good to see that the role is more the "guide on the side". That's what I've always tried to be and have done in previous roles.

During one of the videos a Tutor remarked how they enjoyed the role as it was giving something back. That's it really! It's a worthwhile role and you are helping people who are, hopefully, at the begining of a long and rewarding career in IT. 

There's also, as mentioned by someone else, the real sense of satisfaction I get from "seeing the penny drop" - explaining things to people. I have always liked solving problems, when you start by thinking "that looks difficult/impossible/where do I start?". Then the solution hits you and the job gets done. I get tremendous satisfaction helping others to see that "eureka" moment themselves.

The course has reminded me what a wonderful and worthwhile organisation the OU is. I would love to have the chance to share my experiences in such an open and supportive environment. It would be a great opportunity to not only facilitate learning outcomes but also grow in confidence and gain a broader understanding of STEM subjects.

I am already part of the OU as a Lecturer in STEM. I might consider to apply also for a tutor position. I would do it to keep practicing my skills of active teaching, communicating engaging with students. It might be useful also for my application to the higher education academy fellowship.

I would contribute with my knowledge in scientific subjects and my experience in teaching delivery in higher education.

I started this course after applying for an OU tutoring role and have been appointed before finishing it :-)

I have particularly been drawn to tutoring with the OU as an OU graduate ad I am very enthusiastic about it's mode of learning and how this offers opportunities for study that may not have been possible for some learners otherwise.

Definitely - it has been very helpful in explaining the process. It has helped me to see the role the tutor plays and how it differs from what I have done in HE in the past. But at the same time it has helped me to see that I have strengths that would be valuable to such a role.

I think my biggest take from this is the role of the tutor.  The relationship between tutor and student is much more than I expected, which is fantastic!  I only wish that I had the same support when I completed my own undergraduate studies.

I think this has made me realise just what the OU is all about.  I can see how and where it fits into the lives of both students and staff.  I didn't think that OU had this much commitment to students and staff.  It's great that the CPD is important.

I am 100% applying to a current opportunity with deadline tomorrow!

I am an experienced tutor and assessor (12 years), most recently in a freelance and distance capacity, so it would fit in well with my current circumstances. But it would also allow me to grow into HE, as I've so far only experience of FE level. Also, as my work in the last few years has focused on working with SEND, I'm very excited about how inclusive the OU is. I bring a blend of teaching and industry experience, with a former 5 year full time career in Web/graphic design & digital marketing, as well as freelance design work alongside my education career.   

The OU is fantastic in supported online learning. I have experience of their work as a student and I think I could provide my research expertise to their modules as a tutor. 

The course has explained a lot about the progression once selected as a tutor and the support you get.

I have previously tutored but prefer the shared 'team/mentoring' model to the typical classroom model.

I look forward to tutoring with the OU in the future.

This course has really given me a fantastic insight into how the OU is organised and I really like the structure of things here. I really do feel that my experience in teaching computing subjects would be a good contribution to teaching activities at the OU. The fact that tutors have access to courses for free offers a great opportunity for me to also gain knowledge in other fields. 

First thank you for this course. It was really helpful to get more insight into how the role works and what's involved. Section 5 on marking especially I think really was of interest as to how that works. 

Personally when I graduated, a few friends retrained to be teachers as there weren't many tech roles then. I held out and found my way over the years but it's something I have kept wondering about. The tutor role seems the best of both roles where you get to coach and give back, but aren't stuck doing the whole content creation and everything around that. 

Also the fact you get paid and the potential to develop more skills is really attractive to me.

This course has helped me gain a deeper understanding of the role of an AL, and supporting adult learning in general - which is what I do in education currently. Lots to think about. 

It is a lifelong ambition of mine to work for the OU. My husband gained his degree with them at the age of 42 while working full time and has subsequently been working for them for the last 20 years - it is transformative and the quality and rigour they provide is excellent. This has just confirmed for me my desire to work for them. Thank you for providing this without any cost - been really helpful and interesting.

I think this course has clarified some key aspects of working for OU and has provided reassurance around some aspects of quality assurance which differ from every institute and is still a role I am excited about 

The title of this thread is wrong, the course text calls it activity 6.

After studying this far I am more likely to consider tutoring. I was worried that my dyslexia could make it hard for me to mark a students work, and this is a bit of a concern to me. Section 6, more than the others, have shown me that this may not be an issue and not to worry so much.

I've been studying with the OU since 2012, I first got my degree, in 2019, and now i'm near the end of my masters. But my relationship with the OU starts in the 70's when I was a child. I would often wake up hours before the rest of the family and spend the early hours watching the only thing on TV, OU lectures. And I loved them. :) I learned more from the OU as a child than I ever did at school.

I've been interested in the idea of being a tutor at the OU for a long time. I've always enjoyed teaching when I've had the opportunity, and to do it with the OU which is such an amazing institution would be wonderful.

And as it happens I have applied and been offered a tutor role with the univerisity. I have accepted. But now of courseall I have to do it - and hopefully well. :)

I'd like to share two experiences: many years on IT fields from system administrator up to software design and development and be a OU student.

I feel I have learned a lot from this course, and am now even keener to become an OU tutor. I have a lot of academic and industry experience that I can contribute, and although I have some limited teaching experience (including at the OU), I have a lot to learn in that area. I would love to develop as a teacher and gain HE accreditation.

This course has definitely encouraged me further to persue a career as an associate lecturer with the OU. 

I have recently graduated (BEng (Hons)) with the OU and believe that my experience as a student with the OU can be a valuable asset.

This module has been quite a journey.  At one point I felt it was not for me.  The teaching scope seemed too vast and there were too many areas I knew nothing about and in a few cases did not fill me with a great deal of interest.  I would advise anybody considering STEM to follow this course whether they decide to take the matter further or not.  It gives a very good insight into how the OU works from the perspective of being a good tutor.  It also helps decide if you are a suitable individual.  I am going to apply for any modules within T42 should they appear.  I see it as a practical worth while course suitable to my ability level.

This course, particularly the interviews with tutors, has encouraged me to proceed with applying to be an AL.

It does sound fun and rewarding. If I can take my existing enjoyment of teaching/training that I have done in my career - formally and informally, then why not take this to the OU.

For almost all my career, I have worked for commercial organisations, who are ultimately in business to make a profit. Luckily, all of my permanent employers have been reputable and reasonable, full of decent people doing their best to do a professional job. Even some seriously dodgy companies have had staff who were decent and fair!

It seems right to me now to think about working for an organisation who's aim is officially altruistic and has an ethos of public service that I strongly support.

This course has reinforced my interest in becoming a tutor with the OU. I am excited for the opportunity to support students on an individual basis.

This course has given me valuable insights into the Open University (OU), known for its commitment to inclusive and flexible education. I admire the OU's mission to provide accessible learning opportunities to a diverse range of individuals, including those with unique needs or busy schedules.

I have found this course very interesting and am enthused to get into teaching.  I have always enjoyed helping others and working in a collaborative manner and so feel I would really enjoy tutoring.  I feel I would have things to learn myself, particularly related to OU course content as it is slightly outside my field of expertise but is within my wider field of knowledge.  I would also have to work on using all the facilities of the online systems.

I feel I have a lot of enthusiasm to offer to students and also a empathetic ear to listen to their struggles and try to help them.  As I have caring responsibilities, I feel that I will also be able to draw a parallel with many of the students.

As a teacher at a conventional university, I have the opinion that education should be beyond borders and barriers, whether its geographical barriers or social barriers. The open university is effectively addressing this form of education. Here I can get this opportunity to educate students who have less opportunities.

The second is that the open university is one of the largest university of UK with a proper system of distance and online education and working here one can excel in the profession of teaching.

I have background of computer engineering and have taught many subjects to the student of computer science and communication. Here I can teach subjects like Artificial Ingelligence, Image processing, communication technologies, and even hardware courses like digital logic design, electric and electronics circuits. I can teach programming languages like Python, Matlab, and Verilog. Therefore can contribute on both software and hardware sides.

I've been involved in education for many years, starting in academic settings and more recently in industry. The accessible philosophy of the OU coupled with the flexibility it affords is extremely attractive to me. I'm excited to see what tutor posts come up in the next few months and hopefully they'll be some that are the right fit for my skills in physics and technology.

I would love a position as AL/tutor at the OU. Particularly, since my PhD was part-time working away and post Covid, the ability to deliver material - to facilitate learning in a student-oriented environment - working remotely is something that is highly valuable.

I first applied to become a lecturer at Leicester Poly in 1987, and again at Huddersfield Poly. The feedback I had was to keep trying.  My degree wasn't brilliant, and I was still 'early' career. I was passionate about CS, and I saw being a Lecturer would be a prestigious career.

Now I'm 'late career', I have post-grad research degrees and a wealth of industry experience as a software engineer (CEng), and I have teaching experience,  I now feel it would be an opportunity to help others on their journey. I'm less concerned about what it might give me, other than satisfaction of a worthwhile activity!